“First, you pretended something was wrong with the child so I would release Elara. Then you pushed me into rushing the ritual, knowing the backlash would hurt me.”

She gritted her teeth. “I really underestimated you.”

Suddenly, Grace’s eyes narrowed. “But how did you know?”

My grip tightened around my sword. I stepped closer. “That’s the wrong question.”

I raised the blade between us. “You should be asking yourself why you were so easy to fool.”

My eyes turned cold. “And maybe you should’ve thought twice before putting your hands on my child.”

She drew her steel with her good hand.

Her eyes darted to my throat first. Then they...