Page 23 of Seducing Jenny
“Mansion?” Jac asked, having latched onto that word.
“Yeah…so, how much have you heard about Illiapol?”
“Other than Jenny won it, not much,” Jac replied. “Why?”
“So the deaths of the councilmembers, that’s not public knowledge?”
Deacon’s jaw dropped in shock. “The councilmembers are dead?”
“All but Justice Bateen and Malice Ripper, yes.”
Deacon grinned. “That is wonderful news. I must tell my father.”
“There’s more. I’m going to sum it up, because a lot has happened since we left Halla on our quest to discover if anyoneknew about Rex Terian’s death. The first day there, we were arrested and taken to the palace court because Justice found out we were asking questions.”
Jac swore beneath his breath, but didn’t interrupt.
I continued. “There, Justice threatened to lop my tail to make us more cooperative, but Malice Ripper—yes,thatMalice Ripper—offered to take us to his estate to torture us for the court since the royal prisons are overfilled.”
“That fucker tortured you?” Deacon spat in anger.
“No, actually, he treated us very…kindly,” I said, not missing both men’s stares of disbelief. “It was a ploy on his part, and when it was announced that Jenny was to be avatar for Illiapol, Malice and his friends helped to train Jenny so she’d be prepared for the hunting ground.”
“Hehelpedyou?” Deacon asked incredulously.
“Yes,” I said simply. “Then Illiapol happened, and me, Malice, and his friends all infiltrated the hunting ground and helped Jenny win Illiapol. So yes, technically she cheated. We all did.”
Deacon’s lips twisted into a satisfied smile. “Which means you have a vested interest in seeing Justice fall.”
Jac folded his arms over his chest, eyes narrowing. “I’m still stuck on Malice Ripper. Executioner. Torturer. Whohelpedyou. Because that doesn’t make any sense at all.”
I’d known this part would be hard for them to hear, maybe even impossible to believe. But what I was about to say was more than a revelation. It was a risk. A confession.
I squared my shoulders, my voice steady and sure. “I’m in love with him,” I said, knowing it was true. “And with Jenny. The three of us…we’re together. Like you, Sarah, and Deacon.”
Jac blinked, looking stunned. “But Malice…he’s a cruel bastard, Tiger.”
“I’ve gotten to know him, and he isn’t the monster everyone claims him to be.” I exhaled, hoping to sway both Jac and Deacon. “And now, we need your help. Malice was taken by the palace and we need to get him back.”
Jac’s stance shifted. “You’ve been on enough prison break missions with me—”
“He’s not in the prison,” I interrupted. “One of his friends checked. That’s why Jenny and I are here and need your help. We don’t know where else he might be.”
Jac blew out a breath, while scrubbing a hand down his face. “I’m still wrapping my mind around the idea that Malice Ripper is a good guy…”
“I understand, but he’s the man who helped train Jenny and gave her every advantage so she wouldn’t die out on the hunting ground,” I insisted. “He was taken away because Justice suspects his involvement, and whatever else you might think,thatman who risked his life for Jenny’s is worth saving.”
“He has a point, Jac,” Deacon said.
Much to my relief, the tension across Jac’s shoulder’s eased. “Fine,” he finally relented. “Just tossing out a theory here—if the palace is hiding him, it’s probably on an island. Justice has a thing for banishing problems to faraway lands, out of sight, out of mind. Usually near Yesanol.”
Deacon agreed. “Then the question becomes which island.”
They were silent for a moment, but I could tell they were both going through various options in their minds.
“Any ideas?” I asked.
“Just one,” Deacon said, tapping on his gauntlet driver.
