Page 108 of The Stolen Princess
Her face hardened. “Destroy them.”
“You ungrateful little brat!” he seethed. “How could you destroy everything your father worked for?” His face ticked with anger. “Adler made those weapons for you. So you could rule as a strong queen.”
“Weapons don’t make someone strong.”
“Oh, Myka, you are so naive. You’re just proving how much of a fool your father was by trusting you with them.”
She’d come a long way from the girl she was a few weeks ago. That girl had been naive and ignorant, but that’s not who she was anymore. She was stronger than she looked. Drake had helped her see that.
“I’m not so naive that I would hand the weapons over to you.” She returned his stare with a smug expression of her own. “What do you need them for anyway?”
His face turned sweet. “I’m here to serve Tolsten, to keep our kingdom safe.”
Myka scoffed. “I don’t believe you. I heard you talking with Doctor Von. You’re planning something.”
The corner of his mouth raised up. “What could I possibly plan? Like your father always said, I came from a simple background, so what could simple-minded Stoddard ever do?”
“Whatever it is, I won’t let you go through with it. My father wouldn’t give you the weapons, and neither will I. Once the High Rulers get through with you, you’ll be out on the street.” She moved to leave, but Stoddard grabbed her arm, swinging her back around to face him.
His fingers dug into her skin. “You think you’re so powerful, don’t you?”
“Let go of her!” Rommel said, stepping forward.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Stoddard reached for the gun that was strapped to the weapons belt on his waist and pointed it at Rommel. Joett let out a soft cry, and Myka’s heart stopped. His gray eyes turned back to her. “I’m not playing any more games. Tell me where the weapons are, or your friends die.”
Myka eyed them. Tears streamed down Joett’s face, and she clung to Rommel even tighter.
“Don’t do it, Myka,” Rommel said. “He’ll use them against everyone.”
Rommel was right. Myka didn’t know what Stoddard’s plan was or even his ultimate goal, but whatever it was, it wasn’t good. But how could she stay strong when a gun was pointed at Rommel and Joett?
“Maybe my father wasn’t the bad guy,” she spat at him. “Maybe you were!”
Stoddard’s hand closed around her even harder. “Do you want to know something about your father?”
Myka tried yanking against his strength, but his grip was too tight.
“Your father is dead because of me. I killed him. I was sick of waiting around for him to die, so I smothered him with his own pillow.”
Anger filled Myka’s chest, and she swung her free arm up, slapping Stoddard across the face. “You won’t get away with this!”
If her slap had hurt him, he didn’t show it. He tilted his head slowly back to her. “I already have gotten away with it. There isn’t anything that can stop me now. Once you give me those weapons, I will go from kingdom to kingdom blowing everything up until I get control. And do you want to know the best part? I won’t even need to waste missiles in New Hope or Albion. I’ve got a secret weapon that will bring both of those kings to their knees.”
Myka breathed heavy. “I’ll tell the High Rulers everything you said, and you’ll be hanged for your crimes against the king and the Council of Essentials.”
“Oh, princess, you won’t be alive to tell anyone.” Then Stoddard fired his gun, hitting Joett in the chest. Rommel screamed and tried to catch her as her limp body fell to the ground.
“No!” Myka’s hand darted out as if she could save her.
“Joett!” Rommel yelled. “Joett!”
Blood spilled out of her like a fountain, and Myka watched in horror as Rommel bent over her body, plugging his hand into the wound in her chest.
“How could you?” Myka shrieked, hitting Stoddard on the chest with her fist. Tears gushed out of her as she watched Rommel rock back and forth with Joett’s body in between his arms.
“Why?” Myka sobbed. “Why are you so cruel?”
Stoddard’s lips curled into a devilish smile. “I killed your father, I killed your friend,” he scoffed. “It’s surprising that I wasn’t the one who killed your mother. Jarvis did that one.”
