“How do you truly know?”
How do you truly know?
I rub my arms, his words making me feel dirty from the inside out. “My mind and my conscience aren’t the same thing. I can forget what I’ve done without forgetting who I am.”
Of course I didn’t kill those women.
But you might have killed some last night, my mind whispers. And Memnon may be finishing the job right at this moment.
“Am I being accused of murder?” I say softly, my insides all twisted. “Because if I am, I need a lawyer.”
Officer Howahkan shakes his head, sitting back in his seat. “No, Ms. Bowers, we were merely entertaining another hypothetical.”
“Right,” I say warily.
“Well, Ms. Bowers, that’s all we need for now. Can we keep this planner of yours?” he asks, tapping his fingers on it.
I open my mouth to agree but then hesitate. “I need that for class.” To be honest, I need it for everything. I have my life in there, and judging by how many memories I recently lost, I’m going to rely on it more than ever. “I can stay longer if you want to make photocopies of it or take pictures of my entries.”
Officer Howahkan nods. “We’ll do that. You said there were more of these?” he asks.
I nod.
“Would you be open to letting us see those if the need arises?”
If I become a major suspect, he means.
I chew my lower lip. “That’s fine.” I mean, sharing my notebooks is no small thing—the thought of officers handling them and reading them and possibly keeping them as evidence has my anxiety spiking, but I also don’t want to seem guilty.
Because I’m not. I’d know if I were.
I think.
CHAPTER 32
I’m sitting at my desk, the two paragraphs I’ve managed to write so far on the magical differences between dried lavender versus fresh all but forgotten as I stare at my bank account.
Overdrawn.
My insides curdle at my bank account details.
Empress…
I sense Memnon a second later. I don’t know how, but I feel him moving up the stairs of my house like this place is his own, and I swear the witches in the house go quiet in his wake. Guests aren’t supposed to freely come and go in this residence hall—but he’s not exactly the sort of guy who gives a fuck about the rules.
Less than a minute later, the door opens and Memnon strides in. I try not to notice how damn enticing he looks in a simple T-shirt and jeans. But on his staggering frame, with all his olive-toned skin and elaborate tattoos peeking out, he makes the simple attire look sexy and edgy.
“Knocking would be nice,” I say, gathering my legs up on my chair.
Assuming he knows what a knock is. I bet Memnon predates the invention of manners.
“Perhaps it would be if we didn’t already have a bond,” he says. “It’s better than a knock.”
“We’re not bonded,” I say.
Memnon idly kicks my door closed with one of his boots. “We’re in denial again, I see.”
“It’s only denial if it’s true,” I say, my gaze flicking over him. “And it’s not.”
He lifts an eyebrow as he crosses the room.
“You know, stalking is a crime,” I say.
“You think that would deter me? I have already hunted you once before,” he says, a lock of his dark hair slipping over one eye. He looks to be the very definition of a villain.
I shiver.
“What happened?” I ask. “When you hunted me?”
He looks pleased that I asked.
Memnon steps in close. “I took you as my bride.” He brushes my lower lip with his thumb, just like he did when we last parted ways. He’s gazing at me like he’s remembering what it felt like to hold me.
I mean, Roxilana.
“I made you my queen, gave you riches and an ever-expanding empire.”
“Yes, yes, we’ve been over this many times,” I say. “And yet you expect me to believe Roxilana screwed you over.”
I mean, if someone volunteered to be my sugar daddy and he was this pretty, I don’t think I’d bury him alive.
Then again, Memnon is a douche.
I might bury a douche.
Maybe this Roxilana chick was on to something.
Memnon frowns, his previous good humor long gone. “You promised me answers,” he says, folding his arms over his chest. “I want them.”
Answers…it takes me a moment to remember I did agree to that and a moment longer to realize Memnon doesn’t actually know any of the details surrounding what happened last night. He just saved my ass and then patched me up.