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Still he recalled the utterthe one person he loved so horribly abused and callously murdered The fury, the desolation, the sense of failure

"And so you attacked Mathias’s coe?"

"Yes"

"Which one mad Then you tried to use your connection to Bram to secure an open Council seat so you could somehow punish Mathias?"

"Yes"

"And when he refused, you felt that he’d betrayed your friendship because he kne important Gailene had been to you?"

Ice clenched his fists "Yes"

"Oh, Ice"

She looked as if her heart broke for hi for the blow he kneould coh he feared it would be toothat he would never lie to her or use her

"What did you say to your father?" she whispered

"Nothing I simply killed him"

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

SUDDENLY, SABELLE UNDERSTOOD with perfect clarity in thata Council seat fro Mathias in his own lair and slaughtering a hundred Anarki all alone, killing his father--all by age twenty Put together with the fact he’d since isolated hiht beneath them, and lived in a cave, Ice rief for Gailene was genuine Sabelleabout Ice, but she didn’t doubt the pain on his face His utter stillness and the challenging set of his clenched jaw said he awaited her condemnation Sabelle didn’t want to hurt Ice more than he’d already been

But one could not discount two facts: Ice had vowed revenge against her brother, and ickind would benefit if she "

His choked demand made her heart clench for him "I’m sorry for you, Ice The terrible, aay you lost Gailene No brother with as much love as you clearly held for her should ever endure such torture"

"Did you hear me? I killed ed and painful It was the least he deserved"

He exhaled, clearly relieved "I could have killed hih penance for Gailene’s horrific death"

"You got your revenge against your father, nearly succeeded against Mathias But what about my brother? Is that unfinished business?"

"Sabelle" Ice shook his head "When I first discovered Gailene’s body, I was beyond rage and consolation I wanted to hurt everyone who’d had a hand in her death After killing my father, I demanded that your brother help me But I quickly realized that he did not put e one " Ice shook his head "Until he suned to end Mathias, I had not spoken to him, so I’m certain that he only recalls my threats But tirabbed her hands, honestly burning from his hard, square face "I vow to you, I would never use you to hurt your brother Ever"

Sabelle drew in a deep breath Perhaps Ice was telling the truth His earnest expression ht, her heart bled But her brother had warned her a hundred ti her the ways of the Council not to be swayed by her e every one she possessed, and it was so bloody hard not to be moved

But now, shebastard after e the truth about the past Ice had once hoped Bra a sister Only his detere had dimmed

That wasn’t her iue, when she’d witnessed the Anarki carnage at MacKinnett’s Ice had killed Mathias’s minions with abandon and relished it He had killed his own father Bra his time?

Despite his pretty speech, that possibility cast a shadow on all of his actions: his "possessive nature," his sacrifice of safety when the Anarki arrived at the MacKinnetts, his Call itself Sabelle believed that Ice would never kill an innocent or condone that behavior, so it seeical that his seduction and Call could be his ut told her that wasn’t Ice’s way

Yet hoas she to truly know? Her head and heart were at war

"Thank you for that," she said finally, gently pulling her hands free

Ice sed, then grabbed her hands in his own again "Please … believe me Don’t mate with Lucan When I said there was no other for me but you, I meant that with my whole--"

"It doesn’t matter" She didn’t"Whatever yourto me, the fact is, Bram will nominate Lucan for MacKinnett’s seat, but his appoint me as his mate will secure his claim"

"Bloody hell, princess, you don’t love him," he snarled

She didn’t, and whatever Ice uilty of, she’d fallen hard and fast for the Deprived wizard who protected her, touched her with tender, wild passion, put her safety above his own If he’d been genuine in all that, then she regretted deeply hurting him But only time would tell the truth about Ice’sthey did not have

"I don’t love hiickind I won’t see the of crass words that had Sabelle flinching "Would you say differently if you believedin your ears, and you still think I’ve used you for so I love--"

"It doesn’tinside her snapped