On silent feet, I placed my back against the wall, standing outside the light shining from the living area. I held my breath and listened carefully, keeping a watchful eye on the entryway. I wanted to know if they caught me spying on them.
It was silent until Theron sighed from inside the room and then stated in a weary voice, “I tried something tonight while you were gone.”
No one immediately commented.
I wished I could see in there, but I wasn’t chancing getting any closer.
Finally, Rune grumbled, “What did you do?”
“What Poppy and Cassander can’t bring themselves to do.” He coughed, his tone choked. “I’d hoped to save them from that misery, but it didn’t work. He healed instantly. A king can’t kill a king.”
My brows furrowed in confusion, and I leaned forward further.
Leather creaked, and then Cassander hissed, “That is my job, not yours. I bear that burden. You shouldn’t have even tried.”
Theron growled, “You don’t get to decide my actions. None of us knew if it would work or not.” His sigh was exhausted, his tone easing. “But you will need to do it, son. And soon. His mate will never kill him, and he poses too big of a risk if he’s used as a puppet.”
Cassander immediately retorted, “Just as you decide your own actions, I decide mine too. It took me a year before I was able to give mercy to Mother, and she needed the sweet mercy of death. God…he doesn’t deserve this.”
“And yet it still needs to be done,” Theron stated quietly. “Soon, Cass. Soon.”
Rune sighed. “Cass, he’s right. Is there anything anyone of us can do to help?”
“No.” The couch creaked again, and he groaned. “It has to be of my own will.”
“Fuck,” Rune muttered. Then he growled quietly, his tone harboring vengeance. “We need to find Mr. Valentine or whoever the fuck he really is. I think it’s time we called in extra manpower. Wolfe almost has the code ready so no one will be able to hack his system ever again, but we’ve been lucky this past month. That killer hasn’t so much as sent one golem our way.”
Cassander hummed. “Dad, should we call in the other Ancients?”
Theron instantly snorted. “We only call them if the world is ending. They would cause even more trouble if they went on a rampage.”
Rune asked hesitantly, “Are they…like you?”
“No one is just like me, but yes, the old ones are different,” Theron grumbled. “I’ll call my assassins in. Jonathan can lead the team and start a quiet search for Mr. Valentine. You’re right. We need the extra help to dig this sick fuck out of whatever hole he’s hiding in.”
I nibbled on my bottom lip, unease churning in my stomach. I couldn’t keep up with half of what they were saying, except to know I was in over my head. The drunken man on the couch could perform unhuman acts, and they were acting as if Theron was Cassander and Mr. King’s father. Maybe Wolfe Corporation had finally come up with technology to enhance humans, defying age and shit.
The fact they were talking about killing family so easily didn’t bother me. If I had the chance to off my father, I would in a heartbeat. So I didn’t judge. Every person had their reasons.
Rune grunted. “Is there anything else? I need to get Megan home.”
Theron hummed quietly in his throat. “Yes, there’s one more thing.”
Cassander groaned, “For the love of fuck, I’m too drunk to talk anymore.”
“Then just listen.” Theron chuckled—the sound vicious. “I’m coming out of vacation tomorrow.”
“Oh, fuck,” Rune muttered under his breath. Then quickly amended—with respect apparent, “That’s wonderful. We’ll be glad to have you back as our leader.”
Theron laughed outright. “And the ass kissing begins.”
Cassander grumbled, “Are you taking over God’s business too?”
“I am. I’ll be his brother, Mr. Theron King. The business left to me in his will.”
Rune questioned, “He truly left you everything?”
“Not everything. Only his business. His active will stipulates Poppy gets everything else.”
After a beat of silence, Rune questioned with caution, “Then we’re declaring God dead?”
“We are.” There was no room for argument in his tone. “Have Wolfe work up the paperwork for a corpse, and Alaric, take care of the tomb. We’ll announce that he died a week ago while on vacation—an accidental drowning while scuba diving—and his family has already buried him in a private funeral. If any news of Poppy’s adventure tonight gets out, then the story will fit for a grieving lover.”
Cassander muttered in heated aggravation, “I’m going to bed. I can’t deal with this shit right now.” The couch creaked loudly, groaning under his moving weight.
That was the alarm to run.
I turned on my heels and raced down the hallway, pumping my arms as fast as I could, not about to be caught eavesdropping on that humdinger of a conversation.
The Corporate heads were just as fucked up as I had always believed.
