I was a treaty.
A covenant.
A bond.
“You call me your life, yet you treat me like a possession, Papa. Like I’m merchandise to be bartered with. What about what I need?”
“You agreed.” It was a warning.
“I know, but things have changed, and if you love me—”
“You know that I do.” He said it with such force it shook the walls.
“Then give me this time.”
“He is the very reason, Aster. Do you not remember the disgrace he brought this family? Hekilledmy brother. He betrayed me. He stole my greatest treasure. Andhetouched you.”
Yes, he’d touched me. In the most beautiful of ways.
“And now you dare ask me to leave you in his care?” He hissed it, venom in his disbelief.
“Yes.”
For good or for bad.
Yes.
“I need closure, Papa. Do you not understand the pain I’ve endured? Please. Give me this time. And I’ll…I’ll find out what happened to the twin stones.” The faulty promise was out before I could stop it.
The twin stones that had been at the heart of it all.
An albatross.
A heavy sigh left him. A moment of silence followed. A chasm of dread.
“I do not trust this. Not any of it,” he finally mumbled, though some of the anger had drained.
I nearly dropped to my knees.
“I’m not asking you to trust him. I’m asking you to trust me,” I rushed.
“Aster…you do not know what you’re asking of me.” His tone was underscored with his own contrition. His own obligations.
“I do.”
“Jarek will be more than displeased.”
“He wagered me in a game last night, Papa. He lost. He should at least suffer for that.”
“Disgraziato,” he spat.
It was my only chance. The mistake that Jarek had made and the idea that I might be able to uncover what had happened to the stones.
Except that idea was moot.
Logan had sold them.
Had told me himself.