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CHAPTER18
Riley backed away from Deruthel as his eyes flashed. “You are angry.”
His lips curled. “My father continues to benefit from my expertise. He has lost touch with the strategy involved in successfully seeding a world and orchestrating its demise before stepping foot in that realm. He has lost touch with the realities of our situation. Of the restructuring that is necessary to ensure our species’ survival.”
Riley wet her lips. “I don’t disagree with what you are saying. If you think about the big picture, eventually you will run out of worlds. It makes sense to establish yourself and create a sustainable ecosystem.”
“Yes. While not necessarily in this world, it must be done in the next thousand years. I have enjoyed conquering worlds and hoped to have a few more invasions before I was forced to settle. My father has put an end to that. I must stop him soon.”
“If you can’t control the horde...”
“I can control my subjects as easily as I controlled Breck and Colton. I possess the same power as my father, it’s the reason he kept me alive, but I am limited to a handful of minds and can only control one at a time. Ashkara can control dozens at one time.”
Riley’s eyes widened. “That’s why Colton seemed to pass the priestess’ test. You weren’t in his mind.”
“I was very careful to limit my interactions with him until he brought you here. I was unsure if my control would be detected by the priestess. I only took control to murder the clan members and retrieve yours and Dannika’s blood.”
“Raine had no idea?”
“No. Colton stole the blood from the healer. The wolf clan is likely accusing Karam of treason. He took your blood himself and told you it was for Karam.”
“Why kill the clan members?” she asked.
“The first was a test. Ashkara wanted to ensure we had complete control but would leave no trace of our presence.”
“You wanted the priestess to test Colton.”
“I did,” he said.
Her heart raced. “Why did you kill Oliver?”
“That cougar was suspicious of Colton. I am not sure why he suspected Colton was being influenced. But he sent a message to meet. I killed him while you slept.”
“When did you kill Aaron? His blood was at the portal...”
“That’s right. Colton killed him while you were with Ferguson and then ran to Dannika. Colton went to sleep in the pathway and awoke in Dannika’s chambers. He had no idea we took a detour.”
“You took over when he wouldn’t notice the time had passed.”
Deruthel’s lip twitched. His excitement flickered in his eyes. “Yes, I was quite careful until your arrival. He now remembers his own reaper blade removing his friend’s head.”
She coughed as bile rose in her throat. Colton would be gutted knowing he killed Oliver. It wasn’t his fault. They knew Deruthel had control of Breck, but that had seemed more like an addiction. “Your control of Breck and Colton seems different.”
His lip curled back. “It’s quite different. Breck is addicted to my blood. It creates a high in those who consume it willingly and boosts their strength. Colton was infected with my venom. Ashkara has control over my mind, which means he has control over Colton’s mind. That control remains unless Ashkara is banished from this world permanently.”
Her eyes widened. “You would lose control of Colton?”
“I don’t need him once the king is banished. All will fall eventually. I will simply kill him to ensure you become my bride.”
She took a deep breath of stale air. “If there is a way to banish Ashkara, I will help you.”
Deruthel motioned to a demon standing outside the entrance of the room. The jackal nodded and scurried away. “I told you the truth about Ashkara as an incentive. You believe you have a chance to save your species if the king is trapped in his current realm. That is not the case, but I will accept your help. Your mate will be freed, but you should consider the consequences of his actions. He is broken. The man he was lost forever.”
“I don’t believe that, but I will help you to free him and save humanity.”
Deruthel snorted. “Humanity will be enslaved and culled to a manageable capacity. Breeding of both human and demon couples will be regulated.”
“What?”
