Page 53 of Wrath

But was this “gift” really a bomb wrapped in pretty paper and tied together with a ribbon?

“What’s her endgame?” Bash’s lips twisted in a snarl. “How do we know she’s not just moving the pawns where she wants them to go in order to declare checkmate?”

“I suppose we don’t know.” Ryland hovered a few feet off the ground with his arms crossed over his chest. “But what will knowing change?”

He floated a few steps closer to the group.

“What do you mean?” Dair’s blond brows furrowed.

“If Lilith is playing us, then wouldn’t it be smarter to keep our enemies close? Watch them? Maneuver them wherewewant them to go?” His blue eyes gleamed wickedly in the darkness of the tent. The flickering candle flame didn’t quite reach him where he stood, not with the shadows so thick and cloying around him. “And if they’re truly on our side, then we’ll have an even bigger army to go against Aaliyah.”

The mention of my sister caused an uneasy feeling to slither through my chest like an angry, hissing viper. I placed a hand directly over my breastbone as if that could somehow calm my heartbeat.

“Do we have any more information about this supposed army of hers?” I didn’t direct my question at anyone in particular. All of us had been in contact with different leaders of the rebellion.

Devlin shook his head. “Nothing yet. But what do we want to do once we get intel?”

“Curl into a fetal position and cry?” Bash arched an eyebrow.

“Ditto,” Dair murmured.

“We can’t let them release the kings.” I kept my tone firm and absolute.

“Maybe we should…” Killian bit his lower lip and directed his attention towards the ground.

His right hand began to twitch erratically where it rested on his knee.

When he didn’t continue speaking, Lupe arched an eyebrow. “Maybe we should…?”

He gently closed the book he was reading and removed his glasses. One of his huge hands came to rub at his forehead, directly between his brows, and I wondered if he was attempting to massage away a migraine.

“Kill the kings.” Killian spoke the words so softly, so quickly, I honestly thought I’d heard him wrong at first.

My tension spiked, as did my heartbeat, as my mates exchanged uneasy looks. Only Ryland seemed relaxed, and I imagined it was because his father was the only king safe from execution.

“I considered that,” Devlin agreed, his voice a hushed murmur. His violet eyes flickered to my face, and his jaw set. “Those bastards deserve to die. And once we complete all of the trials?—”

“You know why we can’t kill them. We’ve been through this a hundred times before.” Dair kept his voice placating, though a tiny bit of bitterness still seeped through.

I knew that Dair hungered for his father’s death. I never would’ve expected when I first met him that my sweet mermaid would have a taste for vengeance, but it made sense that he did, especially after what he’d been through. And I imagined it would grow and fester until he finally completed his task.

“The nightmares that we don’t have on our side—which is a shit ton—will declare war immediately,” Lupe pointed out. “Shifters, incubi, mermaids, shadows, and genies… They’ll all attack. Even if the vampires and mages are truly on our side, it won’t be enough to stop them.”

“We could keep it a secret,” Bash insisted. “Everyone could believe that they’re still rotting away in the dungeons, but we can take care of them.” A malicious gleam ignited in his emerald-green eyes, darkening the color to an almost grassy color.

“And how do you suppose we do that?” Ryland drawled. “Waltz into the capital and slash their necks?”

“Tempting,” Dair murmured.

“Is the capital even safe for us?” I inquired.

I knew that the nightmare council was sniffing around. Did they pose a threat to us? Would they attack us, imprison us, kill us? I had no idea. I would like to think we were stronger than them, but I wouldn’t risk my mates’ lives on it.

And what about the mage and vampire representatives? Had they chosen to join our side with the rest of their species? Were they some of the nightmares who refused to turn away from the old ways?

I could see that my questions were circulating in the others’ minds as well.

Instead of answering, Devlin said, “We need to get in contact with Atta or Axel. See what they know. Discover what’s happening there.”

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