Chapter 97

Every eyebrow in the room went up simultaneously. Hale took a half step back like he was clearing the blast radius.

Dex ignored all of them.

Serena had her face buried in her hands.

She didn’t hug him back. But she didn’t push him away either.

He could feel her calm, even if she didn’t want to be because of him. He calmed her.

“Send her in,” Elara announced, breaking the tension.

Garrett slipped past them without another word.

Elara yanked Serena out of Dex’s arms and shot Dex a look sharp enough to draw blood.

Dex blinked once. Apparently, he’d need to apologize to her too now. Fantastic. Add it to the list.

A moment later, Agnes walked in. Her eyes flicked immediately to Hale. Then Dex. Then Elara.

Her mouth tightened. She did not look pleased.

She opened her mouth.

Hale beat her to it.

“What,” he snarled, stepping forward. “You thought you’d be alone with either of them p>

Agnes swallowed. “Right,” she began briskly, turning to Serena. “I would like to personally apologize to you for spreading false rumors, calling you a whore, poisoning you She held up three fingers. “Three times p>

“And smiling at you when you walked in on Dexmon and I p>

She held up two fingers. “Twice p>

No one breathed.

“And,” she continued, nodding once, “for you breaking your matebond. That one’s unfortunate and your doing. But on the bright side, you’re upgrading to the most eligible bachelor in Skardos, so really, you should be thanking me p>

She said all of this in the same tone one might use to apologize for bumping into someone in a hallway.

“Oh,” Agnes added, like she’d almost forgotten, “you may want to burn most of your clothes. The seamstress was in on it. I threatened her family p>

She turned to Elara. “Yours too. Some dresses. Training suits. At least one combat suit p>

Hale’s jaw dropped.

“Relax,” Agnes dismissed, waving a hand. “It was slow-acting. They’d have at least half a day p>

“Serena was unconscious and almost died,” Elara countered flatly.

Agnes paused. Blinked.

“Oh. Right.” She turned back to Serena. “Sorry about whatever side effects you had from breaking your matebond. Even though that was your choice. Not mine p>

“But I did fake rolling my ankle.” She tilted her head thoughtfully. “So I apologize that Dexmon was distracted helping me instead of saving your life p>

She smiled, pleased with herself.

“But again,” she added brightly, “you upgraded p>

Serena blinked. “I have no idea what you’re talking about p>

Agnes frowned. “Oh p>

Then, cheerfully, she added, “Well. You were marked by both Shadowclaw and Dexmon. So. Now you know p>

Serena was surprised. She was not expecting that. Whatsoever.

She opened her mouth. Shut it. Swallowed. Then decided to table it. Tomorrow’s problem.

“Good thing someone told you,” Agnes remarked, watching Serena’s face. “For being so promiscuous, you aren’t the shiniest crayon in the box when it comes to the opposite sex p>

Elara lost it. That caused Serena to crack up, both turning their laughs into coughs.

“You both cough like hyenas,” Agnes observed. “You should really work on that p>

She sighed and looked at Elara. “I’m sorry for slapping you p>

“You slapped Serena,” Elara corrected, voice flat.

Agnes turned back to Serena. “I’m sorry for slapping you.” She said it exactly how she said it to Elara.

“And for cutting your dress.” She raised her eyebrows and sighed. “But, you and I both know the dress you wore was an upgrade. The first one was ugly.” She grinned. “You’re welcome p>

Serena stared at her, caught somewhere between horror and disbelief.

“Who else were you working with?” Serena asked, after a few seconds. “You didn’t get your poison on your own p>

“No,” she admitted. “I didn’t.” Agnes paused, choosing her words carefully.

“There were two others. There’s a network outside of them too p>

Her eyes flicked briefly toward the floor.

“I don’t know their real names,” she added. “And I wouldn’t recognize their faces out of context. That was the point p>

Agnes clasped her hands together, looking pleased with herself. “Was that sufficient, or would you like me to keep going p>

“No,” Serena said. “Try again. Who were you working with p>

Agnes looked perplexed. “I told you all I know p>

“No. You haven’t. You knew who to pay p>

Agnes shifted her weight.

Silence stretched.

“Last chance,” Serena warned quietly.

