“We can’t pin it on a royal,” Mattie reminded him. “It would start the sort of war that none of us need in our lives.”
“What about the resistance?” I suggested. “Could you dummy up a poor man’s version of your technology and then somehow slip it to them? They might just do our job for us.”
Mattie looked a little green under her bronze complexion. “With that technology, they could do a hell of a lot more than just take out satellite networks.”
We all fell silent, trying to think of another solution.
“We’ll work more on it tomorrow,” Mattie finally said, shutting her palm reader down. “I do think we’re on the right track in destroying Claudette. Discredit her monarchy, break down her betrothal, and strip her of her title. That’s our first aim.”
“I plan on killing her and Brandon in the end,” I added casually, standing up to slip my sweater on. “So it’s probably a moot point.”
Mattie didn’t look horrified, and that was why I loved her. “It’s on my list as a possible punishment, but don’t you think there’s just something so delicious about stripping them of everything good in life and making them live like that? Killing them ends the suffering so fast.”
I blinked at her, a rough chuckle escaping. “You’re evil.”
She smiled and shrugged.
Crossing back, I wrapped her up in a tight hug. “I love it. I should just marry you and live at your castle.”
She hugged me back. “I’d marry the fuck out of you, if that were how you rolled. You could be my sister-in-law, though. That would work.”
Nolan wrapped his arms around us both. “A plan I would normally get behind, but I’m not competing with Rafe and Jords.”
“It’s not like that!” I shook my head, shooting a quick, guilty look at Jordan, even as I denied Nolan’s suggestion that I was involved in a love triangle.
I wasn’t.
Right?
Chapter 8
My plan to exact revenge on Brandon didn’t move very fast. Mostly because the fucker was nowhere to be seen. I was half-tempted to create an excuse to visit Dean Morgan just so I could suss out where his son was.
“I think he’s visiting family again,” Mattie said as we walked to the soccer game on Saturday morning. This week had been both hectic and stressful as fuck, but I’d successfully managed to avoid Alex for most of it. I was only going to this game today to support Nolan and Jordan. Otherwise I would be hiding somewhere, figuring out the best places to lure and destroy a few royals. And Brandon. No matter how much he wished it, dude had zero royal blood. He was just a mean spirited bully, and he deserved to be punished.
“Hi, Violet,” a deep voice said from behind me, stopping me in my tracks. I spun around to see an older but familiar face.
“Oh, hey!” I said quickly, smoothing my hands down my jeans. “I haven’t seen you in a while. Dean Morgan keeping you busy?”
Mr. Wainwright smiled, and I was reminded of the first time I’d seen him—in the matron’s office, where my entire life had changed. Was he aware that the ballot was rigged? Had he known what he was dragging me into when he appeared at the orphanage?
Questions I didn’t have answers to… yet.
“Yes, he is,” he said, shaking his head. “There is a lot going on behind the scenes at the moment, and the first school dance is in the works. I’ve been conversing with a few of the royal families, and this year we might have some special guests at the spring ball.”
I quickly shot a look at Mattie, and she rolled her eyes out of Mr. Wainwright’s view.
Yeah, looked like it was going to be your typical school dance.
He cleared his throat. “Anyway, I’m glad I caught you. Dean Morgan has requested a progress meeting. He wants to see how you’re settling in.”
Alarm bells tinkled in my head because the timing of this was very convenient—right after I’d found out about everything and tried to break up with Alex. Maybe they’d noticed I was avoiding him? Or maybe this was about Brandon. Either way, it was a good opportunity to gather some information—and I didn’t even have to create an excuse to do so. It was handed to me like fate was giving me exactly what I wanted.
“When does he want to see me?” I asked, annoyed that I might miss the soccer game if it was now. Sure, I’d acted like Mattie had to drag me along, but truth be told, I was turning into a secret superfan of this damn sport.
“Monday morning before class will suffice,” he said. “Just come along whenever you’re dressed and ready. We’ll accommodate you.”
I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “I’ll be there.”
