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“And where would I come in?” I asked. “How could I possibly help make Graham king?”
“I’ll focus on that part,” said Cael. “It’ll be your job to eliminate the competition in case Brennin actually becomes king.”
Eliminate. I didn’t like that word.
“Cael,” I said, “you know I’m not a killer. I am not the person for this job.”
“You’re not a killeryet.” He paused, leveling his ruthless gaze at me. “But you are the person for this job, if only because I knowhow desperately you don’t want to be captured. Enough to get a haircut like that.”
“It’s your haircut, you idiot!” I pointed at his short, dark blonde hair that looked almost identical to mine except that mine was lighter.
“But it looks much better on me.” He smoothed his hair back. “Look, I can tell you where your father is and I know how badly you want to make Graham king. And you know I will not use my power to make that happen if I can’t keep my title.”
I rested my arms on the table, dropping my head onto them. I didn’t want this. I hated to be manipulated into doing what Cael wanted. But what would I do if it meant Graham could be king? Was that the way I could finally redeem myself? Maybe, but blood was a high price to pay.
“It will look suspicious if Pearce is suddenly murdered, even if we could manage it,” I said. “As his competitor for the title, won’t people know you were behind it?”
“That’s why we won’t make it look like murder,” Cael said. “What I’m giving you won’t even leave a mark. It will appear as if he was simply an old man who died of heart failure. And, even if anyone does find it suspicious, we’re fortunate that Pearce’s murder will coincide with the return of his greatest enemy—his outlawed son who was meant to be dead.”
“You’ll frame Keane?” I shook my head, appalled.
“Of course,” said Cael. “Besides, that killer is not your friend. He was merely using you. Has he ever done anything for you that didn’t get him closer to his own agenda?”
“I could easily say the same thing about you.”
He half-smiled. “Don’t pretend it isn’t mutual. You and I, we’re useful to each other. We may not like it, but we cannot deny it.”
I slouched into my chair with a sigh. The last thing I wanted was to be part of Cael’s scheme, but he was right to an extent. Hedid have an irritating habit of being useful. “If I were to consider it, how would I get to him?”
“Tomorrow night,” said Cael, “I have arranged a nobles’ ball at the Brennin House to celebrate Graham’s return. You will attend and find a way to get Pearce alone.”
“Looking like this?” I gestured to myself.
“Oh, god no,” said Cael. “You’ll frighten the poor man off and then there will be no chance of killing him.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Then what did you have in mind?”
“You will be the most stunning woman in attendance. It will take extensive work, obviously, and money that I will provide, but seeing as you managed to fool even me—if only for a few seconds—it seems as if you could actually pull it off.”
I was taken aback. That was the closest to a compliment I’d ever heard from Cael.
“You have a very generic face, after all,” he added, destroying any illusion of kindness.
“Thanks,” I said flatly.
“Once you have him alone,” Cael continued, “you will pour this into his drink.” He pulled out a tiny vial of clear liquid.
“What is it?” I asked, peering more closely.
“Tetrodotoxin,” he said, handing it to me. “The poison of a pufferfish. Over a thousand times more toxic than cyanide. It paralyzes its victim until breathing eventually stops altogether. It’s gentle. Painless, even.”
“Gentle murder, huh?” I hesitated before reaching out my hand to take the poison.
“Take these, too.” Cael reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver key along with a radio like the one I already had. “This is for your gates. And I take it you’ve already encountered one of these?” He held up the radio.
“A little,” I said, hoping he wouldn’t ask more.
He handed the radio and key to me, then stood, brushing off his lapel. “Keep it tuned to channel F.”
