Page 1 of Rebellion of a Kingdom

Prologue

Zack

Three and a Half Years Ago

Iignore my phone for the third time, letting it ring out. Who the fuck is calling me at this time of night? Hell knows, but I’m not answering. I’m too focused on the training video in front of me. I’ve been doing some Krav Maga with a few old friends from Prep school. I continue to ignore the phone and study the fighting techniques on the video in front of me, observing, learning, absorbing. It’s something that has always come easily to me. Picking up new skills, learning new things, mastering new arts. It’s how at just twenty-one years old I have already made millions off security software that I invented. My net worth grows every day, and I am set to make my first billion, by the time I hit my next birthday.

Being raised by two extremely talented parents makes you want to push hard at everything you do. I want to show them how grateful I am for everything they have done for me. I wouldn’t be the man I am today without them. My concentration is cut off yet again and I curse before answering the phone ready to tell whoever it is to fuck off.

"What?" I snap down the line. Not many people have my personal number and I know the twins and my parents are already in bed. Who the fuck won’t stop calling me?

“Zack, this is Michael Riviera. We met a few months ago.” A deep, serious voice hits my ear.

“I remember,” I snap in irritation. Who gave him my number? Why the hell would he think he can call me like this? He may be friends with my parents, but I don’t give a fuck about that. A year ago, I found out I have a sister. She has the same birth mom; except she didn’t get left for someone else to raise. I’m thankful I ended up with my mom and dad, but I do wonder about the half sibling my human incubator actually decided to keep. Why her and not me?

“I still don’t know if I’m ready to meet her,” I add, before he can say anything else. Why the fuck would I want to meet the girl my biological mom didn’t abandon? What did she have that I didn’t? Besides, who says being blood makes you a family? I’ve got four family members all asleep under this roof that prove that’s bullshit.

“If that’s why you’re calling you’re wasting your breath.”

“She’s been taken,” he says evenly, hesitating slightly before he adds, “kidnapped.”

“Kidnapped?” I splutter, pulling the phone from my ear to make sure he’s still on the line. “What the fuck do you mean kidnapped?” I must have heard him wrong. I pause the video, finally giving him my full attention. If she had actually been kidnapped, he should be calling the police, not me. Why the hell is he so calm?

“Black Hallows is an extremely dangerous place, Mr. Royton. A lion’s den run by the devil himself. Your sister was offered up as collateral.” His tone is eerily void of any emotion, yet even though I barely know him I can still hear the undercurrent of panic lacing his words. While his voice remains steady, his words are rushed and firm, the complete opposite of his usual cheerful, content tone.

“I don’t--” I start, but I don’t really know what to say. I don’t know her, but she is still my sister. What if something were to happen to Lily, or Logan? They’re a pair of little shits, but I love them both. It doesn’t matter if they aren’t my blood, they are my family, and I would die to protect them. Would anyone do the same for her?

The overwhelming anxiety in my gut has me stumbling to the closet and putting on shoes before I can even process that I’m doing it. I may not be ready to meet her, but I don’t want it to ever be too late to even try.

"What do you need?" I throw on a light jacket and grab my car keys, hesitating only slightly before I unlock my desk and zone in on the unused handgun that lies there. I’ve never taken it anywhere but the shooting range, I’ve never needed to. It was something I bought after the first time I went shooting with my friend Max. We began training after that and he taught me to always be prepared for anything. I don’t think any longer before I pull it out and stuff it in the back of my jeans.

"I need you here within the hour, can you do that?" The relief in his voice also highlights his desperation. It must be bad if he is relying this much on a stranger to save her. I might have more money and influence than a lot of other people my age, but still, I don’t feel like I am up to whatever I need to do to help him.

"On my way."

I startle awake from the memories of that awful fucking night. I’d give anything to erase it from existence, but then if I did, I wouldn’t be here right now. Waking up on the sofa with my perfect, little niece asleep in my lap. I stroke a little blonde curl behind her ear as she snores softly. Elle was right, the little squirt has run me ragged, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Blood never meant anything to me growing up. I had my mom and dad and the twins and that was enough, but the first time I locked eyes with Elle it changed everything. I already had all the family I could ever wish for, but then all of a sudden there she was. She looked so similar to me, even covered in blood.

Seeing her in that state struck me to my core. Like a direct fucking hit right to my soul. It changed everything and I knew she had carved a place in my heart, just as much as the twins. Except more. Not because she was my real blood, but because she desperately needed someone to protect her. Realization hit me back then that I was the lucky one. I spent so much time thinking that she was picked over me, but now I know that doesn't mean shit. All that matters now is that we’re family.

Careful not to startle my niece, I quietly reach for the remote and switch off Frozen. Cass fell asleep halfway through our second watch, something I knew would happen when she was yawning as she begged me to put it on again. I'm not ashamed to admit I know every song word for word thanks to her. I scoop her up into my arms and start towards the stairs so I can get her settled in bed.

The alarm for the security perimeter blares through the house as I reach the bottom of the stairs. What the fuck?

I’m immediately on guard. It’s too early for Elle to be home, but even so, she wouldn’t set the alarm off. All of us have our own codes for the gate and security has a list of approved visitors, none of which would be coming here at this hour. That means whoever is here, wasn’t invited. Fuck.

Cassie stirs slightly in my arms at the commotion, I rub my hand up and down her back in an attempt to settle her. I don’t know how to look after her and save her from whatever threat we might be about to face. Fuck. Ironic that the last time I felt this level of dread is the very night I was just dreaming about. The same fear I felt then courses through my body now. I was too late back then. I couldn’t save Elle from the terrible things that happened to her. I won’t allow the same thing to happen to my niece.

My phone vibrating in my pocket breaks me out of my thoughts. I maneuver Cass until I can pull it out and see it’s one of the guards stationed on the perimeter.

“Sir,” he starts, but I cut him off.

“David, what the fuck is going on?” I snap into the phone. I can’t contain the anger that pulses through me right now.

“I’m not sure. We’ve lost contact with the guards on the gate. Peter and I are doing a perimeter check now and --” BANG. The gunshot deafens me and cuts off whatever he was about to say. It doesn’t take fucking rocket science to figure out who is breaking through.

They found her.

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