Page 79 of Cage of Destiny
“Well, well, well,” Janacooed. “Look what I have here.” She gracefully stood, taking a sipof wine. “It has been a long time, brother.”
“It has,” Darmik said.“Unfortunately, not long enough for my taste.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she set hergoblet down on one of the side tables. “No, I would imagine not.”On one of the chairs sat a man with dark hair, his back tothem.
“I don’t think you invitedus here to chat,” Darmik said.
“Talking is so overrated,”Jana drawled. “I have something much better planned.”
Allyssa felt another piece of steelagainst her palm. Again, she closed her fingers over the sharpblade, carefully sliding it up her other sleeve. She had to forceherself not to look at Kerdan. The four of them stood shoulder toshoulder. How he’d managed to get the weapons, she had no idea. Wassomeone helping them? Hurit? Or had he stolen the daggers from thesoldiers?
The man sitting on the chair stood,turning around to face them. It was Zerek, the soldier who hadidentified them. “Why don’t you tell our guests what you haveplanned, darling,” he said.
Darling?He’d always lacked the thick Russek accent. Couldthis man be Emperion?
“Darmik,” Zerek said,eyeing her father. “You’ve aged. That little wife of yours makingyou do her dirty work?” His eyes gleamed with triumphantsatisfaction as he kissed Jana’s cheek.
Allyssa had seen those eyes before.Whenever Soma leered at her. Her stomach lurched because she knew,even without being told, that this man was Soma and Shelene’sfather. The Emperion guard Jana had fallen in love with when shewas only fifteen. He’d been by her side all these years, plottingalong with her.
When Darmik didn’t respond, Janachuckled, the sound soft. She took a step toward them.
“You killed my father,”Kerdan said, his deep voice reverberating through the room, makingsure everyone heard his accusation.
“Oh, no,” Jana replied inher singsong voice. “I didn’t kill him.”
“Ordering his death is thesame as killing him yourself. You are responsible for hisdeath.”
“You poor child,” Janasaid. “The loss of your father must be devastating. But don’t fear,I rounded up your elite squad. What are they called? Hunters orsomething barbaric like that?”
Kerdan stiffened beside her. “Whathave you done to my men?” His words were laced with the promise ofdeath.
He’d said that his Hunters were alwaysnearby. Jana must have known that and used it to her advantage tocapture them. Allyssa wanted to reach out and soothe Kerdan, tellhim it would be all right. But she didn’t know if things would gotheir way. Not when Jana had managed to capture Kerdan’s Hunters.His best friends and most proficient fighters.
“They will pay for theirtreasonous acts,” Jana announced. “Of that you can be certain.” Sheturned her attention to Odar. “And you.” She looked him up and downas if she could shred him to pieces with her eyes. “You killed mychildren. You’re a monster and will be dealt with accordingly. WhenI’m done with you, you’ll wish you were dead.”
The queen turned her attention toAllyssa. “I can see you trying to figure a way out of this nastysituation.” She smirked and patted Zerek’s arm before taking a stepcloser to where the four of them stood.
Allyssa could feel the steel of thedaggers pressing against the skin of her arms, begging to be used.She glanced at Zerek, wondering if Darmik had figured out who hewas. Most soldiers carried out orders from their sovereign becauseof a sense of duty. However, this one had a personal stake in thismess. Not only did he love Jana, but Odar and Allyssa had alsokilled his children. If anything, he was more lethal than Jana andnot to be underestimated.
“I’d like to start thingsout with a little payback,” Zerek said, unsheathing his sword. Hisattention settled on Allyssa. “You,” he said, his voice filled withcontempt. “You’re the whore who threw a knife in my stomach atClovek.” The man’s eyes widened and he grabbed his neck, a smalldagger protruding from it. Blood poured from the wound.
Shocked rolled through Allyssa. Shehadn’t even seen anyone move, much less throw theweapon.
“No one calls my daughter awhore,” Darmik snarled. “And no one threatens her.”
Zerek dropped his sword, blinked, andcollapsed to the ground, not moving.
Bloodyhell. Her father had killed him faster thanshe could blink.
Jana screamed, the sound explodingthrough the room as she fell to her knees next to Zerek’sbody.
Chaos erupted.
Soldiers withdrew their swords,charging at the four of them. Allyssa slid the daggers from hersleeves, clutching them in her hands.
“Aim to kill,” Odar yelledat Allyssa.
She nodded, steeling her resolve as asoldier approached her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw herfather engaged with three men at once, Odar had just killed one,and Kerdan had taken two down with his bare hands.
