Page 49 of The Path of Blood and Betrayals

“It’s not idiotic, Fee.” I give her a hard look. “We both know my plans always work out.”

She snorts. “Not all of them.” She’s referring to the time we tried to sneak into the kitchen for pastries. We were young Fae, so that hardly counts.

“The plan was to find a weapon—I’ve done that.” I jerk my head to the tent. “I just need to get her back to father.”

“Yes, of course,” she mocks. “By charming her? The court ladies always spoke of your arrogance, but this proves it. You think you can have any female you want, but this is different.Sheis different, Kade. If she’s to be our weapon, then trying to bed her, will only complicate things.” Her eyes soften around the corners and my jaw clenches. “There’s not been anyone who lasted longer than a night. Not after Sose?—”

I stand abruptly, hands fisting at my sides. “This isn’t about her.”

My sister shrinks back slightly, but her eyes harden. “Italwayscomes back to her, Kade.” She tosses aside her sword, watching our guards make their rounds. “You always think you can out-plan every move. See every ending. Tell me, brother, what ending do you see here?”

Dryly, I stare at her. “The one in which my throne is undermy ass and my people safe?” I refuse to acknowledge the wedge of guilt in my chest at the mentioning of Sose.

“That is the ultimate plan.” She taps her leg in thought. “But right now, I’ll tell you what I see happening. I see you charming and bedding a scared little woman, in this big bad forest, and kidnapping her back to father. I see you giving her to father, and consumed with guilt for allowing whatever he plans, happen to her. Will you really be able to stomach what you’ve sentenced her to become?”

The threat hangs in the air. I hate how it pulls on my conscious.

My father will break her, mold her into the perfect weapon. Like he did to me. Like he tried to do to my sister.

With Max’s magic, Zelos would be unstoppable.

But that’s a problem for another day. Right now, I have to focus on my current needs.

“You’re cruel, Kade,” Fee mumbles, gazing into the fire. “But you’re not heartless. In fact, that’s your greatest downfall.”

“Because I’mnotheartless?” I snort.

Fee stares at me. “Exactly. You’ll condemn her a fate worse than death and lose yourself in the process.”

Seti’s Hell, I hate when she’s right.

“We can try to find something else,” Reid offers softly, tossing his spent piece to the ground. “Another plan, another weapon.”

“No,” I snap, eyes flaring black as my shadows dance along my arms. Smoke rises into the air, darkening the flames. “We need something to bring back to Zelos. She’s the best tool we’ve found.” My eyes drop to my sister. “Do you want to go back empty handed?”

“But—” Reid looks pitifully toward the dark tent.

“Stop.” I pull my darkness back, ignoring the cold magic that sinks under my skin. “We continue on with the plan. Charm the advisor, gain her trust, bring her back to Zelos.” End of discussion.

Except Fee can’t let it go. My little sister, who has seen me at my worst, always has to provoke a debate. She does it to get under my skin, but I know this is her way of expressing concern, of getting me to see the bigger picture when I’ve become fixated.

“And when we return, withour prize, how will you let her go?”

“As easily as a dream.” I roll my eyes.

I am a cruel bastard. Taking an innocent to my tyrant of a father should bother me more, but it doesn’t. This is war. A war I’ve been planning for decades. Max is just one piece to the puzzle for my end goal.

Reid whistles. “There’s the heir we know and loathe.”

My eyes narrow on my little brother, his disdain evident. Fee scoffs next to me, sinking into the mud.

“And for the Matriarch’s brother?” Fee glances to the tall man, who has gathered a circle of volunteers around him. “They’re close. He’s not exactly going to let her go to theShadowlands.”

I shrug. “He won’t really have a choice.”

“Planning on killing him?”

Shrugging, I grab a wine sack, filling an old chalice. “I’ll do whatever means necessary to win, Fee.” Max is the key to everything. I won’t let some inbred Witch stop me from finally finishing the work I’ve started. I’m too close to risk it.