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“And what?” Zoei countered. “It incensed him enough to order an assassin to take my life? His ego was so bruised that he wanted revenge?”
“Something’s missing,” I thought aloud. “If it was Almanera behind all of this, there is something missing in the puzzle.”
“The motive,” Zoei claimed. “Thetruemotive.”
“Exactly.” I closed the ledger with a snap. “We can sort of predict why he actednow—your coronation and the multitude of guests you invited was a perfect set-up to divert attention from him. If a third party was investigating the assassination, he would not even have come up as a suspect because he wasn’t present at the coronation. I would say he succeeded at diverting attention from himself, even if it was only temporary.”
As Zoei paused for thought, I continued.
The part of me that had been born into a line of strategic thinkers took hold, chasing each possibility as it crept into my mind.
“With you gone, the Highblade clan would be lost without a strong leader—I mean no offense to Netto and Pyke, but leadership isn’t their strong suit. At least, not compared to you,” I mulled. “And if my clan is implicated for high treason and deemed unfit to rule, then both Vetri and Agnivale would be devoid of leadership.”
“And guess who would fill the void?” Zoei concluded.
“As the leader of the third-largest land mass, Almanera would be able to campaign for the position, although I don’t think he’ll get it,” I muttered under my breath. “We need more information on him.”
“I’ll ask Cam to run intel,” she said, getting to her feet with a swiftness that was almost alarming. There was a sharpness about her now, like a weapon that had been sharpened to a deadly point, waiting to strike.
Although unkind, a thought crept into my mind: perhaps she had spent the last two decades honing her body while I honed my mind. But that wasn’t fair to her. While brash and cocksure, she maintained peace and abundance in Agnivale for the most part.
“This is just a theory,” I reminded her quickly as she swept past. “Remember that. You’re not to jump to conclusions again.”
I thought I heard her parrot my words under her breath before her assistant appeared at the doorway. He was a small person, presumably a beta. His frame was lithe and trim, and he moved with a rigidness that spoke of a scholarly upbringing. His slender shoulders sloped gently, accentuating the graceful lines of his physique.
His posture was enviable and impeccable, conveying a sense of self-assuredness.
But perhaps youhadto be self-assured in Zoei’s employ—my former friend despised any sign of weakness.
When Cam received his brief, he left with a curt nod and a click of his heels.
Zoei turned back to me. A single lock of her hair had fallen over her brow, and she flicked it aside with impatient fingers. The hair made a mockery of her by falling forward again, much to her irritation.
“You’re such an idiot,” I said, stepping forward. Gently, I pressed the hair behind her ear, tucking it away securely. “There you go.”
My fingers lingered against her skin, surprised by the softness of her cheek and the pulsing warmth of her body.
Her gaze bore into me, surprised, unwavering and probing. It was as though her eyes held a magnifying glass, dissecting every detail, every flaw. I became acutely aware of my posture, my every movement, my own breath.
Under the weight of her scrutiny, I felt as though all my secrets were laid bare, exposed for her to see. It was as if I stood on a stage, and her gaze was the spotlight that illuminated the desires I held back.
Except… Her own eyes shimmered with longing that resonated in my soul. A familiar hunger, a desperate need, and the powerful pull of our Alphas.
“What?” I questioned, touching my cheeks consciously. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Why—” The word emerged with gruffness, and she cleared her throat. “Why do you touch me so gently? Don’t you hate me?”
Before I could summon a response, she continued. “How could you not hate me?”
Her question hung in the air, heavy and poignant.
I didn’t hate her, although every part of me screamed that I should. I wanted to tell her that hatred had never even crossed my mind, because my feelings for her were too strong, too deep.
But the truth was, the complexity of my emotions terrified me. This was a woman who had held me down and forced pleasure onto me. She’d caused me to break my vows to my betrothed. She was horribly hot-headed and brash, and our relationship had been a rollercoaster of highs and lows since we reconnected.
Yet…
I glanced away from her for a brief moment, but the pull of her aura brought our gazes crashing back together within seconds.
