He doesn’t need me to.
“I don’t actually care about you,” he says. “Not personally. You’re a talented nuisance, yes. But the true value isn’t in your skull.” He taps his temple. “It’s in what you pull behind you.”
I go still.
He watches the realization dawn and enjoys it like dessert.
“Maddox,” he says.
There it is.
The other blade.
The real one.
“Youwantthem to come,” I say slowly.
“Of course I do.” He looks almost offended I’d ask. “Dean Maddox is a legend with a reputation so shiny it blinds enemies into mistakes. He can’t resist saving his people. It’s what makes him powerful.” Viktor steps closer again. “And what makes him predictable.”
I don’t like the calm in his voice. It’s too certain. Too prepared.
“I have a partner,” Viktor continues. “A woman who appreciates long games. Old grudges. Elegant revenge.”
Serafina.
The name doesn’t have to be said. It’s already in the air between us.
“She wants Dean,” I say.
“She wants what Deanprotects.” Viktor’s smile sharpens. “And I want what Deanis.An institution. A symbol. A crown.”
I lift my chin. “You won’t get either.”
He tilts his head. “Maybe not,” he admits. “But tonight? I get to try.”
The guards behind him shift. One checks a watch. The other looks toward the stairs like he’s waiting for a cue.
My pulse picks up. Not fear. Anticipation. Because Arrow will have noticed the missed check-in. Because Gage will become feral, and Arrow will become surgical, and Dean will become a storm with a moral compass.
They will come.
And if I’m lucky, I’ll be a step ahead of Viktor’s trap.
If I’m unlucky?—
Lark will break every command Arrow gave her and walk right into a lion’s mouth.
The thought makes my blood burn.
Viktor turns slightly, as if he’s losing interest now that he’s delivered his monologue. “Bring him water,” he tells a guard. “Keep him alive. We want him bright-eyed when the cavalry arrives.”
“Cavalry?” I echo.
He smiles over his shoulder. “Heroes love a dramatic entrance.”
Then—
The lights die.
