Page 99 of Death Game: Supernatural Battle

Her last moments would have been filled with horror and pain.

I’d been sick too many times to count in the last couple of days.

Mr Dithis leaned back. “The state ofIngeniumis the same?”

That right there was why the world should fear the people around this table. Death and fear surrounded them at every turn, and here they were, fighting with cold calculation.

I nodded. “Fifteen days.”

“Theendis in fifteen days,” Dame Burke asked, blinking.

Sir Olythieu chimed. “Just over two weeks to establish equilibrium again then.”

Equilibrium.

That was all well and good. My plan had centred on completingsixexchanges with Kyros so I could free the Indebted and employ them for protection.

“What I don’t understand,” Lady Treena said, “is if you betrayed them badly enough to get kicked out entirely, why you aren’t dead.”

Because I was his true mate.

My grandmother’s friends had forgiven me for a few sympathising comments toward the Vissimo. If they knew what happened with Kyros. If they knew how Ifeltfor a vampire, they’d never look at me again. They might not join forces against me, but they’d damn-well slam the door in my face. If I was in their shoes, I’d do the same. It was too risky to discuss matters with me openly, never knowing when Kyros may take a dip into my mind. Or when I’d confess everything.

Maybe I deserved that door to slam shut.

If my grandmother was here, I wouldn’t be able to look her in the face. Guilt and self-loathing were my constant companions since her death. Only Kyros had balanced those feelings, and I hadn’t realised until too late.

Decision made, I dug around in my bag. I drew out theVissimobook on mating rituals. Riffling through the contents, I stopped at the fifth exchange and placed it in the middle of the table.

“Me and Kyros,” I said.

Chairs scraped back as they craned to look at the book. Dame Burke studied the title and snatched the book up, gaze darting over the first few pages.

Her eyes widened.

She glanced up at me, her mouth ajar. “You’rematedto him?”

The others gasped and crowded around her, reaching for the book in turn.

I watched as they skimmed through, reading a bit from each exchange. The location thing, the feelings, the changes to my senses, and the increases in my strength and speed. They absorbed all of it.

I watched as their expression turned from confusion to shock to horror and disgust.

My grandmother’s six friends focused on me.

I deserved everything they were thinking and feeling. As surely as I’d played Kyros, I’d played these people too. King Julius was right when he titled me arrogant human. Even if my intentions were sound, I’d handled everything like a fool.

No wonder they questioned my loyalty.

I had no idea who I was loyaltoanymore. Because how could I want to help both sides at the same time?

The risk for this group to trust me was too high. They were businesspeople well and truly, and I’d become the bad investment.

I’m so sorry, Grandmother.

What a train wreck. Twenty-seven years of sacrifice down the drain in a matter of weeks. All because I’d taken over.

Crack.

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