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"I didn’t betray you, witch," I said

"Oh?" She scowled, narrowing her eyes on me "Pray tell then, why did you lie to irl instead of hiirl to The Shade?"

"I thought you would have been sure this out," I retorted, rippedwith me, Caleb Whatever feeble excuses you have, now’s the time to spit them out My patience wears thin"

I knew she would detect even the slightest hesitation innever would have arisen had Stellan not gotten to the immune before me," I said coolly "Why do you think I would have riskedto the Novaks’ island had it not been to collect her?" Annora raised an eyebrow and opened her mouth to respond, but I bulldozed over her "Stellan stole Anna off the back of my own hard work, then claimed the credit for himself"

"Why would he do that?"

I scoffed "Do I really need to answer that?"

She pursed her lips She knew Stellan and I had been at odds with each other ever since we had been put in charge of the two islands "Why would you lie to irl ithto you, it made her think that I was on her side I’d told her that I wanted her gone froravatedto convince you Rose was better used as a key to The Shade rather having Stellan take her back through the gate But I knew you’d thank ot in my way As with you, I had neither tis verbally"

She chewed on her lower lip, still eyeing me suspiciously

"Stellan tells a very different story," she said, but even as she said the words, the bonds holding ainst his," I said, standing up "You decide who to trust"

My eyes blazed into hers as she continued scrutinizingan to sting When she withdrew her finger, its tip was covered withon her soft lower lip

"I hope you’re not lying to s aze steady, my lips sealed

"You can leave now," she said

She shot lance as I left the room

I had played Annora well I’d known that she wanted to keep both Stellan and I It would have been work to find and train a replaceuilty of trying to outdo me, and that wasn’t a crime in her eyes She enjoyed the coht it made us both work harder