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“Y-you were the…” She heaved in an arduous breath, the sound sending more tears from my eyes. “The greatest j-joy of m-my life. You a-and your brother. My boys.”

I brought the back of her hand to my lips, selfishly using it to hide the devastation that I knew she could see in my face.

“I-I’m going to s-see Tobyas,” she whispered, her eyes closing briefly.

“No.”

“And…” Another strenuous breath shook her. “If I-I’m lucky, I’ll m-meet your mother, too.”

I bit the inside of my cheek as hard as I could. “No.” It was all I could say. “No.”

She exhaled, the sound so drawn out that I knew her last breath was near. “It’s okay, Cal. You’re go-going t-to be okay.”

“He’s dead. Do you hear me? He’s fucking dead the moment I get my hands on him,” I said through gritted teeth.

One corner of her mouth turned up almost imperceptibly but quickly dropped. “Y-you won’t do it.”

“Have no doubt that I will kill him.”

“No. You w-won’t kill her.”

I froze. She was talking about the Daughter of Katia. She saw right through me.

“Br…”

I exhaled as much anger as I could and tried to soften my grip on her hand. “It’s okay, Aunt Berna,” I breathed, though each word sounded almost as labored as hers. “It’s okay, you don’t have to say anything.” I fought the shaking sobs that threatened to overtake my body.

“Brave.” I could feel her hand try to squeeze mine as she spoke. “Br-brave, kind…and honest. L-like your Mama t-told you.”

I had no choice then but to surrender to the pain. Her words carved my heart straight from my chest and clutched it with bare hands, still beating and bloody. The last bit of strength she’d been using to grip my hand slipped away as her fingers went limp and her eyes fell on a realm far past this one.

My head dropped back, the sob that came over me so powerful, so guttural that not a sound left my body as it racked through me, ravaging every corner of my soul. And I wished, for one selfish moment, that I could slip away with her, that I could leave behind this city and my reign and the agony that the Saints had dealt me in this life. I’dfinallybe with Tobyas and my mother again. Aunt Berna, too. And maybe, if Castemont succeeded in his plan, I’d see Autumn Eyes as well.

But I knew I couldn’t leave this realm whilehestill walked it, whilehestill breathed the ocean air that Aunt Berna could no longer. And I knew what I had to do.

I was going to kill Lord Evarius Castemont.

Chapter 31

My eyes were focused only on my next step as I marched. None of the lords or barons bowed as I passed, because they had no idea the King was making his way through the castle in pursuit of one of their own. Grief had melded with acrimony and it pulsed through my every vein. It grew larger and more violent with each step that brought me closer to Castemont.

I stalked through the corridors of the Low Royal castle, turning the corner to find Tyrak exactly where I knew he’d be. It was a fight to get enough air in my lungs to appear just calm enough on the surface so as not to trigger Tyrak’s internal alarm bells. “You deserve a drink, old man.” I forced a tight smile. “I need to talk with Lord Castemont. Go on down to the pub.”

The guard’s façade broke, a sly smile breaking across his rugged face. “Twist my arm.” He clapped a hand on my bicep as he left his post, seemingly all too happy to leave his Lord unguarded.

“Tell them to put it on the King’s tab.”

The moment he rounded the corner, I pushed through the doors of Castemont Hall.

Silence greeted me as I entered the foyer, almost the same silence that I’d walked into at my aunt’s house. But I could tell that not all was still.

He was here.

“Tyrak?” the Lord called.

I made no attempt to conceal my echoing footsteps as I stalked through the cavernous hall toward his study, turning the corner to find the motherfucker perched at his massive mahogany desk, scrolls and papers strewn across its surface.

“Cal? What–”