“No need to worry.” He raised his hands in surrender, his voice lacking emotion. “I just have a message for you.” On his toes, he peered over my shoulders and granted the man behind me a singular nod.
Without warning, hard leather kicked the back of my knee. Somehow I kept my hand pressed on my wound when I collapsed onto my shin, cursing as my bone collided with the cement.
The bruise was already forming—I could tell by the ache that shot up my thigh as I tried to stand.
I didn't get very far.
Calvin’s arms shot out from behind me. His hand secured the back of my neck and he pushed me down. He held me on my knees with his full weight, and though I tried to wriggle free, he was too strong.
I stilled my body, quickly realizing that I should reserve every ounce of energy that I could.
Lucan spoke again, “King Beaumont would like to personally extend you an offer.”
I stifled a laugh of disbelief. “If he wanted to get a message to me, why is he having you deliver it and not King Hawthorne like he has every other time?”
Lucan stared at me, emotionless as he ignored my question. “The king of Draemor would like to give you one morechance to turn yourself over to him, promising safety for yourself and your loved ones if you accept and cooperate under his reign.”
I couldn't help but snicker at the offer. “I thought Beaumont no longer wanted me.”
“You thought wrong.”
“Does King Hawthorne know you're trying to seduce me into abandoning Caelestis?” I smirked, adding a wink to really tweak him.
Big mistake.
My sarcasm granted me another kick from the solid sole of Calvin’s boot, this time in the middle of my back.
“Ow, asshole. What the hell?” I cursed at the soldier behind me.
“King Hawthorne is not aware of thistransaction,” Lucan said.
“Okay, hold on. I don't understand.” My head shook as much as was possible with the hand squeezing my neck. “How do you even know all of this then?”
My thoughts jumbled as I thought back to when Sebastian and I found Lucan in the king's study. He seemed like he was lying, but with everything else that was thrown at us that day, I had forgotten all about it.
Wait.
My mouth fell agape as reality dawned on me. I knew Calvin’s voice sounded familiar.
“Holy shit,” I muttered under my breath, glancing between the two men above me. “You were the two we overheard in the archives?”
“Took you long enough,” the soldier sneered. He moved his hand from my neck to grasp a hold of my hair, pulling my head back so that I could see Lucan better.
“You're the one who's been telling Beaumont about me?” I snarled the question, though I didn't need to ask for confirmation. “You've been selling me out for months!”
“I cannot take all of the credit.” Lucan shrugged, turning his back to me. “I've had plenty of help along the way. Though many of them were not cunning enough to avoid execution. The Fletcher boy, for example.” He paraded around the corridor. “Calvin here, however, has been quite useful. One of the last standing.”
I adjusted the grip on my elbow, pain searing up my arm as my palm skimmed my bare bone. “Why?” I snarled.
“Why?” Lucan scoffed. “Cyprian has offered me more than Aldous ever could. When I am successful with my quest, he promises to have me rule beside him.”
“As what? Another king's bitch?”
Calvin yanked my neck back by a fistful of my hair. “Watch your mouth,” he hissed.
Lucan's jaw ticked, but he continued his explanation. “Cyprian vowed that if I bring you to him before the prophecy is complete, that I can expect a reward of the highest honor.”
In the midst of my shock, I bit my tongue. “How does he even know of the prophecy? How doyouknow about it?”
