Page 53 of Vicious Princess (The Trials of Death and Honor #1)

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

D aegel stalks forwards until he’s face-to-face with the two bouncers flanking my sides.

“We’re just having a peaceful conversation,” Gloria says calmly. “I don’t see the need for theatrics or threats. Especially when I wasn’t expecting your visit, Daegel.”

Daegel’s gaze moves away from the bouncers to Gloria.

“You forced my unannounced visit, Gloria. I was supposed to meet”—my heart stops for a moment as I wait for him to reveal my real name“— Calia here tonight because she wanted to participate in Ani-ki-ga . But when, after her stunning performance, I saw her being dragged away by your lackeys, I had no other choice but invite myself up here.”

Gloria waves her hand, and the bouncers retreat to their place by the left wall.

Daegel wastes no time—with confidence he strides forwards and takes a seat next to me. The way he leans back in the chair, and tosses one ankle over the knee screams arrogance.

He’s not worried.

I’m grateful he’s here, and my heart sings a happy song at his presence. But my mind is not on the same page.

I’m still furious.

“So, am I to believe Calia isn’t a spy in training?” Gloria doesn’t look a single ounce convinced. “Leti tells me she’s your mentee at the Ezkai Academy.”

“She was my mentee while she attended the academy,” Daegel says with a nod.

He’s exceptional at keeping up with the story without knowing any facts.

“However, when the leadership found out about our secret relationship, she was kicked out. You know fairly well how strict Ezkai are about their laws. The General has no mercy.”

Gloria chuckles. To me she says, “He got you kicked out from Ezkai Academy, and yet you still stand by him?”

I shrug. “What can I say? I have a terrible taste in men. Though, with the deal you offered me, I think Daegel may have done me a favor.” Gloria arches an eyebrow.

“If I hadn’t been kicked out, I wouldn’t have found my way here and wouldn’t have made a deal with you that’s about to make me a lot of money. ”

Gloria hums and nods. Money is the language she speaks fluently and understands well. I just hope I’m a convincing actress.

“Nonsense,” Leti sneers. “I call bullshit.”

Daegel doesn’t bat an eye.

A corner of his mouth curls into a cruel smirk. “It’s so unfortunate to see someone as powerful and capable as you, Leti, let jealousy turn you bitter and pathetic, quite frankly.”

A muscle in Leti’s jaw ticks. She glares at Daegel with such fierce anger, I’m afraid he might erupt into flames at any moment.

“I don’t care for an ex-lovers’ quarrel.

It’s bad for business,” Gloria says, waving her hand.

From a drawer, she pulls out a couple of papers.

We sit in silence while she quickly looks over them and then slides them towards me along with a quill.

“Sign these for me, youngling. And your fate will be sealed.”

Daegel’s palm lands on the papers. “What is it exactly that you offered her, Gloria?”

Gloria remains calm. “I don’t see how that is any of your business, Daegel. I don’t march into your father’s establishments and interfere with his deals.”

Daegel’s voice is again full of threat, and it sends a shiver down my spine. “She belongs to me. You know how this works, Gloria. You’re not new here. When you want to strike a deal, I want to know exactly what she’s signing up for.”

I don’t know if I should be offended by what he says. I feel like I should. I’m not some sort of commodity to trade between rival criminal gangs.

I belong to nobody but myself.

“Fair,” Gloria says with a sigh. “It’s a common contract. She agrees to join my talent pool, perform a couple of nights a week, and gets twenty-five percent of all the money she makes me. I’m certain you know the terms, considering Leti has the same contract.”

“Leti is a Caligos, Calia is not. And it better stay that way,” Daegel says.

Gloria’s lips quirk up in amusement. “I don’t force anyone into service. But I told her that if she were to prove herself, and her ambition is high enough, there’s room to grow…”

“I’m fine with that,” I tell Daegel firmly. Purely for show, I take his hand and bring it to my lips. Against his skin, I whisper loudly enough for everyone to hear: “Thank you, though.”

When I meet Leti’s burning gaze, I can’t help the satisfied smirk.

Take that, bitch.

“Can we sign the contract, then? I have a place to run, and this has taken up enough time already,” Gloria says.

With a steady hand, I sign the contract and pass it back to Gloria.

“I’ll be seeing you around, Calia,” she says as Daegel and I rise to leave.

Daegel places his palm on the small of my back and leads me out of Gloria’s office, then down the small metal stairs. We don’t speak until he leads me out of the warehouse through a discreet back entrance that leads to a quiet, dark alley.

A storm rages inside my chest when I whirl on my heel to face Daegel.

“I don’t even know where to begin,” I manage to say calmly. Then my temper gets the better of me, and I shove at his chest. He doesn’t even flinch. “Where the fuck have you been? I thought the General kicked you out of the Order or threw you into solitary confinement!”

Daegel completely ignores my words. “Phoenix, what you did back there was extremely dangerous. Do you understand? Is that a plan Ezkai Gavriel and the rest of the leadership approved? For you to throw yourself into a Caligos organization like that? To sign your life away?”

