Chapter 108

Agnes

Ava looked like she’d just seen a ghost, and I knew I had struck a nerve. No matter how little Ava and I got along, and no matter how many years we had spent barely even speaking to each other, I knew the look on her face when she realized she’d been caught doing something she wasn’t supposed to.

And now, she was making that exact face.

“Ava,” I said, placing one hand on the door and shoving it open, “I’m not leaving until you tell me what you know. And trust me, you don’t want to make this harder than it has to be.”

She glared at me, her lips pressed into a tight line, but I could see the flicker of fear in her eyes. She knew I wasn’t bluffing. As much as she liked to pretend she was untouchable, she was under house arrest, and I was the Luna of Silvermoon—her pack.

If I wanted to make her life even more difficult, I could do it in the blink of an eye.

“Fine,” she finally snapped, stepping back and gesturing for me to come inside the house. “But make it quick. I don’t have all day to entertain your little detective act.”

I followed her into the living room, my eyes scanning the space. It was just as cold and empty inside as it was outside, as if she had taken an image of a wealthy person’s living room from a dystopian movie and had recreated it in real life.

She didn’t offer me tea or water, not that I expected her to, but it just spoke to how cold and detached she was. She perched on the edge of the thin white couch, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, while I remained standing with the book still clutched in my hands.

“Talk,” I said simply.

She sighed, rolling her eyes like I was the one who was being unreasonable. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Agnes. It was seven years ago. I barely remember.”

“Well, try harder,” I shot back. “You were in the restricted section. And judging from the look on your face, you know something about this book. Tell me what you know.”

Ava’s gaze flicked to the book, and for a moment, she looked almost… guilty. But then she straightened, her expression hardening. “I was just… following instructions.”

“Instructions from who?”

She hesitated, her manicured fingers tapping nervously against her arm. “I don’t know, okay?” She waved her hand. “It was anonymous. I started getting letters—threats, really. Someone knew things about me, things I didn’t want getting out. They said that if I didn’t do what they asked, they’d ruin me.”

I frowned, my grip tightening on the book. I was curious to know what this other person supposedly knew about Ava, but that wasn’t my concern right now. “What did they ask you to do, exactly?”

“They wanted specific pages from that book,” she admitted, her voice dropping ever so slightly then. “I didn’t know what they were for. The pages weren’t even in a language I could read. I just… did what I was told.”

I studied her carefully, searching for any sign that she was lying. But for once, my cruel stepsister seemed genuine. She looked smaller somehow, her usual bravado stripped away, leaving behind someone who was scared and maybe even a little desperate.

“Do you still have the letters?” I asked.

She shook her head and scoffed. “Of course not, dummy. I burned them years ago. I didn’t want any evidence lying around.”

Of course she did. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “And you have no idea who sent them?”

“None,” she said firmly. “I swear, Agnes, if I knew, I’d tell you. I don’t want anything to do with… whatever this is.”

Despite everything, I was inclined to believe her—for now, at least. Ava was many things, but she certainly wasn’t stupid. If she thought cooperating with me would keep her out of more trouble at this point, then she would do it.

Still, the fact that someone had gone to such lengths to get those pages was unsettling. What were they hiding? And why?

“If you remember anything else,” I said, turning to leave, “you’ll let me know.”

She didn’t respond, and I didn’t wait for one. I had what I needed—or at least, as much as I was going to get from her.

Back at home, I spread the book out on my bed, flipping through the remaining pages in search of clues. As always, the surrounding text was nearly indecipherable, mostly just cryptic runes and ancient languages that I didn’t know, with vague translations handwritten in the margins. Still, I did my best to decipher it.

I was so engrossed in my research that I didn’t hear Thea come in until she was standing right beside me.

“What’s that?” she asked, pointing to the book.

I jumped, quickly closing the book and shoving it aside. “Nothing, sweetheart. Just some boring grown-up stuff.”

But Thea wasn’t fooled. She snatched the book away, flipping open to the page I’d been looking at. At the top, handwritten in the margins, was the translation: “Ancient Mating Bonds.”

Thea’s eyes widened as she looked up at me. “Are you trying to mate with Daddy?”

My cheeks flushed, and I shook my head quickly. “No, no, it’s not like that. I’m just… trying to help him.”

Thea frowned, her little face scrunching up thoughtfully. “Help him with what?”

I hesitated, not exactly how much to tell her. But Thea was smart—too smart for her own good sometimes—and she deserved to know the truth. At least, part of it.

“I’m trying to find a way for him to break the bond with Olivia,” I admitted, keeping my voice low. “Without hurting anyone. If he wants, anyway.”

Thea’s eyes lit up, and she nodded eagerly. “I hate that bond. It’s stupid. Daddy doesn’t even like her anymore. I don’t think he ever did.”

I smiled faintly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “I know, sweetheart. But breaking a bond isn’t easy. It’s complicated.”

“But you’ll figure it out,” she said confidently, scooting into my lap with the book open in front of us. “Can I help?”

I opened my mouth to protest, but the look on her face stopped me. She was so earnest, so hopeful, and I couldn’t bring myself to say no. Not to her.

“Alright,” I said with a sigh. “But you have to promise not to tell anyone about this, okay? It’s a secret.” Of course, I intended to tell Elijah if I actually found anything useful. But not yet.

Thea nodded solemnly, holding out her pinky. “I promise.”

We spent the next hour poring over the book together, Thea pointing out anything that caught her eye. Most of it was gibberish to her, to both of us really, but she didn’t seem to mind. She was just happy to be involved.

Then, she stopped on a page near the back, her finger tracing a line of text. “What’s this?”

I leaned over, squinting at the words. “Looks like it’s a recipe for some kind of perfume,” I said. “Said to mimic pheromones using natural ingredients.”

Thea’s eyes widened. “Does that mean it could make someone fall in love? Like a love potion?”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “I doubt it. It’s probably just an old wives’ tale.”

But Thea wasn’t convinced. She looked up at me, her expression so hopeful it made my heart ache. “Can we try it? Please? Just in case it works?”

I hesitated, torn between practicality and the desire to make her happy. It was a silly idea, but Thea’s excitement was infectious. And if it gave her even a little bit of hope, maybe it was worth it. Besides, maybe it would be a fun project.

And I would have been lying if I said I didn’t secretly think about that night I’d spent with Elijah, and what sort of effects a pheromone perfume might have on… us.

“Alright, alright,” I finally said, laughing. “We’ll make the perfume.”

Thea beamed, jumping up. “Thank you, Mommy! It’s going to work, I just know it! You and Daddy are gonna fall in love for good this time!”

I didn’t have the heart to tell her otherwise.