a's

ed as I left th

s pup, what reason did Dominic

behind my eyes, and

wouldn'

erve another

ged down a cab and told the

the window as I rested against it,

only place I

t had gone on while I'd been

s his daughter, too. Surely I c

well, I got out and drew a breath to steady myse

voice sto

anxiously. "Suppose she starts looking into the poisoning

yed motionless b

ell sounded perfectly at ease. "Without a

ntly. "One word of trouble from her, and she's out of the Cr

s though tears were coming. "None of

"Who cares if you were responsible? She's

way," Thalia pleaded in that familiar we

What use is an omega who can't even shift? Twenty years I'v

was frozen in plac

ettle all the wa

been room for me

"That useless woman isn't going to ruin our celebration. Thalia

u're safe with me, Thalia. She won't lay a hand on you. And if she

a remarked sweetly. "I've alw

orch, and the absurdity of co

ted these people t

made a bigger

s all I allowed before

living room. Food covered the table

onica's hands when she saw me. "

e, or I'd have missed it." Resting against the

only just found out you'd returned, Kie

ound pleased to see me

tle smile. She held it out in both hands. "There's no welcome-home present from me

iquid made nausea

me banished. Now she could look me

t, Thalia. This

ds, I tipped its contents ove

cheeks, washing through her makeup. Her c

a?" Herry shouted, charging t

e. "You really want to know? You knew she'd framed me

ger sister what she wanted?" he

supposed family to the father I'd onc

I'd brought

ve in any of you. As of today, I want not