I laughed bitterly. “Keep it. I don’t want anything from this place anymore. Everything here is tainted.”
“Enough!” he shouted, gripping my shoulders and shaking me hard.
“Touch me again and I’ll break your fingers,” I warned coldly.
He froze, staring at me in shock. “What’s happened to you, Raven? This isn’t you.”
“Not me?” I scoffed. “You loved it when I obeyed every word you said. Now that I’m done being silent, suddenly I’m the problem?”
“Calm down so I can explain,” he snapped.
I knew another lie was coming—but this time, I wouldn’t stop him.
“Go on,” I said flatly.
Alaric exhaled. “Morgana is ill. She has a human disease—cancer.”
I showed no reaction.
“She only has a few years left. She devoted herself to the twins. They begged me to make her their mother for the time she has left, so she can pass peacefully.”
I burst out laughing when he finished.
“You’ve really improved your lies,” I said mockingly.
“It’s true,” he insisted. “Just two years.”
“Two years,” I repeated. “And after that, you’ll finally mate with me, right?”
“Yes,” he said quickly. “Everything’s already planned.”
I looked at him calmly. “So what do you want from me now?”