Page 12 of Lethal King

“That’s insulting,” Mel quickly snaps. The cat stirs in her arms, but my sister quickly pats it down.

Still, those sharp yellow eyes stay fixed on me.

“Is it?”

“Uncle Maks, back me up,” Mel pleads. “You know better than anyone just how slippery I can be. Remember when you used to babysit us?”

“All too well,” Maksim huffs, shaking his head. “No matter how well I boarded up your crib, you always ended up downstairs again. I’m still not sure how you did it.”

“See. I’m more than just your little sister, Rian,” Mel says, turning back to me.

“You’re an artist,” I remind her.

“An escape artist,” she smirks back. “You know I can’t be contained.”

“Is that why you really came here? Just to prove you could?”

“No,” Mel says. “That’s not why I’m here. I’m here because I wasn’t going to let anyone else give you my gift.” After a split-second of hesitation, she gives her furball a gentle kiss; then, she hands it back to Maksim.

“It could have waited until afterward.”

“No. It couldn’t have. I might have painted over it. You know how I am.”

“You only ever really finish a piece when someone physically takes it from you,” Maksim confirms. But I already knew that. “It’s hard to believe you would willingly give one away.”

“It’s a special occasion,” Mel says, shooting me a stubborn look. “So, stay still and look after the kitty. I’ll bring it in.”

“Mel, we don’t have time for—”

“Stay!”

Turning her back on me, she skips towards the office door before disappearing into the hallway.

I take a single step after her. The cat hisses.

“Let her go,” Maksim mumbles. “Don’t get distracted.”

I stop. But my headache doesn’t. Neither does the bubbling fury heating up my gut. It feels like a thousand needles are pricking at me from every angle.

If I’m not careful, I could lose control.

“What the hell is going on?” I ask my uncle. “How did she really get in here? Did you help?”

“I haven’t had the time to help anyone with anything lately,” Maksim quietly responds. “You know that. For the past month, I’ve only had one mission.”

“And that’s why I have a bad feeling about today,” I remind him. “Your mission has had nothing to do with security at this ceremony. We’ve had to delegate that responsibility to others. I don’t trust others. I trust myself. I trust you. And I trust Dad. That’s all.”

“I understand,” Maksim replies. “Your dad used to be the same way. So did I. But we learned.”

A heavy silence momentarily fills the space between us at the mention of my father.

“How is dad, by the way?” I finally dare ask.

I’ve been trying not to think about it. But there’s no ignoring the issues rumbling outside of these fortified walls.

“He’s proud of you,” Maksim notes. “This is a brave thing you’re doing. For him. For the family. For the empire.”

“It’s my duty.”