Page 25 of Savage Crown

"You took too long," Lartina murmurs, her voice silk-soft but edged with steel.

Nhilian exhales sharply, crossing his arms. "Patience never was your strong suit, was it?"

Lartina lifts a delicate brow, amusement flickering in her crimson eyes. "Not when I have something I want."

Nhilian chuckles, dark and bitter. "And what is it you want, Lartina?"

She steps closer, trailing a single finger along the surface of the desk. "The same thing you do."

Nhilian tilts his head. "You want Rylan dead?"

A slow, sharp smile curves Lartina’s lips. "I want Rylan ruined. There’s a difference."

My fingers curl into the stone, my nails biting into the rough surface.

She’s working with him.

She wants him destroyed.

Nhilian exhales, rubbing a hand down his face. "He’s more slippery than I expected. The assassin failed."

Lartina waves a hand dismissively. "Did you really think a single blade in the dark would be enough? Rylan thrives in the shadows. You’ll need to do better."

Nhilian’s jaw tenses. "And you? What are you offering?"

Lartina leans in slightly, her voice dropping into something almost intimate. "I know how he thinks. I know his weaknesses. And I know about the girl."

My stomach drops.

Nhilian lifts a brow. "The human?"

Lartina’s smirk deepens. "He keeps her close. That means something. And that, my dear Nhilian, is how you break him."

My breath turns shallow.

Nhilian hums, considering. "Rylan doesn’t care about people. He never has."

Lartina laughs softly. "That used to be true. But people change." She straightens, her expression sharpening. "If youwant to crush him, you take what he values. Make him choose between survival and her."

The words press against my ribs like a dagger.

I force myself to think.

I need to get out of here.

Carefully, I step back into the shadows, moving as silently as I can. My heart hammers as I retrace my steps, my pulse a drumbeat in my ears.

The passageway closes behind me, sealing the secret inside.

I press my back against the wall, trying to steady myself.

But I can’t shake the implications what I’ve just heard.

It’s something very dangerous.

This isn’t just about Rylan’s past.

This isn’t just about power.

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