beautiful blue eyes sparkled like icy shards as he glowered at her. His gorgeous mouth—how could she look at his lips without remembering his kiss?
He was so damned handsome, blast him. In the four years that she’d known him, he’d matured, becoming more attractive every time she saw him. She’d admired him from afar. Longed for him to pay her some attention while he was in human form. But now, she had to wonder if she even knew him. How many more secrets was he hiding?
“You should have stayed put on the Isle of Moon,” he fussed at her. “Now you’re in danger—”
“It was my choice. I’ll deal with it.”
“Dammit, Maeve. Have you always been so stubborn?”
“Have you always been so secretive? Did you ever tell anyone that you can shift into a person? What am I to think? Are you just like the Chameleon?”
He hissed in a breath. “Don’t you dare compare me to that bastard.”
She had to admit he was right to take insult. The Chameleon was a mass murderer, while Brody always helped others. But still, it hurt that he’d hidden his true nature from her. It hurt badly enough that angry tears gathered in her eyes. “Am I the only one who didn’t know? Or did you keep it a secret from everyone? Do any of us even know who you really are?”
He groaned. “You’re making too much of this.”
“I don’t think so.” She motioned to his face. “Is this how you actually look?”
“Of course it is.” He gave her a frustrated look. “I’ve never taken on a person’s form before. I only did it now because the Seer begged me to.”
“My . . . father asked you to do this? How can that be? Isn’t he allied with my mother?”
“He only pretended to be, so he could find out what she was doing. Your father was a good man.”
She blinked. “Was?”
Brody nodded. “He passed away. I’m sorry.”
A twinge of regret lodged in her heart. She would never know her father. But apparently, she had inherited his power of foresight. Her vision of Brody burying someone on the Isle of Mist had been correct. “How well did you know him?”
When Brody hesitated a moment, she wondered if he was deciding which secrets to hide and which to reveal. The annoying man.
Finally, he replied, “After I was cursed, I washed up on the Isle of Mist. The Seer found me and raised me. He was like a father to me.”
That was obviously true, for she could see the pain of mourning in Brody’s eyes. “How long have you known that my father started the Circle of Five?”
“I found out the afternoon before he died. At first, I was horrified. But then I read his journal and understood what had happened. I’ll give you his journal someday, so you can see for yourself. His only crime was a mistaken belief that he could bring peace to the world. It was Cahira who twisted his idea into something evil.”
Maeve winced. “So masquerading as the Seer was the plan you wouldn’t tell me about?” When he nodded, she narrowed her eyes. “Was it you who was so rude to me on the Isle of Mist?”
“I was trying to pro—”
“It was you!” Her anger flared. “Did you enjoy deceiving me?”
“No, I didn’t,” he ground out. “But I did what was necessary to protect you.”
“You told me my future was back at Ebton Palace. You lied to me!”
“I was trying to keep you safe, dammit, but you—”
“You don’t have the right!” Hot tears burned her eyes. “You told me we could never have a future together, but then you tried to control my future? How dare you!”
“Maeve—”
“How long have you known who my mother is?” A tear ran down her face. “Were you intending to keep that a secret, too?”
He took a deep breath and glanced around the room as if he were trying to figure out what to say.
Her heart constricted in her chest. “You weren’t going to tell me, were you?”
He closed his eyes briefly. “I knew the truth would be devastating for you.”
“So you were never going to tell me? You were going to deceive me for the rest of my life?” She balled her hand into a fist and punched lightly at his chest. “How could you do that to me?”
He grabbed her by the wrist. “I would do it again. I would go to hell and back if it kept you from feeling pain.”
She ripped her hand