Page 72 of Their Pretty Little Monster

“You’ve commanded us to change course to the kingdom, and I’ve gotten all the weapons ready. Howler is ready for a full assault. We need to confirm our plan of action.”

I cut him a sharp stare, but he doesn’t look away. Yes, I changed course once Sage was on board, but that was before I knew about her being Killian’s true mate or mine. Still, I haven’t worked out our new plans, but it sure as fuck won’t line up with Clay’s destructive plans.

“As I’ve explained previously, we’re not going in there to destroy the kingdom. Only the false King,” I state flatly, my impatience tightening around my chest.

He exhales loudly, almost making a squawking sound in the process. “After what Bren and all those betrayers who followed him did to you… to all of us! They should be slaughtered.”

I shake my head, exhaling slowly to keep my fury in check.

“Those who followed did it for the safety of their families, and I won’t punish them for wanting to offer them protection. My goal is to remove the fucking murderer of a King, not decimate our Shadowfen. Have you forgotten our mission—bring the kingdom together as one, not divided?”

Clay glares at me, his feathers ruffling with irritation. “It’s because she’s Killian’s true mate now, isn’t it?” His voice drips with accusation. “I suspected the moment she arrived, with the way you all chased after her, that things would change.”

Fury plays on my mind, muscles tensing. Sure, Clay is the captain of the Howler, who offered us a home after the Great Desolation, but this vessel belongs to the old kingdom, to my family, and he needs to remember his place.

“Watch your mouth, Clay,” I growl. “Right now, you need to trust me, not question me.”

His eyes narrow, the tension between us thickening.

“Maybe you should put your focus on why Howler couldn’t identify who else was in the Chamber of Rituals when Sage was attacked. Something glitchy’s going on, or perhaps someone hacked into the system,” I snarl.

His eyes turn into round orbs, fright scribbled across his expression. “That’s impossible. Howler’s systems are impenetrable.”

“Then explain why it couldn’t detect the intruder?” I snap, shoulders curving forward.

Clay swallows hard, his usual composure slipping. “I’ll look into it immediately. This puts us all in a very dangerous position. Perhaps someone on board is feeding information to King Bren?”

The darkness of his suggestion presses down on me but reminds me of a similar conversation Killian and I had just discussed.

“First, let’s find out what the fuck is going on with Howler, and inform me at once.”

“Of course, my Lord.”

“And delay our approach to the kingdom by a few days. We’re not ready yet.”

A vein in his throat pulses, then he nods once.

I move past him, exhausted from this conversation, my fists refusing to unfurl. If I don’t walk away, he’ll be wearing them.

“Your father would never go soft on his enemies,” he accuses behind me. “The traitor slaughtered him in cold blood.”

I swing back on him, rage simmering just under the surface.

“My father isn’t here,” I hiss. “I am, and I know exactly what I’m doing.”

He squares his shoulders, meeting my gaze head-on. “Do you?”

Tension ripples, and I’m moving toward him before I can think straight. Energy speeds through my veins, adding fuel to my anger at being pushed by this asshole. Captain or not, he’s crossed the line.

Fear flickers behind his gaze, and he recoils. When a small group of children rush down the corridor, the gutless swine jumps in alongside them, escaping my side.

Turning, I slam a fist into the wall, leaving a crater of a hole. I don’t lose fucking control of my emotions, but Clay’s picked the wrong time to play fucker with me. He’s always been the devil’s advocate, that’s nothing new, but today, I have zero patience for it.

Heart thundering in my chest, I pivot and storm toward the training rooms, furious at his damn persistence to destroy everyone in the kingdom. It’s not the first time he’s brought it up, and each time, I shoot him down. But he’s starting to worry me…

He’s angry; I get it. We all fucking are at what happened to our kingdom. But my father brought me up to do anything in my power to resolve a problem before resorting to war.

And I sure as fuck won’t let anything—or anyone—stand in my way to achieve that.

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