Page 186 of Severed Heir

I swallowed hard. “Charles... I need you to promise me something.”

He stilled. “I can’t promise anything. But say it.”

I took his cold hand. “If Rok tries to use the civilians of Demetria to control my quell, if they threaten them to force my power—I need you to kill me.”

His jaw clenched. “You think it was easy?”

A tear slid down his cheek, half-frozen. I reached up and caught it before it could fall.

“I forgive you,” I whispered.

Charles buckled. Years of silence and sorrow collapsed with him. I held him as he sank to his knees. “He would’ve been captured,” he said, voice raw. “Forced to write until he died. Killing him was the only mercy I had left.” He choked on the words. “And I live with it every godsdamned day.”

I pulled him closer. “Are there any more secrets?”

His silence was an answer in itself.

“Did you know?” I asked. “Did you know I wasn’t Father’s blood?”

“Hadrian. Hadrian Sinclair is your father.”

“Why would she—why would Mother have a child with him? Do you know what they do to barrens in Wrathi? They sell them. Enslave them.”

Charles’s face fell. “Because our father promised his firstborn daughter to a man who was always two steps ahead.”

He shook his head slowly. “Call it revenge. Call it love. Call it survival. But don’t pretend it was easy. Mother wouldn’t have sent you if she didn’t believe you could earn your name back.”

“I asked you a question. Did you know?”

He looked at me then, fury rising to the surface. “Now look at you. Heir of Night. In love with the bloodline that tried to ruin us.”

“I had no say in any of this!” I shouted. “Why didn’t you stay? Why didn’t you finish at the academy? What happened?”

“Because I failed, Severyn. I gave years to that place, and I was never good enough. Father had more children after me. He never expected us all to fail.”

“You’re lying,” I said, pulse pounding. “Cully told me you were expelled. He said he was the reason.”

Charles’s golden eyes turned to frost. “Then believe I’m the villain, Sev. Because that story? It’s not mine to tell.”

My voice cracked. “Then since I’m not your full-blooded sister… killing me should be easy.”

His breath caught. “I will not,” he said.

And for the first time, I wished he would lie.

Chapter Thirty-Three

I spent the night in Kian’s bunker. He had three fresh bruises blooming along his jaw from a duel he’d won just for the right to watch over me.

We sat on the wooden floor, a half-forgotten card game spread between us, the deck missing more cards than it had. Kian had found it tucked in a drawer and insisted we play.

Neither of us spoke until he placed his final card with a quiet, satisfied exhale. “I won, Sevy,” he said.

“We’re missing half the deck,” I pointed out.

He shrugged and gave a quick wink. “Still counts. I won.”

The mindless hours had been a blessing. For a little while, I didn’t have to think about Klaus. Or Archer. Or the war waiting outside these walls.

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