3

At nine that night, Leon called.

"Clara had an allergic reaction."

I'd just finished that day's treatment to calm the mark, and my palms still smelled like herbal medicine. The moment I heard his voice, I went on alert.

What does Clara's allergy have to do with me?

Sure enough, Leon's next words were, "The healer took care of it. She's out of danger. But the server in charge of dessert says you asked them to change the recipe."

I looked out at the black water of the lake. Of course I wasn't going to get a quiet night.

Leon lowered his voice a little.

"Mom has a screenshot of a payment. Erin, can you come explain it?"

Finally I spoke. "You believe that screenshot?"

"She still can't breathe right. Can you not ask questions like that right now?"

"I just finished a treatment too."

"Just come over and clear it up. The driver's already on his way."

I texted Martha first, then asked Nina, my live-in nurse, to come with me. Only then did I agree to go.

When the car pulled up to the Blake estate, the front hall was still blazing with light.

When I reached the door, Leon glanced at Nina and said under his breath, "This is a family matter. Why bring an outsider?"

I didn't send her away.

Clara sat on the couch, a fading red rash still on her neck. Leon's mother, Victoria Blake, stood behind her and slid a tablet to the middle of the coffee table.

"I didn't want to discuss this in front of guests, but at the very least you owe us an explanation for why this money went to a temp in the kitchen."

My name was on the screenshot.

Someone had sent 2,000 euros from the household expense account, with a memo that read, "Tonight, as agreed."

I leaned over and studied it for a few seconds.

"I want to see the original bank records and this employee's full statement."

"Are you accusing us of faking it?" Victoria frowned.

"I'm checking the facts behind an accusation."

I took out my phone and logged into the account I used.

The payment was real.

But it wasn't just me on the household account. Leon and the finance assistant had authorized devices too. The charge alone couldn't prove who'd made it.

"I was at the healing center all afternoon. The front desk log and the cameras will confirm it."

Under the blanket, Clara curled her fingers.

"You don't have to be in the kitchen to send a payment."

I looked at Leon.

"You know what I use this account for. Baby things and my daily care. Every charge has a receipt."

He stood between Clara and me, frowning hard.

"I'll have Owen check the device records. For now, let's keep this in the family. Don't make it bigger than it is."

I looked around the living room.

His mother, a few relatives, Clara and her father, and the server standing by the door.

Every one of them had heard me accused of hurting someone on purpose.

And now all it took was "Don't make it bigger than it is" to shut me up.

Victoria took the tablet back.

"The public ceremony is on hold. No Luna would ever do something like this to a guest at dinner."

"I didn't do it."

Leon didn't look at me. He nodded to his mother.

"Let's put it on hold for now. We'll talk once this blows over."

I'd been waiting two years for that ceremony.

It took them two sentences to decide I'd have to keep waiting.

"Give everything to the police," I said. "I won't let you decide the outcome for me ahead of time."

Leon reached for my phone.

"I already said I'd look into it. Don't make your problem with Clara public."

I pulled away from his hand and sent a backup of the evidence to Martha.

"Someone's saying I hurt her. I don't need you to calm her down. I need the truth."

He stayed where he was and didn't come any closer.

As I was leaving, Clara called his name. He turned to her right away.

Nina helped me down the steps as my belly tightened in waves.

Three years earlier, I'd dragged him out of a wrecked car laced with silver dust.

I still had the scar. But when he thought about who had saved his life, it always seemed to be the Ward family.