Page 28 of When Kings Fall

“So,” I say, breaking the silence. “You really think we should go after the president?”

Ben doesn’t answer right away. He keeps his hands wrapped around his mug, and his gaze scans the diner. When he releases his mug, one hand rests casually on the table, the other tapping lightly against his leg. It’s a controlled rhythm, one that keeps time with the thoughts I can almost hear spinning in his head.

“It’s not what I think that matters, Selene. It’s what you want.”

There it is. The bait. He knows what I want—answers, closure, a way to make sense of this mess. But he’s flipping it back on me, making me question if my desires are even valid. It’s a subtle power play, one that leaves me unsettled.

I force a laugh, trying to keep it light, even though I’m beginning to feel the weight of his game pressing down on me. “What I want? I think we both know what I want, Ben.”

He tilts his head, eyebrows raising just slightly. “Do we? Because I’m not sure you’ve really figured that out yet.”

The way he says it makes my stomach drop. How much does he know about me? About my weaknesses? My insecurities? I’ve always been the one to take control of the situation, to act before anyone else has the chance. But Ben? He’s a different breed. He’s watching, waiting for me to slip up. And I hate that he might be right—that I’m still figuring out what I want. What I need.

I can feel the recklessness in me rising again, that urge to push him, to test the limits of whatever game he’s playing. But somewhere, deep down, there’s a part of me screaming to stop. To be smarter. To think about the consequences this time.

Because this can’t just be about me anymore.

Diarmuid’s face flashes through my mind—his sharp eyes, the weight of his presence, the way he’d looked at me when I told him I didn’t need anyone. God, I’d been so wrong. I’ve spent my whole life pushing people away, convincing myself I was fine on my own. But if something happens to me now, if I keep throwing myself into the fire… what would it do to him?

I clench my fists in my lap, trying to shake off the growing unease. Focus, Selene. You need to stay in control. You need to be smarter than this.

“Alright,” I say, forcing myself to sound confident. “Let’s say you’re right. Let’s say we go after the president. How exactly do you plan to do that? Because last I checked, he’s a little out of our reach.”

Ben’s lips curl into a small smile, and I instantly regret giving him that opening. “You’d be surprised what’s within reach, Selene. You just have to know how to play the game.”

He says it so casually, like it’s the easiest thing in the world. Like he’s already figured out all the angles, all the ways to manipulate the board. And maybe he has.

I lean back in my seat, trying to appear nonchalant, but my mind is racing. What’s his endgame here? He knows I’m suspicious of him. He knows I’m not stupid. And yet, he’s stilltrying to get me to trust him—or at least, to trust the idea that we’re on the same side.

But we’re not. We never were.

“Play the game, huh?” I say, feigning amusement. “And what’s your role in this little game, Ben? Because from where I’m sitting, it looks like you’ve been playing me from the start.”

He doesn’t react the way I expect him to. No defensive posturing, no irritation. Instead, he gives me this knowing look, one that sends a chill down my spine. “I’m not playing you, Selene. I’m helping you. You’re just too stubborn to realize it.”

There it is again—that subtle twist. He’s trying to make me doubt myself, to make me question everything I’ve done up until now. And the worst part? It’s working. Because for all my suspicions, for all the red flags screaming at me to be careful, there’s still a part of me that wonders if he’s right. If I’m the one sabotaging myself, getting in my own way.

I swallow hard, my throat suddenly dry. “You don’t know anything about me,” I say, but even I can hear the uncertainty in my voice.

Ben’s smile doesn’t waver. “I know enough.”

He stops tapping his leg and leans back in his seat, his eyes locked on mine. “You don’t have to do this alone, Selene. You’ve been running headfirst into danger because you think it’s the only way to get what you want. But it’s not.”

His words hit harder than I expect them to. Because deep down, I know he’s right. I’ve been reckless, throwing myself into this mess without thinking about the consequences. But it’s not just about me anymore. There’s more at stake now, and I can’t keep pretending like I’m invincible.

I can’t keep pretending like I don’t care.

“I don’t need your help,” I say, but the words feel hollow. I’m trying to convince myself as much as him.

Ben tilts his head slightly, his gaze softening just a fraction. “Maybe not. But you could use it.”

The way he says it, so calm and collected, makes me want to scream. He’s too smooth, too in control, and it’s making me feel like I’m the one slipping. I hate it. But more than that, I hate that I’m starting to believe him. Because for all my bravado, for all my attempts to stay one step ahead, I’m starting to realize just how much I’ve been playing with fire.

And how close I am to getting burned.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Niamh

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