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“Give it to menow,Soul Sucker.”

She shook her head. “No, I think I’d rather stick to our original plan.” She launched herself at Vadim, a small, lethal dagger in her hand. Even as he fought her to the ground, he heard her screeching orders inside his head.

“Take it, kill him.”

“Which one?”

“God, I don’t know. Can’t you get them both?”

He expertly rolled her onto her front, bent her arm up against her spine, and disarmed her.

“Ow! That hurt!”

She kicked out, catching him on the shin. He bit back a groan and increased the pressure of his hold.“Stop fighting me, then!”

“No, it has to look realistic.”

A burst of mangled magic shot past his ear, making him wince and the spectators closing in on them scatter.

“Fuck it, Ella, you nearly took off my head with my own power!”

“Good!”

He moved off her and dragged her to her feet, the dagger now concealed within his massive hand.“If I kill Adam, you won’t be getting your face back.”

“I don’t care about that.”She hesitated.“Do you?”

“It’s a matter of principle.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Give it tomethen!” She tried to head-butt him. He jerked his chin back just in time and held her out in front of him like a shield. “What the hell did you give her, Father?”

“I gave her nothing. Iassumeshe obtained the dagger from the Dark Lord and his minions. When I met her for the first time, she already had a plan in place. She asked whether I would have any objection if she killed you. I told her to go ahead, and in return I would help her get her face back. In truth, you might say that this entire mess is her fault.”

“That’sbullshit!Don’t you get it?” Ella kicked out and tried to get free again, but Vadim restrained her. “Adam wants Morosov to kill you all. He probably hoped that if I sawthatmassacre, I’d turn on my mate and use the dagger on him, leaving Adam king of the world.”

“You are a liar, Soul Sucker. Can’t you see it, my son?”

“She can’t lie to me. Remember, she is my mate.”

Ella wiggled around until she could see into his face, and put her hand on his chest. “That’swhy I’m still here. Your father hoped I’d kill for him, and so did Adam. Theybothhad a vested interest in letting me live.”

She turned to look at his mother and grandmother. “Hell, I’m the only one thatcankill Morosov, aren’t I? That’s what you were trying to tell me.”

“Is that true, Father?”

“She said she wanted you dead! She told Adam the same thing! You heard her!”

Vadim smiled slowly down at his mate. “She is entitled to kill me. I am hers for all eternity. But she is not going to do it at your bidding. If we combine our powers, Soul Sucker, do you think we could find the truth in Adam’s mind?”

Terror flashed across his adversary’s face and he tried to run past the encircling guards. Vadim stopped him dead with an entrapment spell.

“What do you think, Father? Shall I ask my unworthy opponent for his opinion?”

For the first time, unease flickered behind the Fae king’s eyes. “Why bother? What can he tell us that we don’t already know?”

The queen mother stepped forward. “I would like to hear Adam’s thoughts on this matter, too. If I find out that he truly wishes to annihilate our family, I want him to suffer for it.” She glanced at her daughter-in-law and then at the visitor from the dark court. “Are we all in agreement?”

Vadim smiled at his father. “It seems as if you have been overruled.” He released his mate and reached for her hand. “Come, Soul Sucker. Let’s see what thoughts Adam really harbors in his mind.”