Chapter 17
“I’M SORRY,” I SAID, tumbling over my words. My tongue felt thick and heavy. “I didn’t mean to—”
Matlock held up his hand, stopping me from saying anything else. “No, it’s all right, Bella,” he said. Though his voice was soft, it was also resolute. “My parents, although fair and good rulers for their time, do not like mixed-species children.”
I frowned upon hearing such a claim and glanced over at them. Beatrice had magicked up a set of knitting needles and was quietly knitting away. I could not tell what her reaction was to all of this, though she did seem rather distracted by what should have been a simple task. Stephen, on the other hand, was turning red in the cheeks, his hands gripping his thighs.
I stared at them, shocked.
“So, you would totally disapprove of Tavlor m
