Page 19 of Dark Reign

He adjusted the jacket of a black, tailored suit, one I was sure came with a hefty price tag like all his others.

“Her only solace is that I haven’t taken a Doll,” Levi replied. “Although, I will admit, I’ve considered walking one through the palace gates, just to see the look on her face,” he joked. “She’d give me hell. Meanwhile, my father would be around the corner, waiting to ask if I’d broughthimone.”

I chuckled, trying to imagineanyone’sreaction if we were to engage in the age-old tradition of‘taking Dolls’.While it had become a relatively common practice among men of status, there were still many who had openly rejected the idea, citing that taking in human women in this manner was demoralizing and the ultimate insult to Ianite women worldwide.

Our mothers were among those offended.

Well, all except Roman’s. His family situation was … complicated.

“Quite a few are up in arms about Lord Avery openly flauntinghislatest toy—a beautiful, warm-blooded redhead,” Silas quipped. “Had you heard?”

I shook my head. “No.”

“Not surprised,” Roman chuckled.

He was right about that. It seemed every day there was news of others getting on board, hiding their affinity for human women less than in past years. Among our men, there was a stigma attached to owning a human woman, marking her as your own. As a Master, there were two choices. One: to either rule her with an iron fist so she’d never run for fear of the consequences. Or two: spoil her so thoroughly she’d never even think of leaving.

I, personally, didn’t have time to bother finding the delicate balance between the two. One of many reasons I had no interest in the increasingly popular lifestyle choice.

But to each their own.

“Thirty seconds,” Jenna said, speaking to my father as her gaze drifted toward me for a fleeting moment. Somehow, Levi missed the entire exchange, so he didn’t ream me about it.

It was almost time. A select crowd of roughly five hundred guests waited patiently as the Speaker of the House proceeded to announce the man of the hour, my father. When prompted to step out, he kissed my mother’s cheek and immediately donned the usual air of confidence and regality he always possessed. It was as though the media’s glittering lights that flashed as he crossed the stage, the applause and cheers that arose from the crowd, didn’t faze him.

He was made for this, had been groomed to rule.

I could only hope I’d one day come into my own as he had. His reign would be a tough act to follow, but I counted it an honor to show the world the Westower era was not only continuing, it was thriving and more alive than ever. The moment had finally arrived.

“We’re next,” Levi whispered, an unmistakable gleam in his eye.

I was certain the words were meant to encourage me, but that wasn’t quite their effect. Instead, they brought a heaviness I didn’t expect, because he was right.

Wewerenext.

CHAPTER SIX

Corina

Liv was a miracle worker, but I had to admit I was skeptical.

Three days. That’s all the time she had to scavenge for supplies, barter with vendors on the underground market, and put together an elegant ensemble that wouldn’t mark me as an imposter from a mile away. The Ianite’s expensive taste meant we couldn’t afford to let it show that we cut every corner possible.

This entire plan had to be airtight or when I left camp tonight … I might not be returning.

Breathing deep, I tried to think positively.

Felix had also been busy the last few days. He managed to create the most realistic ID card I’d seen to date, although I hoped I wouldn’t have to use it. His next challenge was finding a clear image of a gala ticket online to make a replica that would get me through the front door. From there, pulling this thing off was solely on me.

I was posing as a reporter, one attending with hopes of getting an upfront view of the night’s celebration, but I’d also use my fake title to see what information I could get on the blood recall. A chance to speak with Clifford Vol himself would be ideal, but almost too good to be true. So, I’d settle for a go at some of his cronies, or even a chance to eavesdrop on loose-lipped officials exploiting the situation as mere small talk.

Either way, I’d soon find myself under the same roof as those who held each morsel of pertinent information in this incident. If the team and I were ever going to piece it all together, it would start tonight, at the gala.

“Sit,” a bubbly voice demanded. Liv hadn’t said it, but she was excited about this. No, not the part where I had to venture into enemy territory alone and unarmed, but she was definitely looking forward to the part where she got to give me what she considered to be a “much-needed makeover”.

Her words, not mine.

With me in her chair, my hands were lifted and brought close for a dirt check. Seeing that I had successfully dug out all the gunk from beneath my nails, she pulled out a file from a rusted toolbox she’d repurposed as a makeup kit for the occasion. She clipped and buffed to her heart’s content, and then started in with a bottle of black polish.

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