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WES

T he rectangular room was nothing but stone with elaborate tapestries decorating the long wall on the left and rows of stained-glass windows on the right. Golden chandeliers dangled from the ceiling, lighting the room, and a heavy, Oriental red rug spanned the length of the table underneath.

As a boy, the maids cleaned milk stains and mashed peas and spilled cereals from its fibers for what felt like hours.

And at one time, I thought it was funny.

Chase and I would purposefully spill things and take bets to see how long it would take them to clean.

As I grew older, however, I realized that creating more work for others on purpose was a shitty thing to do.

I deeply regretted that I was about to do the same thing tonight.

The dining room felt empty seeing that a table meant for twenty presently only sat four.

My father sat at the head with First Commander Fisher seated to his left.

General Bynes sat in the spot that should have been mine.

As the First Son of the North and future heir to the proverbial throne, I should have been seated on my father’s right side as his right-hand man .

How fitting that she would sit in that spot in my absence.

Next to Fisher was Lieutenant General Krous.

Younger than the rest, but still twenty-five years my senior.

This was my father’s cabinet. And tonight, they were all my enemies.

Conversation was flowing easily as silverware clinked against china. But it all came to an abrupt halt as I stalked into the room and came to stand only five yards away from my father. Everyone grew serious when they finally became aware of my presence.

My father put down his fork. Grabbed his napkin. Dabbed the dribbles off his chin before resting the fabric back on his lap. “This is a private meeting, boy. You need to leave.”

My shoulders rolled back. I took a steading breath. “Why? So you can talk about how you’re going to give her to Raúl and then follow his command like the coward that you are?”

My father’s green eyes—Chase’s eyes—screamed volumes of hate and disgust. It amazed me how the same pair of eyes could tell completely different tales of the soul.

Because even though Chase shared my father’s eyes, Chase was a far better man.

My father’s brows drew forward. “Watch it, boy. I don’t have the patience to deal with your insolence. ”

I chuckled under my breath—a cold and bitter laugh—as I shook my head. My eyes drifted to the floor. “I don’t think patience was something you ever possessed, Dad. Not in the slightest.” I looked up at him then. “Where is she?”

His eyes narrowed. “Leave this hall now. That’s a direct order.”

I glared at him. “I don’t take orders from you.”

He wanted to hit me. I could see it in the tautness of his arms, the grip around his fork and knife. But with his cabinet present, my father was going to control his temper.

“I’m going to ask you again. Where is she?” My blood was pumping, lava flowing, heart pounding.

He gave me a cynical smile. “She’s exactly where a Telvian bitch belongs. ”

My hands pumped, opening and closing, as emotions swirled within me.

Because he defamed who she was.

Because he was keeping her prisoner.

And I wanted her back.

I was ready to do anything and everything I could to make that happen. I ground my teeth. Tried to soothe the rage just enough so I could speak coherently. And then I looked him dead in the eye.

“You’re going to take me to her. You’re going to release her to me. And then you’re never going to look or speak to her again. Understood?”

Silence.

The three cabinet members slowly turned to face my father. I watched as his face grew red. The vein in his temple bulged. And then he laughed. He threw his head back and laughed. Krous, Bynes, and Fisher all looked from one to the other, trying to chuckle but finding it forced and awkward .

I didn’t care.

I had one goal and one goal only.

My father laughed. And just as quickly as it began, it stopped. His scathing eyes told me he was going to beat me until there was nothing left but a pile of bones and bloody pulp. His elbow landed hard on the table, causing the glasses to rattle as he pointed an accusatory finger.

“You are the biggest fucking pain in my ass, boy, and that girl has ruined you. Any hope I ever had that I could shape you into something worthy of the Calvernon name was destroyed the second she stepped foot in this house.”

I stood still. Listened to his words and felt nothing. Because stone didn’t feel. Stone didn’t bend, didn’t buckle, didn’t cave. Stone withstood fire, stayed true against the wind, was unyielding against water. And I was done conceding to my father.

“You want to know where she is? She’s rotting. Hanging from a ceiling like a slaughtered pig. And she got what she deserved. Because traitors don’t sit in prison and stare at the moon, boy. Traitors are beaten.”

My heart stuttered.

“Traitors are caned and tortured and they pay for their crimes with pounds of their flesh.”

I couldn’t breathe.

“You want your girl, boy? Your precious bride ? Too. Fucking. Late. I warned you, Wes. I warned you that if you didn’t follow orders, you would regret it.

I told you that you would pay for your brother’s death.

” He held out his hands triumphantly, a sinister smile plastered across his face.

“Well, consider your debt paid. My only regret is that I had to leave something of her left to exchange!”

I snapped.

Because I was gasoline and kerosene and TNT and nitroglycerin.

And tonight, I was gunpowder.

I didn’t think. I didn’t have to. My hand pulled out my Glock from one breath to the next and aimed that gun before he could utter another syllable.

He froze. His eyes widened. And then he sneered. “What are you going to do, boy? Shoot me? Shoot me and then what? You’ve got no chance, you little piece of shit !”

I kept my gun trained on my father. My eyes darted to the other three individuals in the room. Fisher looked like he was about to piss his pants.

“You all have a decision to make tonight,” I began.

“Tomorrow, my father hands over Mara de la Puente and will effectively admit himself as a coward to our greatest enemy. It’ll only be days before we’re all Telvian slaves.

So I ask you now, do you support the free North?

Or do you want to see us all become groveling dogs at the feet of Raúl de la Puente? ”

Silent. Not a fucking sound. Nobody moved a muscle .

“Well?” I prompted. “Are we going to become dogs? Or are we going to remain the free people of the North?”

My eyes darted from one individual to the next, and their eyes all screamed the same thing in return. Confusion. Alarm. Uncertainty. Fear.

And then my father laughed. He cackled and barked and howled like a damn hyena. And only after a minute of laughing did he finally quiet and look at Cassia. “General Bynes, arrest my son.”

My eyes shifted to her as she sneered at me. Stood up. Moved.

“Freeze, General.”

Cassia froze in place. Looked across the table to see Krous standing, his own gun trained on her. Slowly, General Bynes lifted her hands in surrender. Fisher looked like he was trying to hide under his napkin, the stupid simp.

Krous looked at me and gave one nod. I nodded in return and then set my gaze back on my father. “I’m going to ask you again, Dad. Where is Mara?”

My father slammed his fist on the table. “So, this is how it goes, huh? My own fucking son betraying his faction for a Telvian brat. You think you can take me down? Do it ,” he dared. “Shoot me.” He didn’t move a muscle, but the sneer on his face could have curdled milk.

My breaths were heavy.

My heart pounded like a drum of war.

And yet, I remained strong and unyielding.

I remained firm as stone.

And when the words came off my tongue, they felt like acid burning my mouth. “I’m going to ask you one last time…where. The fuck. Is my bride?”

My father laughed—a deep, sardonic rumble. It echoed off the walls of the dining room and only deepened the scowl on my face.

“You’re worthless,” he uttered to me. Then louder, “You’ve always been worthless.

A plague on this house!” He stood, slamming his hand on the table once more, rattling the china.

“You were never worthy of the North, Wes. Never . And I’ll die before I ever let you take my crown. Over my dead. Fucking. Body! ”

I pulled the trigger.