What?
“Are you fucking kidding me?—“
I hadn’t even realized I had started moving toward Father until Oros had her hand on my shoulder and was yanking me back. She was saving me from making a mistake that would cost me my life—and maybe hers.
But I couldn’t bring myself to care. Not when Father had donethat.
I saw red, my clawed hands forming fists at my sides. My fangs ached for flesh. It angered me. Ithurt. Years and years of trying to get them for what they’d done, and when we’d finally come so close, this was what we got?
His actions were unprecedented. Friend or not, Zag’s head should be rolling on the floor. His fangs pulled out. His blood splattered all over the shiny rose quartz floors.
Father looked back just enough for our eyes to meet. It was a warning. Maybe not obvious to the court, but I knew what he was trying to say.
Don’t interfere unless you want to take his punishment instead. Be a good, silent little demon like your sister.
He had said those words to me so many times it soundedlike they were whispered in my ear whenever he gave me that look.
“Father, he stole from us,” I said, regaining my composure.
“No,” Father said. “He stole fromme. And I dictate howmypeople are to be punished.”
He wanted to remind us—no, everyone—that he was the one still in charge of the demons and all their realms. That there would never be a time when Oros and I would rule.
Even if we were next in line, we had to wait until Father was either dead, unable to rule, or cast out by the people. None of which would happen if he kept swooping in and saving himself and his associates’ asses every time there was a fire lit under them.
I could kill him,I thought for a second, but that would be a hard thing to manage.As soon as I made a move, there would be guards on me in seconds. They might work for the royal family, but their main priority was and always would be the king.
Oros’s hand on my shoulder was the only thing keeping me grounded. Reminding me that even during a moment of anger, we had a plan, and we just needed to adjust.
I trusted her.And I knew we had to figure out what we were going to do in light of Father’s foolish actions.
“Remember what our goal is,” she whispered in my ear once the ceremony was finally over and we were watching the people file out.
She was right. Always. I knew she would work it out for us. I just needed patience and an unwavering belief that we would avenge Mother.
But it’s so damn hard.
“It just seems so far away now,” I whispered back, eyeing my father as he mingled with the court.
I wish I could just run over there and sink my claws into hisneck. His blood splattering all over those ass-kissers while they screamed at me to stop?—
“I have some intel about a human,” she said. “One with a strange power.”
I turned to give her a look, the murderous thoughts coming to a quiet buzz in the back of my mind. They became easy enough to ignore, but nothing could fully extinguish them.
I’ll use them for fuel later.
“This one can sense lies,” she added. “If we have her…”
This can be over in a matter of days.
For the first time since our mother was left brutally murdered outside our gates, hope sparked in my chest.
3
EVE
“It’s been too long. Maybe we should wake her?” Iris whispered, taking a look at our newest addition.
