Page 145 of Destiny of a King

“I can see my ancestors made an error in allowing even one of you to live,” Dravic said, his voice cold as ice.

“Aye. I would have made sure to kill everyone in your family, including those who could possibly have been carrying an heir.” He gazed quickly to Adira.

Dravic had been too concerned with problems at hand to have given any thought to Adira carrying his child. But hearing Ernach’s threat, the thought became much too real. It stirred a rage so vicious in him that all he wanted to do was reach out and snap Ernach’s neck.

Ernach continued to fuel the flames. “I spent years subjecting myself to your grandfather, listening to him, advising him, and allowing him to believe there was no man more loyal to him than I.” A smug smile appeared on his face. “I learned his weaknesses. Your grandfather feared losing his kingdom more than he loved anyone in it.”

Dravic’s fury grew as he realized what Ernach was leading to.

“Edric was his only son. His heir. Halric should have trusted him.” Ernach shrugged. “But trust is easily destroyed when enough doubt is planted.”

Dravic knew what was coming before Ernach said her name.

“Your mother made it easy. Ravina was from Northland. Her family possessed power Halric didn’t understand and, therefore, feared. All I had to do was convince him that his son no longer made his own decisions. That Ravina controlled him. A suggestion here. A question there. Every decision Edric made that Halric disliked became another reason to wonder whose decision it truly was.”

Dravic barely held onto his rage, but he had Adira to protect. Once this was done, he would kill Ernach himself.

Dravic spoke with a calm he didn’t feel. “You turned him against my parents.”

“I helped him see what he already feared.”

“You fed him lies.”

“I may have fed him lies, but he greedily devoured them, not even investigating himself if they were true.”

“My grandfather ordered my parents’ deaths because of you,” he said, wanting to hear Ernach admit it.

“Aye, it was my doing.”

The truth struck hard, but Dravic finally had the truth about his parents’ deaths. And he would see them avenged.

Adira felt his pain as if it were her own and she gave his hand a gentle squeeze, reminding him she was there beside him.

He felt it. That small touch kept him where he stood when every instinct demanded he cross the distance between himself and Ernach and kill him.

“You murdered my parents,” Dravic said, his words condemning him.

“Halric had them murdered. I merely made certain he believed it necessary.”

Dravic’s voice dropped dangerously low. “There is no difference.”

Ernach smiled. “There is to me.”

Tharne listened to the exchange closely but kept his eyes on his daughter.

“And afterward?” Dravic demanded. “You betrayed Halric.”

“I made him believe I had.”

“Why, when your plan was working?”

“Because I was one man with a few loyal men. I needed an army to return when the time was right.”

“You went to Drogath.”

“Aye.” Ernach glanced toward Tharne. “I found something there I hadn’t expected. A warlord searching for someone who had been taken from him. A promise to him was all it took to get his help. Get him into Scotara without being seen and help find his daughter.”

“And in return,” Dravic said, understanding that part at last, “Tharne would help you take the crown.”