Page 64 of Reign By Wrath

“Although that’s weird, isn’t it?”

I pulled out of my thoughts. “Huh? What’s weird?”

Victor focused on something over my shoulder. “It’s weird that his brother sent you that message,” he said somewhat distractedly. “You figured it out and got ahead of the cops. Why say anything at all if he wants to fuck with his brother? He could’ve just hid out in the woods and filmed the cops hauling his ass to the squad car.”

My lips parted, but nothing came out. Why didn’t I notice that? It was because of that p.s. that we didn’t walk into an ambush. “Now that I think about it, why did he crawl out of his cyberhole and risk himself by taking over the dean’s office? He said he wanted to make a deal with me over the laptop, but he could’ve done that with another mocking email.

“I can tell he wasn’t lying when he said he wanted nothing to do with Everleigh, but it’s almost like—”

“Luna, look.”

I followed his line of sight, twisting around. Saylor strolled into the café—nose up higher in the air if that was possible. It was obvious she was putting on a you-can’t-break-me front, but the fact that she was in the café at all proved she’d been knocked down.

Saylor never came into the café. She always had one of her minions fetch her food and bring it to her at the music hall. The queen didn’t dare mix with the peasants.

She’s mixing today.

She grabbed a tray and stepped up to the line. A hush slowly fell over the café. Saylor didn’t need to draw attention to herself. She was getting it without any help.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” someone said loudly. “How dare you show your face in here, Burkhardt! After what you did to my brother, you don’t belong on campus unless you’re getting your transfer papers.”

Saylor didn’t so much as twitch. She grabbed a raspberry scone off the pile and continued to the drinks station.

“Hey! I’m talking to you, bitch!”

Without a lick of rush, Saylor poured herself some coffee, sweetened it with creamer, took a sip, dabbed her mouth with a napkin, went back to grab a knife, then—and only then—did she face the staring crowd.

“I’m happy you’re all here.”

I exchanged looks with Victor. Why was she talking like we were all sitting here at her invitation?

“Let me make something clear,” Saylor began. “You’ve been fooled. Those texts were not mine. They were faked by a sad, pathetic Dreg who saw a chance to take me down and make some money while she’s at it.”

Saylor pinned me with a glare. “I’ve got to hand it to her. It was a good plan. Make a small fortune passing off her fiction as my private texts, then before my lawyers could come after her, she had her Rogue boyfriend infect every copy with a virus that’ll crater a hard drive. Evidence gone, money in her pocket, a Burkhardt disgraced.”

Irritation strangled my throat. I had to hand it toher. She expertly turned everything around and used my father’s takedown and computer virus to her advantage.

“I don’t blame you all for falling for it, but the disrespect stops now.”

Alice pushed out from the pack.

“Anyone who dares to use that bullshit you wasted your money on against me will—”

Alice smacked her tray up, exploding the hot coffee in her face.

Saylor’s scream rang through the café.

“Fuck, you never shut up,” Alice remarked. “Do you really think anyone is buying your crap? The Dreg made it all up? How could she have done that when she wasn’t even in Regalia during half the shit you pulled? I mysteriously fell sick during the Model U.N. trip and you had to take my place. Luna just ‘made up’ all the texts where you were laughing about spiking my iced tea? How did she even know I drank iced tea that day?”

I couldn’t help inclining my head. Alice made a fabulous point.

“What the fuck are you doing?!” Saylor screeched.

I hissed at the angry red burn blotches on her forehead and cheeks.

“We’re telling you how it is from now on,” said a voice from the other side of the room. I followed it to Iris. “The Royals are done doing what you say. The queen has been dethroned.”

Saylor was still puffing and screaming. “You— You can’t do this to me! That was the biggest mistake you’ve ever made. You’re out—”

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