I shake my head. “It was my plan! I suggested we infiltrate the competitions and draw the leadership out this way. And it worked—I have the name of the person who owns this place.”

His eyes flash. “You should have asked me for the identity. I would have fucking told you! Instead of signing your life away—” Daegel chokes on anger. “No fucking cadet should be allowed to do that, not even fully trained Ezkai do that in their early years of service. This is a death?—”

I cut him off. “Would you have? Would you really have given me the answer to who runs this gambling parlor?” A sarcastic laugh bubbles out of me.

“That’s hard to believe, Daegel. Considering that you’ve been hiding everything about your Caligos relationships, never answering a single fucking question!

And now you tell me I can simply ask. Well, I don’t need to ask—I figured it out on my own! ”

“You almost died in there!” Daegel raises his voice at me, which startles me.

His eyes are not angry, though. They’re full of desperation and anxiety.

“When I saw Gloria’s bouncers drag you to the back, I thought I lost you.

Forever.” He grabs my shoulders and closes his eyes.

Slowly, he exhales and his shoulders slump.

“I—I never want to feel this way again, Phoenix. If I hadn’t shown up in time, Gloria would have had her bouncers slice your throat after learning you were training to be an Ezkai. ”

I’m taken aback by his emotional response. I don’t know what to say.

“You weren’t there,” I say, my voice breaking at the end. “You didn’t show up for the mission, and Ezkai Gavriel said you were supposed to join us, but you couldn’t due to professional reasons. Where were you?”

“The General pulled me into another mission at the last minute,” he says. “I suspect it was an attempt to delay or completely prevent my aid in this mission.”

“Why? Why would he not want you here? Is it because of me?”

Daegel hesitates only for a second. “Because the General suspects I was the reason why their last mission to tackle this gambling parlor was compromised.”

The words that leave my lips are quiet. “Were you?”

A muscle in Daegel’s jaw ticks. Then he says, “I was. Gloria asked for a favor from my father when she suspected that her ranks were infiltrated by spies.”

Shaking my head, I step away from him. “You keep scolding me about throwing myself into dangerous situations, but you’re just as reckless if not more?—”

Words fail me.

“Phoenix, please?—”

“No,” I interrupt him. “Do you fucking understand how dangerous this is? What will the General do when he has solid evidence you’re aiding Caligos, huh? He’ll kill you and make an example of it. It’s just a matter of time.”

“He won’t. He won’t find out, and he won’t kill me,” he says. “Besides, I don’t have a choice in this matter, Phoenix. You have to understand, my family… Things are complicated. And I’m trying to find a way to navigate this. But it’s not easy.”

He’s right about one thing. Things are complicated for him, and they’re complicated for me, too.

If I want to keep the General’s favor so I secure his help in ruining King Francis’s life, Daegel’s involvement with Caligos is a threat. One I can’t afford.

Yet my heart wants what it wants.

“We can’t be going on like this. The fact we’re breaking an academy rule is the least of our issues. I can’t compromise my future in the Order by being associated with Caligos, Daegel. If I’m with you, then the General will see it as my treason,” I say.

Daegel closes the distance between us and cups my cheeks.

“I know, Phoenix. I know. I don’t want to risk ruining your future.

But also, I’m selfish enough to not want to let you go.

I choose you. Today, here, I choose you.

I’m sorry I lied and hid this side of my life from you.

I shouldn’t have. I should have trusted you.

I shouldn’t have kept you in the dark. I’m sorry that your future was threatened because of me.

I don’t want to lose you, not over this.

I want you in my life. And I’ll do anything in my power to have you, even if it means burning this whole fucking operation to the ground or finding a way out of Caligos business so it doesn’t harm your career in the Order just because you chose to be with me. ”

“You would do that? Cut ties with Caligos just so it wouldn’t threaten my future in the Order?”

He doesn’t even bat an eyelash. “Absolutely. If that’s what it takes to have you, then I’ll do it.”

“I want to believe you.”

“Then believe me, Phoenix.” He takes my hand and places it in the middle of his chest, right above where his heart races. “You and me, we’re good together. I want a future with you in it. If you’ll have me.”

I can’t find the strength in me to say no to that.

Not when he’s holding me close to his body and looking at me with eyes full of…longing and affection.

When I’m with him, I don’t feel so alone in the world. He feels like home.

Instead of answering him, I bring my lips to his. When our mouths collide, the ground shifts underneath my feet, and I’m flying, soaring high above the clouds.

Oh, how I missed this. Him . His hands all over me, his delicious scent overwhelming my senses, and his soft mouth exploring mine.

By the time I pull away, we’re both panting.

“We need to get back,” I say, breathless. “The rest of the squad is probably losing their mind. Roman was hurt when they took me.”

Daegel nods, but his eyes are focused on my lips.

After a couple of seconds, he seems to get back to his senses and reality.

He clears his throat, then says, “You need to understand something. We don’t have much time.

Gloria may have bought our lie and let you sign the contract.

But she’s definitely sending her spies to find out about your past and identity.

When they do, they’ll know we lied, and then the whole mission will be compromised. ”