Page 87 of Kingly Bitten

“That would be a strategic way to do it,” I admitted. “And we already know other farms exist from another one of her logs.”

Calina nodded. “A lot of the reports are cut into pieces as well.” She brought one up from a lycan experiment that had helped create the weapon she’d used on Ryder. “We know this is incomplete because of the files Damien retrieved from Bunker 27.”

“Indeed,” Darius agreed.

Calina started scanning through more logs, most of them revolving around Blood Day again as Lilith provided her version of an annual report.

I took another sip of my wine, bored.

But Calina seemed fascinated by the information, as did Juliet. This was all brand new to them. So I allowed the show to continue while I scanned Damien’s latest update.

“They managed to get the last of the lycans out of their cages,” I said, my words for Darius. “Luka’s working with them now. So far, two have been put down. They were too feral and a threat to Majestic Clan.”

There was apparently a point where the human part of a lycan died completely. Although, in this case, Luka suspected the humane aspect of the being’s nature had never been allowed to form. And unfortunately, lycans were too strong to just be released into the wild.

“By this point, whoever was expecting an update from the Vigils is likely aware of our interference,” Darius said after another fifteen minutes of watching Lilith’s logs. “And from what some of these videos imply, they also know the identities of those who stand against the alliance.”

“Yes.” However, Lilith hadn’t named us in any of her logs, and Calina hadn’t found our names in any of the files yet. Which left us to guess that our identities might or might not be included in her records.

“We might be flying into a trap,” Darius added.

“Yes,” I repeated. “Assuming Lajos truly supported Lilith’s regime.”

We hadn’t found proof of that either. We didn’t know any of the names of her supporters, just like we had no clue whom these logs were intended for.

“We don’t really have a choice but to proceed,” I continued. “We need to find Bunker 37. Besides, maybe we can use this as an opportunity to prove Lilith’s theories wrong about us. It’s all conjecture at this point, as she couldn’t possibly have had proof. We’ve yet to do anything. So perhaps we use this as a way of proving our loyalty to the current era, while also lulling Lajos into a state of comfort.”

“Or we could just kill him,” Darius offered.

I smiled. “You would enjoy that.”

“I would.”

“If he proves unuseful, I’ll consider it,” I promised him.

“Sounds familiar,” he drawled, clearly not over the edict I’d issued just yesterday.

Staff Member Thirteen had confirmed it was Gaston who had nearly killed him, which typically would have earned him an excommunication sentence. I did not take lightly to others touching my property without express permission, and a staff member was not a menu item.

“Gaston is still useful,” I reminded Darius. “He helps me maintain my image, which we now know is more important than ever. If Lilith’s logs are to be believed, anyway.”

“She was clearly insane.”

“That is your favorite statement of late,” I murmured. “The question is, how many others believed her? The more I can do to disprove those notions, the easier this will be for us all.”

Because it would give me the necessary element of surprise. And it would allow me to survive long enough to appropriately strategize my next move.

If Lilith’s supporters believed her rumors about me, they would be more likely to react badly toward me upon news of her death. But if I kept them guessing, they just might pause long enough for me to gain the upper hand.

It was all about strategy and playing the alliance appropriately.

I couldn’t do that if my cards were already on the table.

“I can’t believe I’m going to say this,” Darius started, clearing his throat. “But I rather like Ryder’s plan to show up next week and throw Lilith’s severed head into the room, and call it a day.”

While I appreciated the mental image that thought conjured up, I still shook my head. “That would inspire chaos.”

“All of this is going to inspire chaos,” he pointed out.