“Before someone gets hurt?” A harsh laugh escaped me. “Oh, that’s fucking rich.” Hostility flowed into my words. A lot. “What did you think would happen to me after I got arrested, Auntie dear?”
Her hands flew to her mouth. “Arrested? What were you arrested for? Are you all right?” She raised her arms as if to embrace me and make it all better, but a twitch of my gun stopped that shit. Disconcerted, she dropped her hands back to her sides.
“Littering,” I told her with a delightful rush of satisfaction. “I threw your library into the lake.”
Her gaze shot to the library door. “What have you done?” An undercurrent of deep anger ran through her voice. No more concerned-and-annoyed Tessa. Good. That fake bitch was starting to piss me off.
Idris moved up beside me. “We’ve been busy,” he said, emotionless and controlled. He flicked a hand toward the door. “Care to see?”
Tessa hesitated, but it was obvious her need to see the damage outweighed caution. McDunn tried to follow as she moved to the library door, but Eilahn stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
I didn’t like that I took pleasure in Tessa’s moan of horror as she took in the empty library, but I reveled in it anyway. “We found the place that your buddy Rhyzkahl warded against me,” I said conversationally. “The contents made for nice, light bedtime reading.”
Dismay washed over her face as she spun toward me. “Kara, it’s not what you think—”
I cut her off. “I also found your notes in the attic, so you can stop lying about your association with Katashi.” My hands were starting to ache, and I adjusted my grip on my gun.
Tessa drew a deep breath, and calm settled over her. Pygah. She just mentally traced a fucking pygah. Hurt and anger clawed within my chest at the reminder of things she’d never taught me.
“If you know so much,” she said, “then you also know I won’t tell you anything.”
“That’s nothing new.” My throat clogged. “I loved you!” I said, agonized. “You were like a mother to me! How could you throw me to the wolves?”
“I didn’t!” Tessa’s hands tightened at her sides despite her damn pygah. “I never wanted you to get hurt.” She shook her head. “It wasn’t supposed to turn out like this, but the situation had reached the point where having Angus diminish you was the best available option.”
“Are you going to insist you begged Katashi to show me kindness and mercy?” I said with a sneer.
The cold steel in her eyes took me aback. “You’re dangerous,” she said with uncompromising certainty. “Harsh measures were on the table. I advocated stripping your abilities, but in the end Isumo and Lord—” She caught herself. “Isumo made the decision without my input.”
What the hell? Ever since the nightmare at the Nature Center I’d clung to the fantasy that Tessa had stood between me and a death sentence. They could have killed me at any time, I reminded myself. They took out Steeev easily enough. I remained of use to the Mraztur, but for what purpose? Especially now that I was diminished. I didn’t want to consider the ugly possibilities until I was well armed with wine and chocolate.
“Did you have any input on getting Kara thrown in jail?” Idris demanded, taking up my slack while I recovered from her bombshell. “Do you know what happens to ex-cops in prison?” I wasn’t sure whether to be pleased by his support or worried. He’d met his mother, and she was the enemy.
“I wasn’t party to that decision,” she said with a lift of her chin, then she cast a righteous glare at me. “Your own actions set you up for that.”
“But you’re a key member of Katashi’s organization, and you stood by and let it happen,” I countered. “Guess what? If I get killed in prison, you might as well have murdered me with your own hands.”
She paled, but it only took her a second to rally. “You believe your allies are so admirable and without reproach?” she shot back. “Mzatal? Szerain?” Her voice dripped with venom on the second name.
“Your allies’ methods suck!” I yelled. “And you’re a horrible, lying, conniving bitch who never deserved my love!”
Tessa recoiled a step and stared at me, color high in her cheeks. “You’re my niece. I did the best I could for you given the circumstances. You can’t possibly think—”
Carl stepped out of the parlor. “Their backup is here. Two men,” he said, no more perturbed than if reporting that the morning paper had landed on the doorstep.
I took a deep breath and found my center. I didn’t need a pygah. Getting that crap off my chest worked just as well, and she could keep her lame excuses about circumstances. “Let them in,” I said. “We’re done.”