Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 127722 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127722 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
“You told him about the dragons?”
“No. I told him I needed to heal something, but that was all.”
“So, you don’t trust him.”
“It’s not that.”
“It sounds like it.”
“I just know he’s still…processing all this. But if he and Effie have reunited, then I imagine he’s our ally.”
“What are you going to tell him?”
“That I’m leaving…but I’ll return. In the meantime, he needs to make my father come around.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
I sighed. “Won’t know until we try.”
“Are you going to tell him about us?”
I looked away, because I didn’t have an answer. “I’m not sure how to handle that.”
“When we return, it’ll be to conquer, so this may be the only chance you get.”
“We aren’t conquering anything. We’re removing my father from power if he refuses to comply.”
“I’m removing him from power whether he complies or not—because this castle belongs to me. This bedroom belongs to me. Delacroix has been in my family for generations—and it’s mine.” His soft-spoken words turned maniacal, and the man of bloodshed emerged. His look was so enraged I couldn’t challenge it. “I will grant him the option to surrender with dignity for you. But if he refuses, I will remove him in a very undignified way. Personally, I hope he chooses the latter.”
I looked away, because his anger was too much to bear.
He seethed in silence for a while, needing the time to recover from his rage.
“I’ll tell Ryker to work on my father. I’ll also tell him to work on a plan for the Capital. If we take the Capital, we take the Kingdoms. It’ll be a lot more efficient.”
“Ryker won’t be able to make a dent in that place.”
“He’s a lot more capable than you realize. Let’s not forget he was the one who saved me.”
“You would have saved yourself whether he came or not.”
I turned to look at him.
“I know my baby.” He had been pissed off just a second ago, but now he looked at me with confidence and affection. It was the same look my father wore when he was proud of me…which had only happened once or twice. “Not everyone at the Capital is loyal to King Rutherford. There are some who know the truth.”
“The truth?”
“That the lottery is a sacrifice. That King Rutherford gets a kickback from our neighbors to the north for keeping Necrosis at bay.”
My eyes narrowed because I had no idea what he spoke of. “Our neighbors to the north…?”
“A short distance across the sea, there’s another country. Another kingdom. Another ruler. He trades with the Capital in exchange for keeping the Runes, Teeth, Plunderers, and everyone else at the bottom of the cliffs. The Blade Scions are responsible for not only trading with them, but protecting the Kingdoms from potential attack. They have a strong army, and the only reason they haven’t conquered us is because they know we’re keeping Necrosis out of their lives.”
All of this was brand-new information. I stayed quiet because I didn’t know what to say.
“The Blade Scions know the truth—and some of them aren’t happy about it. If Ryker is looking for allies, that’s where he should start.”
“Is that why you became a Blade Scion?”
He nodded. “The corruption goes deep. And I’m sure there’s more we know nothing about.”
“I wonder if Ryker knows this.”
“I doubt it.”
“So, even if we beat Necrosis…we might have another war on our hands.”
“Potentially. Or they might be smart and realize it would be a really stupid idea to attack a country that defeated a foe such as Necrosis.”
“Do you think that’s where the outcasts are from? The dragons?”
“Could be.”
I felt like this problem only grew bigger and bigger as time wore on. “I’ll talk to Ryker and have him sneak me out. I’ll meet you in the city.”
“I’m going to miss this bed.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“But I guess a tree will have to do.”
“A tree?” I asked. “We’re going to sleep in a tree?”
“No.” He turned to me, his eyes hard. “We’re going to fuck against a tree.”
Ryker appeared that evening with my dinner.
“Come in.”
He clearly just wanted to leave the tray and run off, judging by the conflicted look on his face.
“I need to talk to you.”
He gave a sigh of irritation before he joined me in my quarters. “What?”
“I need you to sneak me out tonight.”
He glanced at the books behind me. “Got what you need?”
“Yeah.”
“And now what? You’re going to go back down there?”
“Yes.”
Now all his irritation was gone, replaced by a look of concern. “Ivory, you shouldn’t go alone. I know you’re tough and all that, but even I wouldn’t make that trip alone—only if I had to. I would take you myself, but I can’t leave Delacroix again, especially not when I have Effie here.”
“I won’t be alone, Ryker.”
“Then who will you be with?” he blurted.
The time had come. The truth was inevitable. “His name is Huntley…and he was the one staying with me.”