Page 92 of Filthy Royal

The chair in the middle of the space shook, then flew backward and crashed into the wall.

Her fury immediately dissipated. Unfortunately, the darkness did not.

Cracks snaked across the wall of the other cage as well.

Her gift had become even more violent and unruly.

It had to be Damien. Somehow, his presence made it worse.

Thinking rationally once more, she fought to regain control before she harmed everyone in the room.

Another flashback sliced through her—at the worst possible moment.

“Calm yourself, pet. Or I’ll be forced to take action.” Darvish stroked the length of his single horn, his gaze flicking to where her brother stood surrounded by Nars and four other guards.

Luc’s face was a bruised mess, his arms hanging by his sides, a taser to his temple. But it was the helpless fury in his stare that sliced the deepest.

The rage inside her spiraled higher, her wrists straining against the cuffs at her back while the lights dimmed, and menacing shadows surged across the walls of Consortium headquarters.

Darvish did not like this. “Behave. Or else.”

“Want me to remind her what happens if she doesn’t, boss?” Servile as ever, his assistant shuffled closer, his neck cocked at its usual odd angle, his fist raised to strike her brother again.

Luc, meanwhile, did nothing to defend himself.

Because he couldn’t.

And neither could she.

“Not yet.” Darvish’s command stilled the assistant’s fist in midair. “My lovely pet already knows exactly what will happen if she doesn’t do as she’s told and control her evolving gift. What ugly, dangerous secrets will suddenly be not so secret if she doesn’t obey. Isn’t that right, pet?”

“Yes.” Scarlett forced out the word, struggling to tamp down her gift before it put her brother in more danger. “There’s no need to hurt Luc. I am here as summoned. I’m in control of my gift, my blood and eye scan ready to be used to transfer the money into your accounts.”

“Good.” Darvish’s smile never reached his eyes. The fact that those eyes were so close in color and shape to Damien’s made it even worse. “I guess that’s one more rotation you and yours get to keep your secrets.”

She didn’t react.

You could kick a creature only so many times before it stopped flinching.

“Except,” Darvish paused, and her heart skittered in her chest, “that’s not all I require this time.”

A low chuckle emitted from the comms unit on the desk.

Scarlett’s mouth went dry. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Luc tense.

She had no idea who it was that sometimes listened in on these sessions, but Darvish seemed even crueler when the unknown eavesdropper was in attendance.

“I’ve already done everything you commanded.” The panicked words escaped before she could stop herself. “Damien’s gone, humiliated and with no intention of returning. I’ve contracted with Kadon Stormhart. Allowed you to use my identity to launder your funds. There’s nothing more I can do.”

“That’s where you’re wrong.”

A shiver ran down her spine.

That was the problem with extortion. It never ended. The blackmailer just kept on squeezing and squeezing. Until you broke.

Only, she couldn’t shatter. Not until she’d saved those she loved.

Her gaze shifted to Luc, and she forced her lips to move. “What do you want?”

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