Ciana whispered, “Do you think he can see us? How does he know we’re here?”
“Even if he does, he won’t say anything.”
“You sure?”
I nodded. I knew my nephew.
Alexander’s dad was my oldest brother Justin, he was executed a few years ago when Alexander was only one or two. I didn’t know how much he rembered his parents, but that didn’t traumatize him any less.
Knowing the king was upset about Justin, no one in this palace wanted to be acquainted with a traitor’s heir. So even bullied the kid for fun—it probably made them feel superior while telling their drunk friends that they once picked on a prince and were able to get away with it.
Well, if they didn’t run into . Those bastards got what they deserved and I made sure that they’d never set foot in the palace again. However, I knew that wasn’t the first ti, nor would it be the last ti. And I wouldn’t be there for Alexander all the ti.
The best I could do was teach him so combat skills once in a while when I had my brief stay at the palace between my tasks and ask Jake to keep an eye out for him.
However, in this brutal royal palace, I was sure he didn’t have a fun and pleasant childhood.
“He’s just staring at the closet door. Oh, there he goes.”
“Alright, let’s get out of here,” I said.
I moved Ciana aside, as best as I could, and I opened the door. A wave of cold air rushed in and I breathed, feeling the cool relief through my entire body.
My mother opened the bedroom door and arched an eyebrow at us as we spilled out of the closet. “You can go in now.”
I turned to Ciana with my hand on the doorknob to my father’s room. “Ciana, you stay.”
“Why?” She creased her brow at . “I’m here to help too, Theo.”
I pulled her back toward the closet. “If sothing goes wrong, I don’t want us both to be on the hook. Stay here, out of sight. I’ll take care of this,” I assured. I brushed the back of my fingers along her cheek.
“No. I’m going with you. This is for Warren and We’re in this together,” she insisted.
I glanced over at my mother. Her gaze didn’t leave us, her chin high, her back straight and one hand gently placed on the other in front of her center belly—her posture might be poised and composed, but I knew she was losing her patience.
“We don’t have all night. I’m not sure how long the alcohol and sleeping pills will last,” my mother reminded us.
“Ciana, listen to . First, we need soone to keep an eye out here. Second, if anything unexpected happens, I’ll need you to get help,” I reasoned with her.
“Alright,” Ciana sighed, “you convinced .”
“Stay out of sight, okay?” I said, nodding toward the closet.
Ciana nodded and went back into the closet, closing the door. I waited until she was completely shut in before opening my father’s bedroom.
“You don’t need to co with either,” I said to my mom, but she didn’t listen to .
“If anything happens, he’ll already know I’m involved.”
She followed behind . I sighed, I did still need backup when dealing with my father.
My father was passed out on his bed with his shirt unbuttoned, revealing the chain for the key.
I frowned. Did Mother partially undress him? I didn’t need her to do that for .
“Hurry up,” she whispered behind .
I slipped my pinky finger under the chain around his neck and lifted it carefully. There was a clasp on it that I could release to get the key without lifting the chain over his head.
With my other hand, I reached for the clasp and I pinched it open.
I let out a breath of relief. Things went more smoothly than I expected.
Suddenly, a thick hand ca around my wrist and my father was staring up at .
His bloodshot eyes narrowed, like a cunning hunter who had been waiting for his prey to step into his trap.
A cold chill coursed down my body, and my heart sank.
“And what do you think you’re doing?” he scoffed wickedly, sitting up and shoving away.
I jumped back and crashed into the desk. The empty wine glasses clattered together.
My father scoffed and shook his head. Quickly, he tucked the key and chain away and buttoned his shirt up. His face twisted up in disgust.
His eyes traveled to my mother and he smirked at her, shaking his head.
“You thought it would be that easy? Bat your eyelashes and I’d forget it all?” he asked.
My mother maintained her poise and a haughty look on her face. She taunted, “Knowing you, yes. I don’t think you’ve ever turned down an offer from a woman.”
The king stood up, glowering. He raised his hand to strike her.
“Mother!”
She cringed away from him and his eyes lit up excitedly. He lowered his hand and looked at . “I knew Nita was planning sothing. She was laying on the praise a little too thick. From a woman that told she’d kill herself if I ever touched her again... it was too much of a turnaround,” he said.
I sighed. Of course, he would be too paranoid and suspicious to fall for that.
“I only let it get this far because I wanted to see what you were up to. So this is what you’re after, huh?” He pulled the key out of his shirt and ran it back and forth along the chain.
