“One of my sources told me of a woman who looked just like you disappearing into an alley with two of my Wolves. Did you think I wouldn’t find out?”
I tried to speak, but he snarled. “And don’t lie to me, Kiera. Iwillknow.”
He released my throat and my wrist, and I gulped the air between us. He watched me without a drop of remorse in his eyes.
“I . . . I was going to tell you. I had . . . no choice.”
“No choice but to disobey me?” he demanded. “Has our prisoner won your loyalty so quickly?”
Warnings pounded through my head. I needed space from him to gather my thoughts and my breath. But he gave me none.
“No,” I snapped. “But I had to earn his trust, otherwise I never would’ve been able to come here tonight.”
His eyes remained hooded with suspicion.
“Do you think I wanted to kill those Wolves?” I hissed, yanking down my shirt collar to expose part of my scar. “They huntedmedown. They almost killedme.Would you have preferred they did?”
His nostrils flared as he stared at my bare skin.
Heartbeats thundered past, and he didn’t answer.
I tugged my shirt back over my scar, my throat dry. “Do you want me dead, Renwell?”
His gaze pierced mine. “No.”
“Then why didn’t you tell your dogs to stay away from me as well?”
“They would’ve let you be if you were alone. Their job is to clear the streets of criminals. Anyone out after dark who shouldn’t be. And since you’re entangled with such?—”
“Entangled onyourorders.” Jerell and his sister flashed through my mind. “And they don’t only hunt criminals.”
“What do you mean?” Renwell asked sharply.
I drew in deep breaths, trying to steady myself. I had to know. “The night after we escaped, four of your Wolves dragged away a man named Jerell and... and killed his sister without cause.”
“Without cause?” he whispered, wrath tightening every line in his face. “They do nothing without my order.”
I flinched.
“Was this woman interfering with their business?”
“She was trying to save her brother.”
“And paid the price. As you almost did.”
“What was Jerell’s crime? What did you do with him?”
“That is my business,” Renwell said in a soft, deadly voice.
I didn’t heed the warning. The rising rage in my gut crashed into every other ugly feeling that had grown fangs and claws in the last ten days. “Does Father know how you conduct yourbusiness?” I spat. “Killing innocent women to keep them quiet while you steal their kin?”
“What tale do you want, princess?” he snarled. “Perhaps something to soothe those little weaknesses that fester inside you like a slow death.”
My heart jerked. I felt as though I were bleeding from wounds I couldn’t see. “Don’t call me that. That is not who I am anymore.”
“Then why do you still act like it? ‘Father,’” he spat the word from his mouth like venom. “He is not your father. He is the kingyou serve. And I am your commander. You answer to me. Unless that has changed for you?”
I couldn’t speak. He’d never been this furious with me.
