Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 17)

“You couldn’t find someone single?” She wiped her face angrily as a few tears began slipping down it. “Or were you trying to ruin Anneke’s life? What did she ever do to you?”

(I think Ky would ordinarily not be the type to blame the non-cheater except in cases like this where it is undeniable Emery knew someone was cheating to be with him)

"I--I--" His face was pale. "How--who--"

(He definitely fucked up bad; he's just as much to blame as Tomhas
He has his reasons for doing it but neither of them should be excused)

At least he wasn’t giving fake apologies he didn’t mean. That was something, she guessed. But his stuttering did nothing to make her less angry at him, even though her conscience was quietly chastising her to stop. He looked so upset. And she’d just made this same mistake with Tomhas. And yet she was even angrier at Emery, somehow. At least with Tomhas she could remind herself of all he’d done for her and the comfort he’d given her through these past several months; Emery was just… evil. Malicious. Awful.

“Nothing, that’s what,” she spat, unable to stop herself. “She didn’t do a goddamn thing to deserve this and yet you hurt her.”

"I--" Emery took a shaky breath and stepped back. "Ky, I'm...it's...complicated..."

“There’s nothing complicated about it!” She glared at him, wiping at her face again. “It’s wrong and you both knew it was wrong but you chose to do it anyway. Because you care more about yourselves than her. It’s simple.” She turned away.

"I know," he said quietly, looking down at the ground.

She was crying readily now, all angry tears, and it was embarrassing her. She took a step away.

"I'm sorry," he added. "You don't know how sorry I am. I guess that's not worth much to you but it's true."

’You certainly are.’ Ky shook the thought away, aghast that Aleth had come into her head. It didn’t matter how angry she was — if her gut reaction was to respond like Aleth would, she was in the wrong.

She hesitated, not sure how to respond, if at all. “…How many times?” Not that it was any of her business, and yet, she wanted to know. She’d believe he was sorrier if it happened twice than if it happened fifty times.

"E-excuse me?" He blinked a few times. "How many--?"

“You- you both are pretending like you’re sorry,” she managed, turning back towards him. “But you kept doing it, didn’t you? It wasn’t just once… was it? Was it?”

He shook his head. "No. But we...we are sorry. And ashamed. I've tried so hard to leave it behind but I hurt Anneke...she was my friend, you know, before. But I was lonely and I picked the wrong man to be with, and now I and the whole family have to live with that. And I think about it every day. But no, it wasn't just once or twice."

The confirmation stung and she wiped her eyes with the heels of her hands, vision swimming. “You’re not part of the family!”

(Yikes on bikes she’s gonna have to pony up another apology lol)

He nodded, though he looked hurt by that. His eyes were full of tears. "I know that."

“I…” she took a shaky breath, having a pang of conscience at that. What was she doing? Lashing out like this? She needed to stop. Needed to apologize. And yet she couldn’t seem to find any apology in her just then. “…I need to go before I say more things I regret.” She turned away again. Best to cool off.