“No.” I shook my head, blinking away a tear as I watched his reaction for the second time. “He couldn’t have meant it.”

“Vampires are cold, selfish creatures,” Geneva said sharply. “Usually it takes over a century for them to lose touch with their humanity, but others give in more easily.” She gestured toward Jacen, as if referring to him.

I watched the scene once more, searching for a sign that Jacen cared. But I found none. Instead, my heart broke again as I watched him say that he cared nothing for me. That he was bored and I was a toy.

That it likely wouldn’t have been long until he tired of me and drained me dry.

He was so cold and emotionless. So unlike the person I’d believed him to be when we met in the village square.

“There’s still one thing that doesn’t make sense,” I said, wiping the tears from my cheeks. “Why would Camelia make the oath to do everything possible to turn me into a vampire and then go to such measures to make everyone think I was dead?”

“There are many ways around a blood oath.” Geneva pressed the pads of her fingers together, appearing deep in thought. “Camelia never spoke her intentions out loud, and I cannot read her thoughts, but as a fellow witch I can tell you what I might do in her position if she truly wanted you dead.”

“Go on,” I said, needing to hear it.

“She could ask Laila to turn you into a vampire, and once the transformation was complete, she could kill you.”

“She wouldn’t.” I gasped.

“She would.” Geneva leaned forward, as if daring me to contradict her. “I saw a lot when I gazed into the crystal. I learned that Camelia is desperate for immortality—she wants to become a vampire. Laila promised she would turn her if she found a witch powerful enough to be her replacement.”

“Which was why she was so intent on finding your ring,” I realized. “And using me to get what she wanted.”

“Exactly,” Geneva said. “Perhaps you’re not as dimwitted as I initially thought.”

“I’m not dimwitted.” I crossed my arms and glared at her. “It’s just… this is a lot to take in at once.”

“For a human, I suppose it would be,” she said, brushing me off the same way all the supernaturals seemed to do. “And I assume you’re going to have many questions. So before we discuss what you want from me, I should explain my limitations.”

“I thought you were the most powerful witch in the world,” I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm. “Surely you have no limitations?”

“Everyone has limitations.” She rolled her eyes. “Even the angels themselves. Now, do you want to hear what mine are, or not?” She studied her nails, as if she had better places to be, and glanced back up at me, waiting.

“Of course I do.” I leaned back against the wall, making myself comfortable. “Go ahead.”

“Thank you.” She cleared her throat, straightening her shoulders. “First of all, I can’t communicate with or bring back the dead,” she started, and my heart dropped at the bomb that I couldn’t bring back my parents, my brother, Mike, or Tanya. “Don’t look so disappointed.” She sneered. “A million people would kill to wear that ring on your finger.”

I twisted the ring, gazing down at it sadly. She might be right, but it didn’t stop me from missing my family and friends.

Still, I got a hold of myself, refocusing on the conversation at hand.

“Is that your only limitation?” I asked.

“No,” she said. “But I don’t have many, so this won’t take much longer.”

I motioned for her to continue.

“Along with not being able to raise the dead, I also can’t kill anyone,” she said. “At least, not with magic.”

“Have you ever killed anyone without magic?” I asked.

“That’s none of your concern.” She waved away my question. “Especially since I can’t interact with the mortal world, and you only have command of my magic. So even if I wanted to kill someone without magic, I wouldn’t be able to do so. I could use my magic to get you in the position to kill someone, but the killing would be on you.”

“Good to know.” I nodded, feeling more and more suspicious of her by the second. With everything she said, I worried that the witches truly did have good reasons for locking her away forever.

But now, she was on my side. I couldn’t let myself forget that, no matter what other crazy things she might say. And she was right that a million people would kill to have possession of this ring.

I wouldn’t let my luck go to waste.

“I can’t manipulate or travel through time,” she continued. “And lastly, I can’t make anyone fall in love. Love potions and spells—as fascinating as they would be—are things of mythology. They don’t exist.”

“I wouldn’t have anyone to use one on, anyway,” I muttered.

“Not even your handsome, silver-eyed prince?” She smirked.

My heart broke at the mere mention of Jacen. “He hates me.” I tried to sound as cold as he’d sounded when he’d said he was toying with me and would eventually kill me, but my voice wavered, giving away how much he’d hurt me.

“Perhaps,” Geneva said. “But men are fickle creatures. Totally untrustworthy, if you ask me.”

“Bad experience?” I asked.

“I was the most powerful witch in the world,” she reminded me for the gazillionth time. “Men don’t like women who are stronger than they are. It emasculates them.” She crossed her arms, and I couldn’t help smiling slightly, proud of myself for hitting a nerve in her seemingly icy interior.

But of course, she recovered nearly immediately.

“Now you know my limitations, and you know the truth about those you thought you trusted,” she continued. “So tell me, young mortal… what do you wish for?”