“He’s all yours.” Lennox spun out of the way, her braid swinging behind her as she placed a peck on my cheek.
She knew as much as I did if we both went against Lorenzo, he’d be dead in seconds.
And his death was mine to claim.
The clash of our swords rang through the forest.
I forced his hand down easily.
All those years he spent sneering at me for spending so much time training—I bet he was swallowing his words now.
Perspiration broke out across his brow after only a few blows. I easily blocked each of his advances, pushing him farther and farther into the trees with every movement.
“Ready to give up yet?” I taunted.
“Never.”
“I’m going easy on you old man.”
“Don’t.” His eyes sparked with anger. “Give me all you’ve got. Or are you too scared?”
I smiled. “You asked.”
In two moves I had him stumbling. A whoosh of air left his lungs as I knocked his sword from his hands. I advanced him back a few more steps until his back hit a tree.
I sent my knee into his gut as I brought my sword to his neck, pinning him against the tree—completely at my mercy.
“When are you going to learn not to underestimate me, Lorenzo?”
He sneered, bucking against my hold. I let the edge of my blade push against his neck, breaking the skin until a tiny drop of crimson dripped down his throat.
“Even in your last moments, you won’t admit it?”
“You don’t have it in you, you won’t kill me. You’ve always been too soft. I’m your uncle. I’m the only family you have left.”
“You see, two years ago, you might have been right.” I pushed the blade in deeper.
“But now…a lot has changed—I’ve changed.” My words held true. I had changed. Some for the good, some for the worse. But one thing hadn’t changed—my lack of respect for Lorenzo. He had never liked me. He took any chance he could to try and drag me down, but it never worked. And it wouldn’t work today either.
“Whose fault is it anyway that you’re my only living relative? It was you, wasn’t it, you killed grandfather.”
He smirked. “You always preach how you’re better than me, so much different. But if you kill me, you’re the same.”
“No. If—whenI kill you, it will be to avenge my grandfather. You killed him out of spite—out of jealousy. You killed your own fucking father. I don’t know about you, but I think you deserve to die.”
Lorenzo’s face paled, the first signs of fear finally starting to trickle in.
“Besides, you play a large hand in this war. You help drive the enemy—you can’t be left alive. Without you, Adreona loses her role as queen consort.”
“She’ll kill you for killing me!”
“I’d like to see her fucking try.” I leaned in close, pushing myblade in deeper, the blood was flowing freely down his neck now, his leathers no longer pristine. “Do you think Adreona will care to avenge your death? Did your so called wife ever tell you the truth about why she’s kept you around?”
Lorenzo bared his teeth. “She’ll come for me.”
“Will she? She’s been lying to you this entire time.” I would do this one last thing before I killed him, I’d tell him the truth. “She killed Este. She didn’t find her, she took her and turned her into a Dhampir.”
“That’s a lie!” He lurched against my hold.
