Page 185 of Scars Beneath a Serpent’s Scales

Aldryn damn near grinned. “I had an inkling earlier, but there wasn’t much to go off other than your childhood behaviors and your tells when lying.”

Roremar narrowed his gaze. “I’m an excellent liar.”

“Perhaps to those who are also bad at lying.”

He huffed a laugh. “If you’ve always known, why assign me this case?”

“Because regardless of what I suspected, you were the best man for the job.”

Roremar didn’t quite understand how those two things could be true.

“It’s why you pulled Emmeline away from me recently, isn’t it? There was no need of her back at the Academy. You just wanted us apart.”

Aldryn pursed his lips. “I believe what had been occurring between you and Miss DeLeoste runs deeper than my interference can dismantle. But yes, I did think getting her away from you was for the best. For all involved.”

“She’s special. She’s…powerful.” Memories of her flipped through his mind. Her, reading and the magic that seemed to ebb around her. Her, on the counter, legs spread and lost for him. Her tracing each of his tattoos before falling asleep in his arms. “I don’t know if even she knows how powerful.”

“I don’t think any of us do,” Aldryn agreed.

And Roremar wouldn’t be there to see her realize it, to watch as she set the realms alight and Starsearchers bowed at her feet. They would, he was damn sure of it. One day, Emmeline would have all she dreamed of.

“You don’t touch a damn hair on her head, or I’ll figure out a way back from the Spirit Realm and drag you there with me,” Roremar threatened, and this time, his uncle truly did smirk.

“As I assumed.”

“I belong in here,” Roremar said, forcing himself to meet his uncle’s eyes. “Don’t let them free me.”

“That’s truly what you want?”

“It’s what I need.”

“Okay,” Aldryn agreed. “But you should know, I have very little control over what happens next. With you being my kin, the heads of the Trade House and Accords have contacted the leaders of the other isles to be the final authority. It was a choice I had to make if I wanted to keep my seat and continue caring for everyone else.”

The derision in his voice at having control wrested from him was severe. It satisfied a cold piece of Roremar’s heart to see him having to compromise on something, but he was certain his uncle would have his retribution for that. Plus, with Aldryn in charge of the isle still, Roremar had a sliver of hope that his reputation wouldn’t stain his family. It was a trade he was more than willing to make.

Roremar swallowed at the sure death lying beneath those words. But all he said was, “good.”

The decision wouldn’t weigh on anyone he cared about at least. He knew how this ended, and the Spirit Realm was the only place he’d see.

With that heavy truth out of the way, Roremar forced himself to ask the question he’d been trying not to consider for three days. “How are they?”

“Devastated.”

His heart clenched. His siblings, his mother, they were all devastated.

All his fault. All of it was his fault.

This cage truly was for the best.

“Take care of them, will you?” His throat thickened at the words, regret for what he’d done, whom he’d hurt, and what he’d be leaving behind pouring through him like bitter wine. “They’re going to need it.”

“Of course, Roremar,” Falliare said. “I’ll see you.”

He turned to leave, but before he rounded the corner, Roremar asked, “It really all was inevitable, wasn’t it?”

His uncle didn’t answer. But Roremar didn’t need him to to know the truth.

Chapter Sixty-Two