Addison hesitated. As the whisperings of the book swelled inside her, prompting her to accept his offer, she reached for Samael’s hand. She closed her eyes, allowing her body to pass through space and time. When her eyes opened again, she looked around, recognizing her surroundings.
“Are we at Crawley Manor?” she asked.
“We are.”
“Why are we here?” Addison asked. “Why would you bring me back after what happened to Eve?”
Addison jerked free of Samael’s grip, and their eyes locked.
Had they returned to Crawley Manor so she could suffer the same fate Eve had? No, it couldn’t be true. If Samael had wanted to kill her, he would have tried already … unless he needed to get her away from Grayson Manor to do it.
Addison staggered back and raised her hands, preparing to strike before he struck first. She expected Samael to follow suit, to react, to do something—anything.
He didn’t.
Instead, he hung his head. “Please, I don’t want to fight you. I had nothing to do with Eve’s death.”
“You were here when she died, pecking at the outside window. I saw you. Do you deny it?”
“I was here, but not for Eve. I was looking out for you.”
Addison wanted to believe him, but how could she?
“Before Eve died, she told me her uncle was the reason she’d been confined to a wheelchair for most of her life,” Addison said. “But she didn’t say which uncle. Are you the reason Eve ended up in a wheelchair? You say you had nothing to do with her death. What about her mother’s? I want the truth.”
“I had nothing to do with either death. They were murdered by my brother’s hand. His rage consumes him. He doesn’t care who he hurts. All he cares about is getting what he wants.”
“When I met with Eve, she said he was back. Was she referring to your brother?”
“Yes.”
“He’s not here to defend himself. How do I know you’re not lying?”
Samael rubbed a hand across his brow, frustrated. “I know you don’t trust me. I don’t expect you will for some time. But know this—I have no reason to lie to you. If you give me the chance, I will explain everything. One chance, Addison. It’s all I ask.”
Addison stared into Samael’s eyes, allowing his energy to flow through her. It wasn’t menacing and dark like she thought it would be. Instead, he felt open and approachable, two things she hadn’t expected. And though she wanted to keep her guard up, she felt herself softening, drawn to him.
“All right,” Addison said. “One chance.”
“To understand the end, we must start at the beginning.”
Addison tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and crossed her arms. “Okay, tell me about the beginning.”
Samael splayed his hands and glanced around the room. “This is the beginning. Crawley manor is the place where it all started. It’s where I was born, my brother and sister were born. It’s also where you and your brother were born.”
“We were born here?” It couldn’t be. “It’s not what my mother told me. I thought we were born in—”
“Whatever you were told, it wasn’t the truth. Not only were you born here, you were delivered in this very room. The day you and your brother came into this world changed everything. It altered the course of my life.”
Addison glanced around the room, noticing what she hadn’t taken the time to see until now. The room they were in was painted a grayish shade of blue, a stark difference from the rest of the manor. Two large, rectangular, retro-style frames hung next to each other on the wall. In one frame was an owl; in the other, a raven, Addison’s and Corbin’s spirit animals. “Was this the room you were born in too?”
“It is not. In those days, all babies came into this life in the birthing room.”
“Where is the birthing room?”
“It’s of no consequence. It’s been sealed off for some time now.”
It must have been sealed off for a reason, and yet, it was clear he didn’t want to discuss it.
“I thought the manor belonged to Beatrice, Eve’s mother?” Addison asked.
“The manor belongs to the family. It was one of our father’s many homes. When I learned of your mother’s pregnancy, we made the decision to move here and take over the place. It hadn’t been occupied in some time. This was supposed to be our home, the home the two of you would be raised in—until your mother fled from here, taking you with her.”
“Is that how Eve came to live at the manor?”
He nodded. “Knowing your mother wouldn’t return, I couldn’t bear to be here, in a place filled with all the memories we’d never make as a family. So I left the manor in my sister’s care. I thought she would be safe here. I should have known she was in danger, and that Eve was also in danger.”
“Let’s say I believe you. What does your brother want with Corbin, and with me?”
Samael pivoted and walked toward the door. “I’d like to show you something. Please, follow me.”