Page 75 of Haunted Nightmares
The voices do occasionally have good ideas, though, and while they currently want me to massacre my followers one by one, the plan to uncover the double agent started with Zenlothanai.
I’ve begun to question listening to them, though, after the chaos that ensued as soon as I shared my scripted speech.
“This is an outrage, my lord!” Mansaed, a noble who was stripped of his title and land long before coming to the states, shouts as shoots to his feet. “None of us have ever seen the original treaty before, and now you want to put it ondisplayfor any Counsel supporter or human to steal?”
Yes.“I can assure you, the treaty will be under lock and key, there will be security?—”
“Cameras and lasers!” He barks as several others around him begin shouting their disapproval. “And in the former nest? You don’t think Drusilla or Hans, literally anyone left from the previous High Elder’s reign won’t have access to that building? Excuse me, my king, but you’re out of your goddamn mind if?—”
“Enough!” I growl, slamming my fist down on the podium, causing a puff of my shadows to roll down the sides of it. “My gods, have you all forgotten how to behave in the presence of your fuckingleaderwhile I’ve been absent?”
Mansaed blows out a breath and says nothing but I hear him loud and clear.
My people feel abandoned, they feel as though I left them to fend for themselves, and they’re hurt because I didn’t allow them to grieve my mate with me.
They haven’t had a king or otherwise for months, why would they act as they suddenly do now without being sure I will not leave them again.
“That was out of line.” The entire group goes dead silent at my remark, slowly taking their seats with skeptical thoughts racing through their heads. “You’ve had no leader, no support or protection for months and for me to waltz back in here as if everything is the same as it was before, it is a shite move and it will not happen again.”
“Very nice,” Zephyr whispers. “I was about to call you out but I’m proud of you for doing it yourself.”
I barely refrain from rolling my eyes but continue. “To hopefully put you at ease regarding the display of the original treaty devised by Atticus and the human government at the time of the war, I’ve brought it for everyone to see tonight.” Motioning toward Orion, I wait for him to bring out the dummy document before I elaborate on my lies.
Just as the one sitting in Deveroux’s house, this is a false copy of the original treaty.
It’s close, don’t get me wrong, and Lydia made sure she and Zephyr created one that was aged to perfection and included all the high points, but it is a reproduction. One that no one will question, that no one will think is a dud. It includes bits and pieces pulled from the one Atticus penned in his favor, stipulations and restrictions the general masses know about along with some they didn’t that we fabricated to give authenticity to the document. And I made sure we omitted the section in the language of the gods completely, redacted any mention of them or the prophecy at all, and filled it withbullshite these people may believe Kadoc did or possibly set up during his rule that was banned afterward.
Thankfully, there was quite a bit of that to work with already but enough was changed in order to get everyone on board with the idea of this being the original, and prevent them from learning things I don’t want a spy knowing.
Because I am positive they will try to steal the treaty for Drusilla to barter with but instead will reveal their identity, and take us directly to where the mother of all bitches is hiding via the mite-size tracking pad attached to it.
“It will be as you see it now.” I watch them closely as each member cranes their necks to see the glass display case, desperate to catch a glimpse of the aged parchment spread out on velvet so each page is visible. “Under bullet proof glass, encompassed in a steel cage, and bolted to the matching pedestal.”
“What about the nest?” Mansaed asks as he leans so far forward he’s practically laying on top of the person in front of him. “How will you ensure nothing happens to it while it’s there?”
With my cockiest of grins spreading across my lips, I grip the edge of the podium, my fingers curling around the wood as a little thrill races up my spine. “Jerome and Benji have created quite a system, traps and the like scattered about; a guillotine here, an Iron Maiden there, lots of fun gadgets that will go off as soon as a thief attempts to steal what is rightfully ours.”
They have, too, which is why the idea of someone going after the fake excites me the way it does.
While the traps will go off and appear to be lethal, they are rigged to merely capture the would-be criminal so that I might question them myself. Which ultimately means torture and death, just like the good old days.
“How will we get to view it if it’s that protected?” The obviously appointed spokesman for the group asks.
“Simple,” I say with a smirk. “Don’t try to touch the cage. You can stare until your heart’s content if you avoid that.”
“And what of Drusilla? Will this all work against her as well?”
Smiling like the bastard I am, I wait until I have everyone’s attention then open the small, rectangular box sitting on the podium in front of me. “We don’t need to worry about her anymore.” I remove her finger and hold it in the air, making sure the ring is facing out for those closest to verify. “The wicked bitch is dead.”
A unified gasp fills the air seconds before they break out into cheers, my followers latching onto the bait without hesitation. Just as I knew they would.
Orion continues to wheel the pedestal through the group, stopping periodically for everyone to see. Their thoughts are all over the place, mostly full of respect and awe, shock and disbelief even but there are a few who still think me to have left them helpless in their hour of need.
I did and that is something I cannot change but I can move forward with this plan to ensure that those who are true to my cause never experience it again. I will be the leader they wish me to be, my mate and I will rule as I always intended, and I will destroy anyone who dares to threaten us again.
19
No Guac, Only Mole with a Side of Lips
