The man doesn’t sound too happy. “So, we’ll be guarding this kid for more than two nights, then?”
“It depends on how long he lasts.” I hear the amusement in the woman’s voice. My stomach sinks. “You’ve heard about his pedigree. Emerian crime prince. Clearly he’s more trained than he appears.”
Jax.
They fucking have Jax.
I press my hand to my chest where my heart races.
“I have enough to deal with already,” the man grumbles. “At least we don’t have to go chase that girl through Jaakii and drag her here.”
My heart drops.
“Did you see if they’re up?” the woman asks.
“Not yet,” the man says. “I say we wait for them to get downstairs. Then we capture her and bring her to her cell.”
Oh dear gods.
Daegel ordered his Caligos to captureme?
“Did you prepare it the way he ordered?” the woman asks, chewing on something. In a mocking voice, she adds, “Heads will roll if his princess is not cared for properly in her captivity.”
Now it makes sense. Why Daegel wanted to make peace with me. Why he promised he’d drop out. He wanted me unsuspecting.
First time I’m ahead of the game.
“Yeah, yeah,” man says, chewing loudly. “She’s got all she will need to live in comfort until the trials conclude. I hate that we have to play nannies to some human bitch.”
“It’s so fucked-up,” the woman says with a sigh. Her voice drops a couple of octaves. “I don’t know what’s wrong with the Talbot heir, but something is not right in his head. You remember that Leti? They way they were always fighting and breaking up. The shit I’ve heard they did to each other…He’s clearly got some issues to treat his girls like that.”
“Bah, I don’t get paid enough to care about who he fucks or how he chooses to fuck ’em,” the man says. “Let’s go, this bread is stale. I need a fresh loaf.”
The woman’s voice is farther away now. “The chef is coming in an hour.”
I don’t hear what the man answers, because the kitchen door slams shut behind them and I’m left alone with my racing heart.
I shouldn’t be as shocked as I am. Not after everything.
The moment he told me his relationship with Leti was toxic, I should have run. It should have been the only red flag I needed. I told myself it was because of Leti, how toxic and ruthless she’d been. Daegel was so kind to me, after all…
But you can’t clap with one hand.
CHAPTER SEVENTY
PHOENIX
My knees are weak as I make my way back to Daegel’s bedroom. The journey is quick because I know my way well. But it feels like it lasts forever.
Daegel is still in bed when I return. He’s awake, though.
“Where did you go, princess?”
His voice is sleepy, words coming out in a gentle growl. He yawns and stretches his strong, massive body.
All I feel is rage. Cold, bloodthirsty rage.
Trying to bide some time to clear my mind and figure out the next step, I pick up his clothing scattered all over the floor and fold it neatly.
