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“It was an ambush,” Kian said.

“Bring me the assailants. I’ll skin them!”

“The attack was an indirect hit on you.”

Lucienne took a moment to digest that. “They believe once Jed’s out of the way,” she said coldly, “they can all come get me.”

“As the Czech boy said, they’ll have to crawl over my dead body to get to you.” Kian’s voice was even colder than Lucienne’s. “And I plan to live a long life.”

At Kian’s promise, Lucienne’s blood warmed in her veins. “A bloodbath is not my way, but let them come.”

“They’ll come,” Kian said. “Jed won’t hang in there long. Your rule has begun. They’ll seize the opportunity to try to push your half-brother back into the Siren’s seat.”

“Any news on Hauk?”

“That coward hides deep.”

“He’s twenty-two now, isn’t he?”

“You should have taken him out when he placed a bounty on your head years ago. You had the right.”

“He has Jed’s blood, too. Killing him then would have turned even more of the family against me. And I wanted to give him a chance to walk away from this.”

“Rumor has it he vowed never to rest until he erases you from the face of the earth.”

“Then he’ll continue living a sad, disappointed life.”

“The attack will come sooner. Perhaps sooner than we expected,” Kian said. “Before it comes, we’ll remove you to Sphinxes.”

Sphinxes was an uncharted Pacific Island that a former Siren bought centuries ago. For years, Kian and their loyal team had been secretly building their future headquarters on the island.

“No, I’ll stay for the war.”

“Not this time,” Kian said. “As your security chief, I overrule you on this matter. You’ll follow my plan.”

Lucienne pouted, but Kian wasn’t compromising. In the end, she sighed, “What’s the progress in Sphinxes?”

“Labs and military bases are all complete, but there’s still too much to do.”

“The work never ends. How are the soldiers?”

“Watchful and loyal,” Kian said. “An elite team is on their way here. Our enemy won’t expect that, though Jed won’t approve of the warriors coming to the complex either.”

“I’ll work on Jed. He wants to keep the Lams together, but he desires to preserve the next rightful Siren even more.” Speaking of her grandfather, Lucienne dropped her gaze, staring at the ground. “Will he wake up?”

Kian sighed. “He’d better.”

Kian accompanied Lucienne into the Red Mansion. When they stopped before her room, Jonas was right behind them. Kian eyed the guard, and Jonas darted inside for a security sweep. When Jonas came out and resumed his station at the door, Kian kissed the top of Lucienne’s head. “Good night, Princess.”

Lucienne grinned. “You should shave more often, Kian McQuillen. Hygiene is required.”

Kian shook his head. “Stop talking like that peacock prince you fancy too much.”

Her smile dimmed. She was sure that beautiful peacock was going to dump her at the first opportunity he got when he woke up in the morning.

CHAPTER SIX

As soon as Lucienne heard Jed Lam was asking for her, she went directly to the medical facility at the west side of the complex. Standing in the doorway of the room, Lucienne watched a nurse adjust fluids flowing into Jed’s vein as Kian and Jed spoke.