I let out a long breath. “You’re right.” I needed to remember shedding blood wasn’t always necessary.
“I’ll never get tired of hearing you say that.”
I swatted at him gently. “Prick.”
I turned my attention back to the restrained guard. “Anyways, just because they’re nice doesn’t mean I have to be. Cooperate, and I might keep my dagger from your thigh.” I leaned down, bracing a hand on either arm of the chair he was restrained to, cocking my head to one side.
“Now, tell me—who killed the late king? Who killed Arlo Rossi?”
“He died in his sleep.”
“Don’t fucking lie,” Luka growled. I held up a finger to stop him from coming any further. He’d get his vengeance for Arlo’s death, but not with this guard.
He was mine.
I didn’t give the guard a warning before shoving my dagger into his thigh. He cried out in pain, bucking against the restraints.
“I warned you.” I pushed the blade in deeper. “If King Arlo died in his sleep, why was his head sent to me in a fucking box?”
The guard paled, screaming as I removed my dagger. “Dare to try again?” I held my dagger against his neck. “Give me the truth this time. Who killed Arlo Rossi?”
“I don’t know,” he stammered. “But you’re right.” The male’s eyes danced between me and Luka. “I don’t know who did it, but he didn’t die in his sleep, he was murdered.”
“Why?” I pressed the edge of the dagger into his neck—any harder and I’d break the skin.
“It’s all part of the plan. Adreona was pissed you escaped, she needed another plan. When you started broadcasting her intentions across Lethenia, she escalated her plans. She knew she needed a better hold on the people if you were going to paint her as the villain. Taking the Blood Crown was the easiest way to do it.”
Cunning bitch. It was perfect, why would the Blood Court believe theirqueen consortwanted to eliminate their species?
“We killed any guards or staff who saw us the night we took the palace,” he continued. “We burned their bodies before anyone could ask questions. The few that did come asking we told them they were missing—that we didn’t know what had happened to them.” He swallowed, his Adam’s apple shifting against the blade in my hand. “Anyone who questioned Lorenzo or Adreona were killed or used for her experiments.”
I removed my dagger from his throat and took a step back. Of course she’d use them to create more Dhampirs. “Are Lorenzo and Adreona going to get married?”
“I don’t know.”
I chewed on my bottom lip. “Do you think the people will follow them?” I asked, looking to Luka.
“I don’t know. I’d like to think they wouldn’t—my grandfather supported us and shared he was against the Vanir and the Panateia—but we don’t know what the people thought of his stance. I would think they’d be against an organization trying to kill them but?—”
“But Adreona might force them to follow her,” Declan interrupted. “Think about what they already did with the guards or anyone who saw them and didn’t cooperate. I have no doubt she’ll use the first people who speak out as anexample—show the city what will happen if you don’t fall in line.”
“We can’t let them do that,” Kara protested.
“We won’t.” I squeezed the handle of my blade.
“How are we supposed to stop them?” Luce countered. “We’re not in a position right now to take on Adreona. She has the Vanir, Panateia, and the Blood Court behind her now. And what if she and Lorenzo tries to call in the Blood Court’s allies? What then?”
“We need to get ahead of them. We need to get to the other courts before they can.” My mind spun as I spoke.
“We need to split up.” Nol stood and joined us. “We need to get the word out and fast—and it needs to be in person. The Blood Court has been infiltrated—we need to make sure that’s emphasized and the only way to do that is in person.”
“I don’t think splitting up is a good idea,” Nico countered. “In case you forgot, I grew up with my parents as emissaries. When it comes to important issues, courts don’t take well to anyone but whoever is making the demand relaying the information to them.”
“He has a point.” I looked at Luka. “If someone came to me with this information, I’d ask to hear it straight from the source before making a decision to ally with them.”
“So what then?” Declan asked. “We still need to be efficient about this.”
“We could split up into two groups.” My stomach knotted. “Luka and I would split up, that way we’d have the High King in one group and the High Queen in another.” I hated the idea of being separated from Luka so soon after being reunited, but if that’s what had to be done, then I’d do it.
