gifts she’d gotten from her mother.
“How much of you is fae?”
She lifted her chin slightly. “Half of me.”
He shook his head. “I rescind my offer for your father to come here. I don’t need another fairy in my house.”
So much for that. “I didn’t get my fae blood from him. My mother was a fairy. The same woman who helped bake your coronation cake. The woman whose oatmeal cookies you loved.”
Robin’s eyes rounded a tad, and his lip curled. “A fairy in my kitchen. Was she a part of the plot to poison me? Was that how the toxin got in my soup?”
Theo frowned at him and his brash insinuation, and her anger started to outweigh her desire to remain civil. “Absolutely not. My mother would never have done such a thing. She was a pastry chef! She had nothing to do with the regular food. Besides that, she loved that job and thought very highly of you. Although I’m starting to wonder if she misjudged you.”
“She thought highly of me? How much did she think of Vesta?” Theo opened her mouth to reply, but Robin kept going. “How much do you think of Vesta? You were so reluctant to try on her things. Is there a reason for that?”
“Because she rules the kingdom I live in. And I was only reluctant at first,” Theo reminded him. Then she held out her arms. “As you can see by the dress I have on, I got over that.”
His scowl didn’t go away. “I want nothing more to do with you. You’re a liar, and you can’t be trusted. I’m sure you’re working for her.”
“None of that is true.”
“It is to me. We’re done.”
The sickness she’d been feeling earlier came rushing back. Her stomach churned, and she almost couldn’t get her next words out. “Are you canceling my indenture?”
He stared at her for a long, hard second. “No. I won’t punish your father for your sins. But you’ll return to general staff. This house is large enough that I never need to see you again. I’ll make sure Baton and Elswood understand.”
With that, he turned abruptly and strode away, leaving her alone and feeling like she’d just had the air sucked from her lungs.
Every good thing that had come her way since she’d arrived at Gallow House was gone. No more time with Robin, no more schooling, no more opportunity to better herself once she returned to Limbo.
Why had she ever thought the outcome would be different? Her life so far had been a series of bitter disappointments. Why would she expect a change of scenery to make a difference?
* * *
Robin’s head ached, but his heart hurt worse. He gripped the balcony railing as if his life depended on it, and maybe it did. At times, the pain made him dizzy. He pushed away and went to collapse on the chaise.
His sweet, dear, beautiful Theodora was a traitor. A fairy. Half, anyway, but what did that matter? It was clear now that his instincts had been right, and her presence in his home had been another calculated move on Vesta’s part.
It all made sense. The story about her father being too ill to serve the indenture was probably true. Or maybe it wasn’t, but it had gotten her in the door. Even saving him from the hellhounds seemed logical, because if he was dead, Vesta couldn’t torture him anymore. Although, by shifting in front of him, Theo had exposed her true heritage. That part didn’t fit the story, though she’d had little choice in the moment. But what did it matter? He was so gullible to be duped first by Vesta and now Theo.
Because she had taken him in, head and heart. And he’d certainly bought into believing she was a good, loyal daughter.
It had made him like her. No doubt the point.
And, oh, how he’d liked her. Too much. And too soon. But thinking about her only reminded him of the sweetness of her lips and the warmth of her soft body under his hands as he’d—
“Sir? You called?”
Robin looked up to see Elswood standing nearby. “Yes.” Robin sighed. He needed to tell Elswood about Theodora, but he didn’t have the energy for that discussion. Not right now. It would keep until morning. “I’d like my hot toddy early. And I’d like it to be a double.”
“I’ll bring it right up.” Elswood bowed and left.
Robin was glad to be alone again. Except that he wasn’t glad, not really. He’d much