Agnes laughed once, sharp and humorless. She lifted her chin. “You don’t have the authority to p>

“I absolutely do,” Serena cut in. “You don’t get to decide how this ends p>

That did it. Agnes’s fingers curled into the fabric of her sleeves. Fine. Lord Varric Mournel. He handles supply audits. He rerouted shipments p>

“And the poison,” Serena pressed.

Agnes squeezed her eyes shut. “Maelis Thorne. Court adjunct. She liaises with healers.” She opened her eyes again.

Serena studied her for a long moment, then nodded once.

“Now apologize to Dexmon p>

Agnes looked at Serena. “We had a complicated relationship. He led me on for months, Serena p>

“Correction,” he cut in. “I was polite to you. You confused that with consent p>

Agnes sighed and turned to him.

“I am sorry for injecting you with Viper’s Kiss and False Mate Tincture,” she recited. “And for claiming I’m carrying your child p>

She paused, voice deadpan. when you and I both know you had some trouble in that department p>

Dex’s mouth twitched, humorless.

“Wow,” he said dryly. “You drug me, lied about a baby, and you’re still trying to insult me p>

“Yes. And I’m sorry for performing intimate acts on you,” Agnes continued, “and for your mate walking in on it and me smiling at her both times. And for making you look foolish at your Battle Accord. That one was an accident p>

Dex went very still.

Agnes turned back to Serena. “I’m also sorry for making out with Dexmon in front of your dragon servants while wearing your crown. And for smiling at you then too. But again, upgrade. Shadowclaw. You’re welcome p>

The color drained from Dexmon’s face. He hadn’t known any of that.

No wonder Serena wasn’t just hurt. She was furious.

Dex inhaled slowly, then declared flatly, “Let’s get one thing straight. I ended things two weeks before that ball with you p>

“Oh right,” Agnes confirmed. “You did. You said it was because of her p>

She looked at Serena. “Which is what started all of this.” She took a slow, steadying breath, like she’d just unburdened herself. “Now you know p>

Dex stared at her, voice low. “You don’t get to call this closure p>

The room was dead quiet.

“Big weight lifted off your chest there, Agnes?” Elara asked dryly.

“Oh, much better,” Agnes replied cheerfully. “Confession is very therapeutic p>

Serena studied her for a moment, before speaking again.

“Why do you want to be Garrett’s mate p>

Agnes blinked, genuinely surprised by the question.

“Because he’s steady,” she answered after a moment. “Loyal to a fault. He doesn’t flinch when things get ugly.” She tilted her head. “I like men who don’t break p>

Elara crossed her arms. “Do you care for him outside of his crown p>

“Yes,” she admitted. “Which is inconvenient p>

She exhaled softly. “The crown is useful. It opens doors. But Garrett… Garrett would still be Garrett without it. He’s irritatingly decent. He asks questions. He listens. He believes people when he shouldn’t p>

She looked toward the door, where Garrett had left.

“I didn’t plan on that part,” she confessed. “And I don’t like being surprised by my own feelings p>

Elara arched a brow, watching the exchange. “So let me get this straight. Dexmon paid attention to Serena. You were emotionally inconvenienced. So, you poisoned her p>

Agnes smiled, unapologetic. “Essentially p>

“Did you have feelings for Dex?” Serena asked. She didn’t know why she asked it. Maybe she was trying to rationalize the behavior. Trying to understand it.

“At first. When I saw how he looked at you, I’ll admit it was hurtful. Quite inconvenient.” She tilted her head, then added. “You are either a cat with nine lives or a cockroach. The latter based on the tent today p>

“You don’t talk to her like that,” Dexmon said through gritted teeth.

Agnes gave a laugh and rolled her eyes. “You are one to talk, considering what you did to her.” She looked at Serena. “After attempting to be his mate for a few days… ” She paused, then dropped her voice. “Let’s just say, I think he swings the other way. Though you are more experienced than me in the bedroom. So you must’ve had some trick for that p>

Serena opened her mouth. Shut it. Opened it again. Shut it. For the second time, she was stunned.

Then the Serena who kept her composure left the room.

What replaced her was six years of swallowed rage, three poisonings, two betrayals, and the image of this woman on top of Dexmon burned into her memory like a brand.

Her fist connected with Agnes’s mouth before either of them fully registered that she’d moved.