Page 24 of Enemies By Fate

He raises a dark blond eyebrow expectantly. “But what?”

“Would it kill you to show him a bit of kindness tomorrow?” I blurt out. “I mean, just for the meeting? Give him some clean clothes or something warm to eat? You catch more flies with honey than vinegar as Sa—er, my adopted mom always says.”

Compassion flickers in Asher’s eyes, but a veil falls over them just as quickly. “I thought you didn’t know him.”

“I don’t!” I swear. “But he’s still a living, breathing being, isn’t he? No matter what he did.”

The corners of Asher’s mouth twitch, and he abruptly spins away without promising me anything or saying another word.

With a resigning sigh, I retreat to the bedroom and perch on the edge of the bed, flopping back to stare at the ceiling.

I’m pushing my luck and playing with fire here. I already know these guys are dangerous… don’t I?

Or have I just been led by some strange delusions? Nothing is adding up to the dreams I’ve been having.

Maybe the prisoner will shed more light on what I need to know tomorrow.

Chapter 6

Warrick

I’m not sold on the idea of having Tavric brought up from the underground cells and into the estate for many reasons. The most prominent of which I’m not fully certain I believe Poppy’s story yet.

Asher may have been convinced by the entrancing redhead, but he doesn’t remember what it’s like to be overthrown by rebels. That’s a memory that’s still too fresh in my head.

“What if she’s just here to free the prisoners somehow?” I counter while we wait for the long-jailed rebel to arrive in the adjacent boardroom as we watch from the one-way glass of my office.

“Then we’ll be here to stop them from leaving,” Asher reassures me, his eyes fixed on Poppy’s svelte form pacing across the floor of the space. “Anyway, look at her. Does she look like she knows what she’s doing?”

I have to admit, Asher’s right. She doesn’t seem to have a clue. Poppy stops every so often to look at us through the one-way glass, even though I know she can’t see us, but I can feel her buzzing through the mirror. Impulsively, she holds a trembling hand to the glass.

Instantly, all my doubts about her intentions diminish.

She really is just looking for answers.

I hold my hand intuitively to place it against hers before I know what I’m doing.

“What the hell are you doing?” Malachi barks, but before I can respond, the door opens behind her.

I step back from the mirror, dropping my hand as Tavric is led inside, his gait shuffling after years of atrophy in the cells. His long, white beard touches the holes of his filthy shirt as the guards flank him. A stab of shame overcomes me when I look at him like this, in this setting, but I quickly remind myself why he’s in this position.

He’s a rebel. Given the chance, he’d kill any of us.

Worriedly, he looks around for me or my brothers, but Poppy steps forward tentatively, her hands extended.

“It’s just us, Tavric. It is Tavric, isn’t it?”

He eyes her suspiciously. “Yeah.”

“Do you remember me?” she asks gently. “I was in the underground cells with you. You kept trying to talk to me?”

Squinting against the unfamiliar light of the boardroom, he cocks his head back and peers at her. A slow grin forms on his face.

“Yes,” he hisses, spittle spraying out from between his broken teeth. “I remember you! Of course! What an honor!”

Relief colors her face, and she gestures for him to sit down. The guards move with him in tandem, and Poppy glances nervously toward the glass, but stops herself.

“You don’t need to stay,” she tells them. “Tavric and I would like to speak privately.”

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