“Oh. My. God.” I yanked my arm out of his grasp. “Are you fucking shitting me? Both you and Joshua?”
Lord Cato’s nose scrunched up. “Joshuamayhave told me.”
“How long?” I growled. “How long have you known?”
His head teetered back and forth, and his brown eyes held my gaze steadily. Finally, he answered, “Since the very beginning. Joshua had been frightened and came to me. He thought you were both dead.”
My nostrils flared as hurt twisted my insides into knots.
“I’m not sorry I didn’t tell you.” His eyes never left mine. “It wasn’t mine to tell. This was between you and your soul mate.”
I ran my tongue over my top teeth, wishing like hell I could rip his throat out. “Because a soul mate is sacred?”
A grating but simple word. “Yes.”
“I also received reports quite regularly. Mysterious reports that just happened to land on my desk about Queen Gwynnore’s lovers…and who had wronged her.” King Belshazzar raised both eyebrows at my father. “Where do you think those came from, Lord Cato?”
My father rocked back on his heels and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Magic?”
I couldn’t stop glancing back and forth between them. My jaw started to gape open. “Sweet baby Jesus. That is why I’m known as the Black Widow? My father gave my soul mate a kill list of anyone who jilted me?”
Both men’s lips twitched. Not damning themselves to a verbal affirmation in front of so many listening ears—and theywereall listening.
I blinked. “All right. I’ll bite because I’m honestly curious. If that’s true, why the hell did you wait so long to kill some of them? A few were real douchebags.”
King Belshazzar lifted a pointed finger into the air. “I’m not saying any of that is true, but if it were, it would be feasible that no one was killed until debts owed were paid. After all, an executioner must be a man of his word before taking a pathetic son of a bitch down—and a man of many years has met many people in his lifetime and accrued many debts to reach his final goal.”
The hush in the room was deafening—as was my heartbeat.
And then a thought occurred past the buzzing in my ears…
I gasped. “His nickname.”
Pippy.
“That really was a terrible decision on his part.” Lord Cato sighed heavily. “I did try to warn him.”
Bel snapped an irritated glance in his direction. “And fuck you very much for that one. I thought the prick might actually listen to you.”
“He didn’t. So your point is moot.”
Lord Xenon cocked his head, his eyes no longer appearing so tired. “I was missing a few pieces, but now it all makes sense.”
“Jesus fuck. I hate all of you bastards right now.” I gave them my back and eyed Kimber’s harem. I tilted my head toward one of them. “Aiko, you’re also coming with us.”
He stared. Unflinchingly. “As you wish, Queen Gwynorre.”
Kimber jerked forward, unable to remain mute any longer. “Wait. Why him?”
“Because he’s the strong,silenttype. And I’ll need that with the two egotistical brothers with me. There’s only so much bullshit I can take.”
The Breaker gently closed her mouth. She nodded once. “I understand that completely.”
King Belshazzar looked at his twin. “Are you up for pretending to be your son?”
Dorian’s smile was cruel. “I think I can handle that.”
Kimber’s eyes flashed on him. “Do not harm Aiko while you’re gone.”
