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“Silence,” my father booms as men from his army start rushing toward me, making Dalton and Sawyer flinch at my sides, more than ready to put these fuckers down.
Only another voice sails through the cathedral. “Let her speak,” Cara says, holding her head high before turning her gaze to my father. “I am the sole surviving member of The Circle, and until your lineage can be confirmed, you have no jurisdiction here. Now, if this girl can shed some light on the tragedy that took place four nights ago, I have a duty to hear her out.”
The congregation voices their agreement, and I swallow hard as I climb down from the pew and make my way out to the aisle, Easton, Sawyer, and Dalton all getting up and walking with me.
They form a protective circle around me as I shakily walk to the front of the cathedral, my father’s jaw clenched, knowing damn well this is not about to go down well for him.
Easton walks right up toward my father, the ferocious look in his eyes forcing him to back up a step, and with Sawyer and Dalton hovering close by, I step in front of the dais, my hands growing clammy.
I find Zade hidden within the shadows at the back of the room, and when he nods, I allow the words to flow free, letting these grieving families know exactly what kind of men they have been putting their loyalty into.
“Like I said, my name is Oakley Quinn, and this,” I say, indicating the bastard behind me, “is my father, the real blood heir of Empire, and while he was telling you the truth, that as a young father, he was torn away and thrown into Empire’s prison for thirteen long years, he also forgot to mention how during that time, he has been plotting to overtake Empire and rise to power.”
Murmurs ripple through the cathedral, the high ceilings making the sounds bounce around the room. “My father, this man insisting he deserves your loyalty, has betrayed Empire in every way. He has lied and cheated, secretly building an army while giving the order for his men to slaughter me, his only daughter, the next in line for the crown, in a disgraceful attempt to wipe out any threat who could potentially challenge his rise to power.”
My father grunts, spitting hate at my back. “That’s a lie,” he roars as Easton springs forward, gripping my father’s arm and forcing him to his knees before the church.
I stare at him, more than ready to hammer the final nail into the coffin. Then turning back to these people, watching the way they hang off my words, waiting to hear what more I have to say, I give it to them straight. “Not only was my father responsible for the brutal attacks on me, he was also the man responsible for the explosion that took the lives of so many.”
With that, I nod to Dalton who pulls out his phone and strides over to the projector that’s currently running through a slideshow of the men and women we lost in the explosion. He takes only a moment to connect his phone, and before I know it, surveillance footage of that night appears on the screen.
Silence fills the room as Dalton hits play on the video, and we watch as my father and his men infiltrate the ballroom and plant the explosives that destroyed so many lives.
The video comes to an end, and the room erupts into chaos, men pulling out guns and waving them around as mothers of the dead weep, this revelation too much to handle.
“TAKE YOUR SEATS,” I command the room, power bursting from my chest and watching as they immediately react, putting their weapons down and paying attention. “We are not heathens,” I tell them. “We do not lower ourselves to the standards of this scum. Now I know you are ready and prepared to watch this man be punished to the full extent of Empire’s sacred law, and we will in due time. However, I was not brought up here to discuss the crimes of my father, but to share with you my experience in Empire’s sacred tomb four nights ago.”
My voice starts to break and a woman in the front stands, and I quickly recognize her as Sawyer and Cara’s mom. “It’s okay, honey. Take your time.”
I give her a fond smile before trying to work out how the hell to put this all into words before deciding not to sugarcoat it and give it to them straight. “The Circle members were a bunch of over-privileged corrupt men who did not deserve your continued loyalty,” I say bluntly. “As you are all well aware, two months ago, after the death of Lawson DeVil, his son, Zade inherited the crown and then commenced Empire’s preparations for a new leader. Zade, who at this time fully believed that he was the true blood heir of Empire, was to complete the leadership ritual, to sacrifice the heart of an innocent, a task that the leaders before him have all performed.”
