Page 47 of Consort of the Crime Queen

"I'm sure you've all heard about what happened in the training room a few hours ago," she begins, voice crisp and clear. There's a rumble of acknowledgment around the room. "Soon after it occurred, I received a message from my brother, confirming he was behind the attack on Aurora's life. And as you all know, he's been worrying at our heels these last two weeks, taking bites where he can like the rabid dog he is. But tonight Nero will pay for all of these attacks." There are a few cheers and hear, hears. But others remain silent. Listening. "And once we have captured him, I plan to execute Nero publicly as an example."

I'm taken aback by her blunt statement even though I know how ruthless Hadria can be. Has to be, when blood is crying out for blood.

The reactions around the heavy oak table range from nods of approval to skeptical frowns. I can feel an undercurrent sweeping through the room that I haven't felt before—or not so openly. Hadria senses it too. Her eyes track from face to face, assessing the mood.

One of the lower-ranked members speaks up, shattering the uneasy silence. "What about your father? You plannin' on icing old Zepp too?"

Hadria's expression remains unchanged, giving nothing away. "My father will be dealt with in due time," she says vaguely, deflecting the question for now. I let out a small breath, relieved she didn't immediately declare her intent to kill her own father too.

But her non-answer doesn't sit well with many others in the room. Lyssa catches my eye, one sculpted eyebrow raised slightly in a subtle warning. She senses the changing winds just as I do. Even Tony and Ricky, two of Hadria's staunchest lieutenants, are leaning back in their chairs looking wary. Mutters of discontent ripple around the table.

"So what happens to the Syndicate once you become the new Don Imperioli, huh?" asks a bald man sitting across from me, his scarred face set in hard lines. "You won't have any use for us small fry once you're swimming with the whales," he grumbles on. "Is that how it's gonna be?"

Hadria shrugs, the picture of unconcern, downplaying the challenge. "Positions within the Imperioli Family will be offered to all current Syndicate members once I assume control."

Her nonchalant answer sparks an outbreak of protests and accusations at once, and I flinch as the raised voices get louder and louder, trying to speak over each other.

"You expect us to join the same Family that's been picking us off?"

"The Syndicate's been my home for ten years, you think I wanna give that up?"

"I ain't joining no Italian mob."

"I've bled for this outfit! You telling me that was all just for fun?"

Their voices clamor together until I want to put my hands over my ears. Hadria's eyes flash with irritation, but before she can respond, Ilona pushes back her chair and stands, arms crossed over her chest.

"Enough!" she shouts, and the complaints die down. I'm almost grateful for a moment until she turns to Hadria. "I challenge you for leadership of the Syndicate, Hades." She spits out the name like a curse. "And I accept the terms of such a challenge. A fight to the death. Winner takes all."

A stunned silence envelops the room, and I find I'm holding my breath. Surely Ilona can't be serious? She has a reputation as a ferocious fighter, but she can't really think she can best Hadria?

Then come murmurs of approval at this bold challenge. The seeds of dissent have clearly taken root over the past few weeks, and I'm horrified to see that there are a number of Syndicate members who actually seem pleased that Hadria's leadership is being challenged.

Not all are happy about it, though. About two-thirds of the room still supports Hadria, if their expressions are any indication.

But that's fewer than I would have hoped.

Hadria merely inclines her head. "I accept your challenge, Ilona. I'll kill you, and then later tonight, I'll kill my brother."

Fear lances through me, cold and sharp. Ilona is cunning; I've heard Lyssa say that before, with grudging admiration. But even if Hadria wins, she'll then have to go on to find and fight her brother, and Nero is a much tougher opponent.

I meet Lyssa's worried gaze. In that shared look, I know she's thinking the same thing.

We could lose Hadria tonight.

CHAPTER 24

Hadria

Ilona sits down with a smirk that grates on my nerves. No matter. She'll be smiling with her throat soon enough when I open it for her.

No one has ever formally challenged my place as head of the Syndicate before tonight. It's not unexpected, especially given Ilona's attitude over the last few weeks. But her bullshit ends here.

"Well?" I say, when the Syndicate has finally fallen silent and looked to me for the next steps. "What are you waiting for? Out on the front lawn. All of you."

When I pulled the Syndicate together, I suggested that any challenges should be settled for once and for all by a fight to the death, for those foolish enough to push things so far. It was Mrs. Graves who insisted that such fights should happen outside, on the lawn, because she certainly wasn't going to clean up any blood left behind.

Lyssa and I found it amusing at the time. It's less amusing now. But the Syndicate files out of the war room with some eagerness. Ilona meets my gaze before she turns to go with them, arrogance and disdain clear in her haughty features.

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