Page 109 of When Night Falls

I look back at those watching. I know I need to let this play out until I find the real reason for the string of attacks. I had my doubts about my own brother; he's always shown jealousy for what I have and what I was handed. I never wanted this life, but it was given to me and I have duties to fulfill. I know Trav craved the life I was given, but I now believe that Travois would not risk his place in Society to go off the wall like a madman. I can see it in his eyes.

So in order to show my stance in this vapid world of Nocturnes, a world I hope to escape one day, I grab Viktrum by his neck with both hands and twist, turning it a full one-eighty.

The cracking of his bones resound beautifully and satisfaction bubbles inside me. I've wanted to do that for a while now.

No one makes a sound as his body drops to the floor.

He's not really dead. He'll recover from it in about an hour or so. So they can't do anything about my violent outburst, but they now know that I will not let this war end lightly, even if they have a suspect and expect me to just accept it.

"Come clean up your garbage," I spit at the guards. "And get the fuck out of my castle!"

The Faction members that remained seated now push in their chairs, the guards that hold Trav turn him around and exit. He doesn't even put up a fight.

"You can't let them take him," Troy cries even though she knows I can't fight that battle. Part of me knows that Trav is aware of that too; his compliance may be forced but I know he's stronger than I care to admit and small pieces of his conscience are holding on, urging me to let it happen for the sake of his sister at least.

"We know this is tough." A member turns to my sister in an unavailing attempt to console her which is clear as she rolls her eyes at him.

Turning to me he says, "Please let us know if you find anything else out. In the meantime, Travois will be held in contempt until a ruling for his punishment is decided." Then they all evacuate the room.

Troy looks at me in fear. We all know that the punishment for treason is death.

The other guards come to peel their slimy king up off the ground, Zharus looks between him and me in horror before he attempts to scurry off behind them.

"Where are you going?" My question unnerves him and rightfully so. I didn't fail to notice that he has been a bit quiet in all of this when he was the one who brought it up to me in thefirst place, his passion for the matter has seemed to disintegrate but I can't worry about my flighty Factotum too much. Though I will admit, his nerves seem a bit rattled.

"I was just gonna go make sure that they find their way out." He hooks his thumb toward the door as he looks between Troian and me. He recognizes my concern and tries to defend his behavior, dropping his eyes to the ground.

"I almost got us caught, Riv." Troy's face lights up with intrigue at his words. I'm the only one who knows what he's talking about and I intend to keep his secrets like he's done mine. "That could have been me being dragged out and I would have never forgiven myself for that."

But he wasn't caught. His rendezvous wasn't mistaken for the string of deaths accused onto us and instead, my half-brother will be subjected to death if I don't figure out what the fuck is going on.

I ignore his statements entirely as I try to navigate how I'm going to fix this. "I need you to make sure no one leaves the compound tonight. Curfew has been revoked and no one leaves these grounds. No one. If one person steps out of line, they’ll be stripped.”

Stripping is a torture tactic used mainly by some of the more viscous Faction members who desire certain information. Stripping is the act of draining someone of their vampire blood, causing them to decay due to the age they’ve successfully avoided or possibly even weaken their bodies as the strength bleeds from their veins. It’s painful. I’ve experienced it.

He nods in understanding before leaving without another word.

"You're a coward." Troy stands to her feet; she's still dressed in her bridesmaids dress which denotes the truth that the twins were taken sometime following the ceremony. "How could you let them take him?"

I want to ask her what happened, who snatched them up and what they asked? There were hours between my wife fainting and Natasha coming to ask for my presence. I hate that during all that time I spent trying to make Lucynda feel better about the situation, my sister was subjected to torture of any kind.

"They didn't hurt me, Riv." She must read the expression on my face. "The Faction only made sure we didn't try to flee. They asked us about the video and then we waited for you." She calms my racing thoughts, but the fact of the matter lies.

"He confessed," I tell her.

"You know he's innocent!"

"Troy, stop! I promise, I will fix this. But we have to let him go." Her disappointment in me is clear as day on her face but I've wasted too much time feeding into the emotions of others. "Go to bed, you need some sleep."

She doesn't try to argue this time as she snaps the cuffed chains from her limbs, then makes her exit.

Whoever is in alliance with Viktrum, whatever his plans may be, just made themselves the main target on my list of retribution. I will seek the end of this war, and I will have my revenge. And then, I will seek the end of me.

34

incandescence

Rivian

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