Page 62 of Unmasked

I searched the hysteria she displayed. The madness, it was there, lurking amongst the broken parts of her as she fought to function.

“T-The Council…” Her head shook and she started tracing her finger over the floor. “The north—no, south. South…. Chile! Y-You… But not you, because you do not know.”

More her finger circled around. Interest sparked, but I didn’t put stock into much of what she was saying. I stored it away, acknowledging but not relying upon it. Maybe she was pretending. Maybe she was exposing pieces of the truth, triggered from my confession.

“The Gardens… P-Pleasure Den. S-Sex.” Her head gave a hard shake. “N-No.” She froze, looking back up to me.

“Mr. P-Prescott… you… but… The Sultan… h-he’s with the king. K-King Lawrence.”

I sat up straighter, narrowing my lids. The Sultan? How did she know about Mr. Prescott?

“H-He won’t kill me b-because you are. H-He… baby.” Her eyes were as wide as saucers as she gazed up at me. “K-King Lawrence…” Her head jerked to the door and she cried out, fisting her hair. She was still breathing hard, panting. “W-Wait. No. Wait. Where’s Penelope?”

I didn’t answer. I placed the tip of the knife against my finger, slowly turning my hand back and forth. With the smallest increase of pressure, it cut through my skin. A drop of blood bubbled up, and I rubbed the crimson between my fingers.

“P-Please. Has he given her the title back yet? Please!” My eyes jerked up. “H-Has he—don’t let her take it. Don’t—He. God!” Harder she took in deep breaths. “She’ll have to take it. She’ll… and then…no! But—baby. Baby. No. You didn’t!” Her glare cut up to me, and rage left her shaking. “Stupid man. Stupid! You’ll kill her. I t-told you. He will have her, and now you’ll have killed her.”

“Enough,” I growled out.

I stood, walking to loom over her.

“For every time you don’t answer, I’m going to stab you. Not somewhere fatally—You’re going to experience what pain and eternity feels like while you wait for death. This game, it is not in your favor if you lie. Either way, your life ends tonight.”

A sob left her, and Katia’s head hung while she tried to hold herself up. One arm gave out, and she whimpered, sobbing again as she pushed enough to roll to her back. Dark hair fanned out over blood smeared stone, and her lids were swollen and heavy as she stared up at me.

“Who. Sent. You?”

“All.”

I stabbed the knife into her shoulder, jerking it back just as fast. Katia’s mouth gaped, and a deafening scream exploded through the room.

I let a few seconds pass.

“Who?”

She was choking on the cries, trying to catch her breath.

“First, all. Now… The Sultan—Keeper of the King.”

Tears raced down her face as she continued to cry.

“Keeper of the King…. Is that King Lawrence?”

“Y-Yes.”

“What was your objective in keeping Penelope away from me for so long?”

Her bottom lip quivered.

“T-to see… if you would come. To hurt her⁠—”

I stabbed the knife into her other shoulder, pulling it free.

“At least you’re finally being honest. It hurt us both.”

Screams mixed with sobs. Her shoulders lifted from the floor at the hard cries, but Katia didn’t try to turn or move.

“Does King Lawrence know I’m suspected in Penelope’s abduction?”