Page 65 of A Sky of Storms
“That’s not the issue here,” she said, though she smirked at the nickname.
“Why is he allowed in and not me? What’s the difference?”
She glanced at him with pursed lips. “We have an arrangement.”
“Then I’ll make a deal with you,” I replied. “You let me in, feed me and give me meds, and I’ll be on your side for the rest of the trial. I’ll even kill your sister for you. How does that sound?”
Fallon narrowed her eyes. “Why would I want you to kill Victoria?”
“She’s coming for you. Told me herself before she usurped me, murdered Flynn, and threw me from my tower,” I said. “I’ll kill her before she gets a chance to draw the knife on you. You’re getting the better end of the deal on this, by the way.”
Fallon exchanged a look with Zane, then sighed heavily. I’d convinced her. Who would have thought offering to murder her sibling would be the thing that brought us to the same side.
“Get your miserable ass inside then,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I want you to tell me everything about Victoria and the garrison you just left.”
Mysisterwantedtokill me. It was all I’d been able to think about since Kayden rocked up at our door last night, looking more than a little sorry for himself. Under other circumstances, I’d have found some satisfaction in that—okay, maybe I did feel a smidge—but the bombshell he’d dropped outweighed that by far.
Victoria was a monster, but a small part of me had always hoped that deep down, there was some good hiding away in her black heart. That one day, after I’d destroyed Victrus and Eliana’s empire, we’d be able to make amends and start fresh.
How foolish I’d been. Our parents had carved every good thing out of her, filling her head with lies and corrupting every inch of her soul. There was nothing my sister did that didn’t benefit the House or herself.
I knew why she wanted to be queen.
If she ruled Terrulia, our parents’ dynasty would be forever set in stone. They wouldn’t just have Stormcrest City under their thrall, but all the others too. I wouldn’t allow it. If things were bad now, they’d spiral into chaos with Victoria on the throne.
My parents didn’t know how determined I was to prevent that from happening, so I had the advantage there. Victrus thought my rebellious nature was something I’d grow out of, something he could temper and bend to his will, but he was dead wrong. Not that he was taking any chances. Victrus and Eliana had told me not to come home if I didn’t win the trials … I just hadn’t realised Victoria would never give me the chance.
A back-up plan, Victoria had said of me. Someone for our parents to manipulate if anything happened to their precious first-born daughter. She obviously wasn’t happy with even that scenario and was taking matters into her own hands. My sister didn’t plan for me to succeed, and I’d signed my own death warrant in these trials.
Any affection I held for Victoria had died a long time ago—she made it impossible to love her after all the things she’d done—but something inside me cracked a little more to know that I was just another target. Not a sister, not family, just a mark to be disposed of and cleaned up.
I sighed, strolling onto the ramparts of the top floor, surveying the grounds below. My gaze snagged on the men digging trenches and setting up blockades, their jumpsuits rolled down to reveal muscled arms and slick abs.
Ace and Kayden were bickering about something, and I couldn’t help but smirk as they got in each other’s faces. Noah was muttering to himself beside them, and Zane had stepped in to mediate. I couldn’t help but laugh. It was freaking testosterone city down there, and to be honest, I wouldn’t have minded a show.
It was a hot and humid day after the rain yesterday, and sweat was gleaming on all their naked torsos. I just about salivated as I looked between them all. Kayden towered over the others, his bronzed muscles threatening to jump ship from his arms, but smaller as he was, I knew Ace could hold his own. He was the palest of them all, and I wondered if Damascon Hollow ever saw the sun.
Noah looked like a god with his umber skin gleaming and the green shimmer of his adaptation snaking down his neck. And then Zane, with his blond hair billowing in the slight breeze, his golden skin slick.
Well, if death was planning on knocking on my door any day now, I couldn’t think of a better way to go. Actually, scratch that, there were some things I had in mind … I shook my head, chastising the girl downstairs. I’d already made one mistake with Ace this week, and I certainly didn’t need to cause more complications with Kayden and Noah.
I eyed Kayden as whatever Zane had said seemed to break up their fight and he returned to his work. He was cocky and pig-headed, but I got the feeling there was more to the Crimson Steppes Potential than muscles. There had to be more than rocks rattling in that skull if he had been running his own army … then again, he had lost them all in a swift and calculating move from Victoria.
He’d never stood a chance. He looked like a lost but not so little lamb and seemed to have no clue how to work as one unit. I got the feeling he’d only ever looked out for number one, and frankly, I don’t think he knew how to treat people as anything but underlings who served his every whim. Now it would be a matter of seeing whether he could play nice and take orders as well as give them.
I didn’t trust the guy, but between Zane, Noah, Ace and me, he stood no chance of taking over our garrison here, which meant he’d have to play ball or get kicked out on his ass. I had to give him credit though after he provided valuable information.
Victoria now had around twenty Potentials under her command, according to Kayden, and they were fully stocked with provisions, not to mention weapons. It was hard to estimate the number of Potentials left alive, given many would be hiding around the marsh and fighting amongst themselves. My sister had everything she needed to attack, hence why Noah had suggested building extra precautions to defend our building and to increase the number of watchmen.
A smart idea and, to my surprise, no one had argued. It seemed the Potentials who had already been here automatically looked to our group for leadership, maybe because Noah and Ace had saved a bunch of them, or maybe just because we came from the strongest Houses—or in Ace’s case—the most notorious gang. We were born leaders in our own rights, and I just hoped having too many alphas in one room didn’t backfire on our asses.
“Fallon.”
I blinked, turning to find Kayden approaching, and I cursed myself for zoning out. Vigilance was key now more than ever. I analysed our newest recruit, raising a brow. “If you’re here to insist we attack Victoria again, the answer is still no.”
His nostrils flared as he halted. “It’s the best time to attack. She won’t expect me to have teamed up with you.”
“That’s exactly what she’ll expect.”
