Page 126 of Fallen Court

“What mess?” I demanded, but she ignored me and continued into the alley.

The odor of rotting food from the dumpsters mingled with the dank scent of yesterday’s rain. A couple dozen empty crates had been tossed next to the restaurant’s dumpster, and tied to it…

I growled, recognizing the crouching vampire in chains. Caleb. He lifted his head at the sound of my voice, his unwashed hair hanging over his face. He looked like hell. His clothes were filthy and torn. Dried blood was caked on his busted lower lip. But something other than fear filled his eyes when he looked at me.

Defiance.

“He’s one of yours,” I said through gritted teeth. “What the fuck is going on?”

Baptiste stopped beside him and crossed her arms. “I told you,” she said calmly, “I handled it.”

“Handled what?” I demanded, my eyes darting around the alley for more of her men. Nothing moved in the shadows. We seemed to be alone, but I knew better than to let my guard down.

“No one is going to ambush you,” she said, sounding almost offended. “I called you here to help you, remember? Just like when I sent Dante to help with your friend and when my brother helped you in New York.”

The last thing I needed was to be in more debt to her, but I found myself softening. “How does this solve my problem?”

“Because he killed Étienne.” Her smug smile faltered.

I took a single step forward. “How can you know that?”

She shrugged. “I ordered every vampire I’ve ever sired to come forward if they knew anything about the murders.” The satisfaction returned to her eyes as she waited for me to do the math.

My jaw dropped. “And he…confessed?”

“Don’t act so surprised, Lach,” she said, annoyed again. “I made them. I can compel them to tell me the truth—whether they want to or not. Just like Étienne would have done if you’d looped him in on what was happening.”

And he would have. He would be alive now if I’d told him about the murders—if I’d asked for help. Like Ciara and Cate would have done.

Baptiste kicked Caleb hard in the ribs, and he grunted, trying to shield himself from further blows. “This little shithead had no choice but to tell me the truth.”

I stared at Caleb, my mind reeling but only one question important enough to ask. “…Why?”

“He’s always been a bit of a loose cannon, but I never imagined he was capable of something like this,” she admitted, her face dimming. “You’re not stupid.”

“That’s not what you usually say.” I smiled grimly.

But she didn’t laugh. “There are plenty of people who want to see you off the throne; you know that. The bona fides only made them hate you more.”

I shook my head. “I want him to answer.”

She flourished a hand, stepping to the side. “Be my guest.” She glared down at Caleb. “Tell him why you murdered those people.”

I turned my burning gaze on Caleb. He’d gone still and silent, but I could smell his fear, see it in the tremor of his hands, hear the slight hitch in his breath as the compulsion took hold. He had no choice but to do as she commanded. But he remained quiet.

“Tell me why you did it,” I said, my voice low and dangerous. “We both know that you aren’t walking out of here, so you have two choices. Quick and painful or slow and painful.”

Either way, he would answer for what he had done. Not only because the city needed to remember what happened when they made a move against me but because Étienne had been my friend.

My fists clenched at my sides, nails biting into my palms. It was taking everything in me not to rip him to shreds. Blood roared in my ears as I waited for Caleb to speak, an eternity packed into a few scant seconds.

“You don’t own us or this city,” he rasped, turning hate-filled eyes on me. “They thought they owed you allegiance. They made New Orleans a prison because they’ve forgotten their own power. We have our own magic. We could have been free from your—”

“Enough.” Baptiste cut him off with a disgusted look. “You swore an oath of allegiance like the rest of us.”

“I don’t answer to him,” he reminded her.

“You’re answering to me now.” I stepped between them, glaring at him.