Chapter 93

Evelyn

I pressed the damp cloth to Logan’s mother’s burning forehead, my hands trembling even as I tried to still them. It was so odd to have this woman who hated me utterly at my mercy.

Though we had never gotten along, I couldn’t help but think that she looked pitiful then. She was slipping away, pale but hot and clammy. The wolfsbane was working its way through her system, and it would either run its course or take her with it. All I could do was stand vigil; she was beyond intervention.

The scent of wolfsbane lingered on her breath, and no matter what I did, her pulse was weakening by the minute. She must have swallowed far more than the average dosage. I knew the effects of overdoing it with wolfsbane thanks to Jesse, but this was something else entirely. It was a complete overdose.

“Come on,” I whispered. “Stay with us.”

Logan hovered at the edge of the bed, eyes wide, helpless. “Is she going to make it?”

“I don’t know.” I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “She’s strong. She’s fought worse, hasn’t she?”

His jaw tensed. “Not like this. This is a nasty drug.”

His mother groaned lowly at the aches of her own failing body, eyes fluttering as she tried to speak. Logan leaned closer, gripping her hand.

Until then, I had never seen him show her affection. They had largely been at odds, especially when it came to me. But he leaned forward like the dutiful son he was, his features awash with concern.

“Mother,” he said, gently. “I’m here. We’re here.”

Her eyes cracked open, glazed and unfocused. They were half-lidded, like she could barely keep them open. I knew even just opening her eyes and trying to bring herself into the present was costing her significantly.

Her eyes wandered the ceiling, trying to make sense of her surroundings. And then they found me.

And in that single instant, I saw revulsion, betrayal, and something bitter blooming behind her clouded stare. Even in her most drugged state, slipping away and into death, she hated me. That much was clear as her gaze sharpened, almost accusatory.

“You,” she rasped. “You did this.”

My heart stuttered. “What?”

I had done nothing but tend to her for the past hour, doing whatever I could alongside Chris to bring some health back into Logan’s mother. But despite my best efforts, she had kept fading and fading, until now.

“You poisoned me…” she gritted out. “I knew… you’d destroy… everything.”

“No,” I stammered, shaking my head in disbelief. “That’s not true. I’ve been with Logan this evening, so I couldn’t— I wouldn’t have done anything of the sort to begin with. I’m a healer! I— I’ve done everything I can to save you!”

Logan turned sharply toward me, blinking. “Evelyn…”

I stiffened. I wasn’t sure if his stern tone was chastening or meant to quell me. He clearly didn’t appreciate my outburst in front of his ailing mother, but I hadn’t appreciated her accusation either.

“You can’t possibly think I did this,” I said, breath catching in my throat. My voice was embarrassingly strained even to my own ears. This couldn’t be happening.

“Evelyn, calm down,” Logan said with an exasperated look.

“You know me,” I said. “You know I would never do this. I couldn’t.”

How had everything gone so wrong in such a short span of time? My lips were still swollen from his earlier kisses. But now he was looking at me with something like heartbreak flickering in his irises.

And then he gasped. A small noise, but I heard it all the same. And then I saw why.

His mother’s hand went slack in Logan’s palm, her final breath escaping in a shudder. The room fell oppressively quiet. Chris’s shoulders dropped, and his mouth fell open in shock.

Dead. She was dead.

It had all happened so fast, it felt nearly impossible to comprehend. Logan just stared at her. Then he raised his gaze to me. His eyes were pink with tears already.

I moved toward him. “Logan, you know I didn’t—”

“Don’t.” His voice was hoarse.

“She hated me. I know that. But I never hated her the same way, I swear it! And this?” My voice cracked with disbelief. “I was trying to save her. You saw, Logan. And I was with you all night.”

“She accused you,” he said flatly. “With her last breath.”

I blinked at him, heart splitting open. “I… I can’t believe you. You think I poisoned your mother?”

He dragged a hand through his hair. “I don’t know what to think, Evelyn. My mother just died!”

His voice had cracked on the last word. It shattered something in my heart as well.

“I was with you all night,” I repeated. “How would I have even managed to do this? I’m a healer, not a killer, Logan.”

“I’m not saying that,” he snapped, turning away from me. “I’m saying it doesn’t look good. And I haven’t forgotten how much you two couldn’t stand each other.”

I felt like the floor was crumbling beneath me. “It was her who hated me!”

“Look at this from my perspective,” Logan said. “Or at least try to, please.”

I scoffed. “So that’s it? You think I killed her because we didn’t get along?”

Logan didn’t respond.

Rage twisted through my chest. And I knew what the truth was. Everything snapped into place. “It was Emma.”

His head snapped up. “Of course you’d say that.”

“I’m serious,” I said. “She’s the only one who could get close enough. She knew how much your mother disapproved of me, and she’s been out wandering freely. Of course she would want to strike you were it hurt the most! And don’t you see how convenient it is that her dying words blamed me?”

He stepped closer, his face cold. “You’re always blaming Emma. Every time something goes wrong, it’s her fault. Always. I’m sick of it, honestly.”

“Because she is behind it!” I shouted. “Or have you forgotten what she’s done already?”

Logan looked at me like he didn’t recognize me. “Maybe you just can’t let go of your hatred. It’s blinding you.”

I recoiled. The pain of his words sliced deeper than any blade.”And your grief is blinding you,” I accused.

Without another word, I turned and left the room. I didn’t look back. I couldn’t. If I did, I’d fall apart in front of him, and I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing me break. Not when the effects of his accusation had left me feeling so raw and unmoored.

When I returned to my chambers, the silence was deafening. My limbs felt heavy, my chest hollow. How had we been so desperately in love just a few hours ago?

I wanted to cry, to break down and sob in the privacy of my own room. But then I saw it.

There was something lying in the middle of my bed. I stepped closer and craned forward to better see it.

A note.

I approached slowly, dread already crawling up my spine. The paper was folded with care, like a love letter. I felt sick as I opened it.

Poor Evelyn. This is the price of your snooping. One down. How many more before you start listening, Princess?

There was no signature, but I didn’t need to see her name to know who had penned it.

Emma.

I sank onto the edge of the bed, fists clenched, note trembling in my grip.

She did this. She had killed Logan’s mother and made sure I would be blamed for it. No one wanted to believe me after our rivalry had been established. Even bringing forward this note would be met with skepticism. Some might even think I had written it myself.

And now, she was taunting me for it.

Logan could doubt me. The world could doubt me. But I knew.

Emma was still out there, wandering freely. But not for long.

I crumbled the note in my fist. This time, I wouldn’t stop until I took her down myself.