Page 6 of Wicked Knight

Mackenzie Domachenkov—my spider—is a problem I’ve brought on myself, but I can’t think about her now. I’m in the dragon’s lair.

The moment I pass the first set of rustic stone pillars, I feel my father’s gaze on me. I spare him a glance and take note of those coal-colored eyes that are always void of emotion, always unforgiving, always as cold as the dead.Forever judging me.

I don’t have to ask to know that even now he’s thinking of how I’ll measure up to my brother.

Even though Tommy was straight up evil, in my father’s eyes, I was never as good as him. There was nothing I could ever do to compare to him.

I loved my brother, but I still maintain that his evil, fucked-up ways got him killed. Even so, my father found a way to blame me for Tommy’s mistakes, regardless of what happened and who was at fault.

Fuck knows what I’m going to do this year now that my father has been made the new Lord Chancellor of Raventhorn. Our relationship is already bad; now he’ll be breathing down my neck every second he gets.

I hate that I look like him.

Looking in the mirror sometimes pains my soul. We have the same dark-blond hair, same height, same stature. But thank God I don’t have his fucking eyes. I got my ice blues from my mother. One piece of her to remind me she was once alive, not encased in our family mausoleum in Russia.

A few more steps ahead, and I’m staring right at Mackenzie’s father, Adrian Domachenkov. He has the same disapproving glare as my father. I know he judges me, too, but for other reasons that makes me the guy who shouldn’t be anywhere near his daughter.

What would he do if he knew I owned his daughter through a blood rite contract—something that only I can break?

I sayif,but it’s a matter ofwhenhe finds out. The truth will come out eventually.

Then he’ll try to kill me. But not before my father attempts to first.

I learned from an early age that the world is filled with battles, and you have to choose which ones you fight. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. Sometimes you have to choose a side. When it comes to my family—and hers—it always seems like I’m losing.

I took over that contract from Kyle because I wanted to be selfish for once.

I’ve kept my distance from Mackenzie over the years like I said I would. But this time, I slipped up.

The mere thought of her father marrying her off to someone else like he tried before cut me deep. I couldn’t allow him to do that again.

Despite the past, the acrid feeling of losing her pushed me to act.

People still believe Kyle owns her. I paid him off to keep up the pretense, so I don’t have to worry about him for the moment. But I know there will come a time when I will.

I may have no plan, but I’m the kind of selfish motherfucker who thinks if he can’t have her, no one else will either.

That’s enough to work with for now.

Because she never stopped being mine.

I return my stare ahead to the top of the room, where Aleksander Ivanov, the leader of the Knights, awaits me. He’s the man I should be more worried about. He is tasked with ensuring we liveand dieby the Oath.

Aleksander is a formidable-looking man with almost white hair and a mean look that saysdon’t fuck with me. I’ve never known him to look any other way.

This is my sophomore year at Raventhorn University. As part of his elite unit, I’ve seen him more times than I’ve cared to, and he’s always looked like he’s ready to kill.

I suppose that helps to mask thethingno one is talking about. That he’s sick in some sort of way. I’ve seen his hands shake and his legs give. I’ve watched his words slow mid-sentence as he clearly forgets his train of thought and his ability to pretend fails him.

I think he has a neurological sickness, but I can’t be certain. In all honesty, it’s none of my business. To make it my business would be to attract certain death. The leader of the Knights is not supposed to be afflicted in any way. That would instantly invalidate his leadership. Aleksander has obviously kept whatever is wrong with him a secret so he can keep his hold on being the leader.

It was like that with my mom. She kept her sickness a secret, too. I only realized she was sick when she dropped dead in front of me.

I reach Aleksander and bow my head respectfully. He does the same and looks me over.

To his left are my friends, who have already taken the Oath tonight. Kade, Logan, Alek, and I form the Ivanov Elite. We’re like the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse under the command of Caspian and Thorne Ivanov, the next in line to lead the Knights. Caspian is Aleksander’s son, and Thorne is his nephew. They already have the look and resilience of ruthless leaders, although they’re seniors and only three years older than me.

It’s scary to think that I’m looking right at the future. Except I don’t know what my journey will be like to get there.

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