Chapter 42

Katarina's POV

“I’d never dare.”

His words felt like someone was scrapping an iron nail against the metal, so sharp and piercing. It had been a few hours since Xerxes told me his truth. And I couldn’t seem to catch lies in his words. If one thing I could rate Xerxes ten in, was his honesty, he was integral when it come to truths. He’d preferably hide things but never twist them into a lie.

His lingering presence was here, haunting, making me not want to wake up in the morning. He left me hanging on his words and I wouldn’t lie, I barely slept. But my heart pushed me to gather myself and divert my attention to something else. Augustus’s letter. I hadn’t pulled it out from under the mattresses, but I knew I had to either burn it or get rid of it. If Xerxes finds it, the consequences would be hazardous.

My heart was wary and my mind was conscious as I numbly stepped into the bathroom. A hot shower wasn’t enough to wash away the tiredness in my l