Page 61 of Foretold

Vera’s jaw drops, and then she stands abruptly, the chair falling to the floor behind her. “Get the fuck out of my head.”

Kai can mind read?

I’ve only ever met a few people who can do it, and I see the quieter of the brothers in a different light now. He’s probably so fucking quiet because he’s always listening in. Although, with my strong mental shields, there’s no hope of him hopping around in my head.

My shadows reach out and restrain her, one covering her mouth so I don’t have to listen to any of the evil sprouting fromthe lips I once kissed. “We’ll bring her with us until we find him.”

Kai keeps searching her mind for clues until we stumble across the house. Being a void, Vale has never been more inconvenient, and knowing Soren will never be able to track him in an emergency like this is a fucking worry in itself.

“Keep her back until we get Vale out of here,” I say quietly to Soren, who nods and steps away with her while the rest of us enter the premises.

We find Vale outside, practicing with his sword, slicing the small blade through the air. No one else is home. All I feel is pure relief that he is okay and will soon be back where he belongs. I never once thought Vera would try to take him from me, from his legacy, but I’ve now learned the hard way that she is more spiteful and vindictive than I ever gave her credit for. She thinks no harm will come to her because she is the mother of my firstborn child.

Looks like we both underestimated each other.

“Vale?” I call out, and he turns with a grin and runs straight to me, jumping in my arms. I kiss the top of his dark, silky hair.

“I knew you’d come,” he says, hugging me. I hold him for a few warm moments, thanking my lucky stars I found him. His icy-blue eyes, so like my own, look up at me with apprehension.

“I didn’t want to leave, Dad. I don’t understand why we had to.”

“I know,” I say, taking a deep breath. “It’s going to be okay. Are you here alone?”

He nods. “Mom’s friend, Milana, was here with me, but she went to the markets to get us something to eat. She’s really nice.”

I don’t give a fuck how nice she is. She helped Vera, so she is now my enemy.

Axe, Kai, and Bane walk out of the house in unison, like a team of professional assassins who have been working together for years. And they probably have.

“It’s all clear. No one is around,” Axe says, grinning when his intelligent green eyes land on Vale. “Well, hello there, little prince.”

“These are Astrid’s brothers,” I say, hoping the comment makes Bane uncomfortable because I know the bastard wants to fuck her. “They are going to take you home, okay? And I’ll be there soon.”

“Okay,” Vale murmurs, letting me go. He turns and faces them all. “Want to spar when we get back? I’ve been practicing.”

Axe and Kai chuckle, and Kai rests his arm on Vale’s shoulder. Looks like my son might have picked up a few more uncles.

Bane doesn’t follow them. Instead, he lingers with me, his dark eyes not giving away anything.

Together, in silence, we go and find Vera and Soren. The closer I get to her, the tighter the knot in my stomach becomes. I know people think I’m a heartless monster and I can kill with no conscience, and in some cases, they would be right.

But this is different.

What happens next is going to affect Vale. And that’s what hurts the most.

I’m not going to enjoy it, but it’s something that has to be done.

Vera is a threat to Astrid, to the kingdom, and now to her son.

Andno onefucking threatens what’s mine.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Astrid

When Rave steps into our bedroom, sword still strapped to his belt, I already know what happened.

“Are you okay?” I ask him as he removes his weapons one by one, placing them on the table. His hand then reaches behind him as he pulls off his tunic. I saw Vale return earlier with my brothers, and I gave him some dinner and tucked him into bed. He didn’t ask where his mother was. And I didn’t bring her up either. Unable to help myself, my eyes roam over his bare, muscular body as he lowers himself onto the mattress.

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