72 : Friends No More

VERENA

Carlisle averts his gaze. “So he told you everything,” he says in a low voice.

“Why did you lie to me?” I ask, feeling a little betrayed by him. “Elijah was dying, and I had no idea.” Guilt gnaws at me, a heavy weight in my chest.

He runs a hand through his blonde hair, frustration creasing his forehead. “I didn’t trust his motives. For all I knew, he could have orchestrated the whole thing with Nixie, some elaborate plan to win you back. How can you trust a word out of his mouth?”

Anger bubbles within me. “He had the same burn marks on his hand, Carlisle, the ones dad had. He was the one who sent the cure. Dad is alive because of Elijah’s sacrifice.”

It makes me happy knowing that Elijah went out of his way to protect my dad. It shows that he really cares for me. The thought warms my heart.

Carlisle’s eyes turn wide in shock. “I–I didn’t know that.” He looks at his glass. “The doctor did talk about him needing to find a witch, but I felt like he had put the poison in him delibe