AllFreeNovel
Share Us
That wasn’t going to work either, although I tried to hold my tongue. I didn’t want Erquin to get the impression I was a hothead, not agreeable to negotiations.
Erquin waited for Herrick to answer, but Herrick wasn’t even looking in his direction. Rage was glowing in his eyes and focused on me.
“Who do you think you are to agree to anything? You were a poor, pathetic child with nothing. You think because he marked you, mated with you, that means you’re something? You have no idea who you’re speaking to.” His hands were fisted where they sat on the table, like he wanted to reach over and strangle me.
“You’re lucky I made a promise when I came here, or you’d be dead right now.” I wasn’t sure if that was the truth or a bluff, but I would’ve done my damnedest.
“Would I? I highly doubt that, and not because of the bracelet you’re wearing, either. There’s a reason you were discarded over and over again. You’re not worth anything, to anybody. The only person who took pity on you—and itwaspity—you killed. You’re no threat to me.”
I leaned forward, placing my palms on the table. For as much as the bracelet had muted my power, I could feel it surging through me. It was like burning lava being pumped around my body by a hatred so pure it could wipe out everyone in this building, maybe this world. I could feel it emanating off me in waves.
“Think whatever you like. A dead man’s beliefs mean nothing to me.” My words were accented by a clunking sound. I felt the weight on my wrist disappear. I looked down, and the bracelet had literally melted off my arm.
Everyone was staring, no one speaking, not even me, as what had happened slowly registered. How the hell had I done that?
Herrick got to his feet and scurried back a few steps as he measured the distance to the doors.
“You said this was a neutral location, and yet you gave her a fake band?” Herrick yelled at Erquin as he looked to the door. He had to go past me if he wanted to leave.
“I’ve done nothing of the sort. She had the same band as you.” Erquin looked from Herrick to me.
I could kill Herrick right now. He was utterly vulnerable. But if I did, I’d break my oath. Would that start its own upheaval? Would others then come for us, for Nowhere, because we’d be deemed untrustworthy?
I looked at Kaden, who was standing beside me. He hadn’t moved or uttered a word. He stood stoic and still as if carved from granite.
I didn’t dare verbalize my desires, but he knew the bloodlust I had for this man in my heart. He tilted his head sideways, just a hair, signaling he wouldn’t interfere either way. It was my call.
My call. My decision.The weight of the repercussions or benefits all mine.
I turned back to Erquin and Herrick, and time seemed to slow down, seconds feeling like minutes. I held Herrick’s life in my hands, and the temptation to squeeze it out was nearly overwhelming me. He was there, staring at me, his naturally tan flesh now ashen. Erquin was angled in front of him, as if he’d be able to stop me.
I would bet my life he couldn’t.
“You gave an oath,” Erquin said.
Was my oath worth letting Herrick walk out of here unscathed? But what if I wasn’t able to kill him? Erquin had enough men around that even if I did kill Herrick, I’d die before I got off this planet. There might also never be another chance to kill Herrick this quick and easy.
Erquin stared at me, weighing me, waiting to see what kind of person I’d turn out to be.
Choose the good things—choose the things you know in your heart are the right things.I could practically envision Soleil looking at me with that motherly stare as she’d sat and talked to me that night.
What I wanted to do was paint this place red with Herrick’s blood, and so be it if I died in the process. But it wouldn’t just be me. If Kaden was allowing me to choose, he’d back me. And die beside me?
I let Herrick sweat it out for a few more seconds before I nodded. “I did make an oath, and I’m going to honor it—not that I believe he’d do the same. He has no honor.”
“I’m leaving,” Herrick yelled, spittle flying from his mouth. He stormed toward the door, nearly running as he passed me, his fear palpable.
We all watched Herrick and his man scurry out of the place like the rats they were. Every step he took, my opportunity to kill him faded. I sighed loudly again, telling myself the window was closed. Even if I ran after him now, I probably wouldn’t be fast enough to catch him before he was off-world. I’d chosen correctly, I hoped, but oh, the burn of letting him get away.
Erquin stepped in front of me. “I’m sorry this meeting didn’t bear fruit, but I admire your control and that you honored your word. I will tell people that you can be trusted to conduct yourself with honor.”
“Thank you.” It wasn’t much of a consolation prize and didn’t take the sting out of the gaping wound of letting Herrick go.
He turned to Kaden. “You’ve chosen your mate well.”
“Thank you,” Kaden said, sounding as if he wasn’t as pissed as I was about what all that honor just cost us.
Kaden might’ve left the choice up to me, but there was no way that didn’t burn for him as well. It had to. I couldn’t be the only person ready to pull my hair out over the opportunity that I’d just let stroll out of here. What the hell was wrong with me? Why had I done that?