Glaring at him, I perched on the edge of his desk and crossed my arms.
“My only question is... why? That safe holds a lot of treasures, and I can only think of a few that you’d be interested in... given that you made a heartfelt appeal for that waste of a brother of yours,” Sebastian said, scoffing and rolling his eyes.
“Does it matter?” I countered.
“No, I suppose not. I’m more interested in how you got your cold-hearted mother to participate in this sche. She doesn’t care about Warren anymore than I do. He’s not her son,” Sebastian said, eyeing Mother curiously.
“No, I don’t care about Warren, but do you really think I would miss the opportunity to ruin your day?” she asked, grinning and laughing cruelly.
My brain was spinning fast. Mother was buying ti by intentionally irritating him. What should I do next?
“Nita, Nita, you never change, do you? I should have broken you years ago,” my father said. He rubbed his hands together.
“You tried, rember? All it did was make hate you. I will never stop hating you after what you’ve done!” she snapped, pointing accusingly at him.
My father growled and pushed her hand aside. “Clearly, I gave up too soon!” he hissed.
“You could never break enough to forget what you did to my pack. You murdered my family, you destroyed my people, you destroyed my son! You’re a tyrant,” she cried.
My heart clenched in my chest. My own mother thought I was a monster, thought I was “destroyed.” After everything I’d done recently, I couldn’t bla her. It still hurt hearing my mother say that.
“You’re right, I can’t break you. That ans there is only one thing left to do with you,” my father said, pulling from my thoughts. “You’ve outlived your usefulness, anyway!”
“No!” I cried.
“Oh yes, my boy. Nita will be sentenced to death,” he said, grinning evilly at her.
Roaring, I leaped across the room and pounced on him.
“Theo, no!” Mother shouted behind .
I ignored her and pushed the king back on the bed. Jumping on top of him, I pinned him down and grabbed him around the throat with gloved hands.
“You’ve taken everything from my mother, taken everything from ,” I hissed.
Sebastian’s eyes widened and he snarled. Grabbing my wrists he twisted them until I couldn’t grasp my fingers. He threw down on the floor and put his heel against my neck.
“Did you forget who you’re dealing with, Boy!?” he sneered. He glared down at , eyes bloodshot and wild.
I smirked at him. “No. I know all your weaknesses.” I jamd my fist into the back of his right knee.
My father roared, his knee buckling. I rolled away from him as he slamd down on the floor, his knees cracking against the thick stone.
“You rotten, ungrateful, bastard!” His voice thundered around the room as he clapped his hands.
The next mont I knew, we were surrounded by at least ten wolves. It was as if they appeared from nowhere. I recognized a couple of them.
They were not ordinary palace guards, but the most deadly warriors and trained assassins.
“How dare you raise your hand to . I gave you everything and I made you into sothing,” my father roared. His face and mouth were sared with blood and he looked like he’d torn so animal open and eaten its insides.
I stood between him and my mother, but I knew it was too late now.
“Now, take my ungrateful moron of a son and his slut of a mother away,” Sebastian said, tossing a dismissive hand at his henchn and pointing the other at . “Lock him up in the dungeon!”
I growled and gave them warning looks, and none of them was willing to get close.
I was pretty sure, as my father’s confidants, they knew what I was capable of. There weren’t that many of them. It would be easy enough to fight through them and escape with my mother. I could get her sowhere safe and co back.
There was just one problem with that, and it appeared that Sebastian was also aware of it.
“Theo, think twice before you try anything.”
After taking a mont to catch his breath, Sebastian seed to be in a better mood now. He sneered arrogantly, “You know what I just found out? You have more friends than I thought. Do you know what it ans?”
Of course I knew. If I acted out again, he wouldn’t just take it out on . He’d take it out on Jake, Ciana, and anyone else I was close to.
In my mont of hesitation, Sebastian snapped his fingers and his guys wrestled to the floor. Soon after that, I was on my knees and bound in restraints.
A hint of concern flashed across my mother’s eyes. Was she worried about ?
Sebastian hadn’t given orders about her. I hissed at him, “Do not touch her! Or I promise you’ll regret it!”
He let out an ear-piercing and triumphant laugh.
“Oh Theo, my son, you surprise every day.”
I didn’t like where he was going.
“You know what, as long as you continue to be useful, then she will be fine. I’m a forgiving man, especially for those who bring value.”
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