Page 64 of Reign

A black hood slithering off ebony hair catches my attention, Tempest’s light eyes, both in hue and in humor, reaching mine before drifting over to Callie. “I’m not sure I have a say in this, brother.”

His assessment of her fuses my bones into weapons of destruction.

“You’re my second-in-command,” I growl, my throat growing hotter the longer I keep focus on a guy who’s enjoying this way too much. “Which means, you do as I command.”

“It’s Callie’s right as a Virtuous prospect,” Sabine adds, capping her statement off with a coquettish wink. “Now that she’s devoid of her initial soulmate.”

Throwing Sabine off this balcony and breaking her neck in her own temple would be all too kind. Callie may be so blinded by hate, she doesn’t see the danger in enfolding herself as a Virtue under Sabine’s direction, but I do.

“I believe we’ve been forced into this conversation because of you, son,” Father says. I lock my jaw against his constraining glare. You’re the one who gave me the option, Dad. “We’d be well on our way to a celebratory party if it weren’t for these added shenanigans.”

Callie’s annoyingly sweet, headstrong voice cuts through our tension. “Then allow me to expedite this part. Tempest? Would you mind?”

Tempest pushes off the railing.

I storm behind the half-circle of Nobles and Virtues and fly in front of him before he hits the stairs. “If you take so much as another goddamned step—”

“You’ll what?” Tempest asks dryly but keeps his voice low. “Implode your entire scheme to preserve the Nobles and dropkick your dad and Sabine out the secret door? Let this happen, man.” He grabs my wrist before I can cock my fist. “Callie won this round. It doesn’t mean she’s beat you. So she turns into an insipid Virtue. Who cares? She has no evidence. There’s no one on her side to believe her story of legacy and matricide, save for a few unreliable outcasts.” He pauses, as if taking time to watch the simmering blood rise from my neck and into my face. “If you’ll stop sucking your own balls for a minute, you’d see Callie’s in less danger by going along with Sabine’s wishes.” He gives me a light push. “So back off. You, me, and Callie are alllll aware who the true soulmate is.”

“That’s not—” I sputter. “Callie’s not—I’m not pissed because you’re her soulmate instead of me. This is about the brotherhood, and her coming between—”

“Uh-huh. Bye-bye now.”

Tempest disappears down the stairs.

Rather than watch him descend, I whirl, then stalk toward the railing, but I’m stopped by a thin, boney hand—deceptively strong and sharp with manicured nails.

“You told me she wouldn’t make it this far,” Falyn whispers through her oversized, golden hood.

“I was wrong,” I clip out, then glare down at her hand in a gesture of what I think as a polite way to say get your fucking hand off me.

“You’re admitting you screwed up?” Falyn squeaks, then tempers her voice at my growl of warning. “What’s wrong with you? She can’t be a Virtue. Sabine won’t choose me as the next princess if Callie—”

I yank out of her hold so abruptly, she stumbles forward, but I don’t catch her. I leave Falyn to right herself.

Back at the railing, I press my forearms into the cold stone and lean forward, pissed I’ve missed even seconds of Callie and Tempest’s blood union.

Because that’s what I’m allowing, aren’t I? It should be me standing with her, cutting my wrist and pressing it to hers, then slipping the blade through the stain of my blood on her skin and mixing hers with mine.

Tempest is not the one for her. Whether in farce or for the preservation of my goal, he is not the one for her.

“Easy, son,” my father murmurs beside me while staring ahead.

“You did this,” I snarl through my clenched jaw. Tremors collect down my arms, in my thighs, desperate to launch my body over the balcony and drag Callie, kicking and screaming, through the temple doors. “According to Rose Briar’s original rules, my revocation should’ve made Callie’s ascension null and void. Yet here I stand, watching another guy claim my right—”

“That you revoked. Yes. I can’t have you attached to her, boy, in any way moving forward. She is unstable, volatile, and entirely Sabine’s responsibility now. We know enough about Calla Lily Ryan now. You’re no longer needed as our envoy.”

“You knew I’d choose this,” I whisper harshly, my stare burning into the two people below. “An official, societal vow to separate myself from Callie was your final blow. That’s why you gave me the original handbook.”

“It’s for your own good.”

I whip in his direction. “Just like Emma? You seem to enjoy alternating your mindfucks between us. What’s next for her?”

Father doesn’t bother to shift in my direction. “My boy. Haven’t you learned? I’m leaving that entirely up to you.”

I prepare to leap. “You son of a—”

“Are you ready for the blade?” Sabine’s melodious voice cuts in.

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