I’m proudly Maxim’s son, while Ruslan’s sons hate him.
I can’t imagine a punishment more fitting and fatal to the soul.
But he points his dark brow, aimed at his raven hair. His face wrinkled but chiseled. His lips full, yet ashen. His power diminished, but still vicious enough to destroy everyone I love.
“Indeed, Lyov.” He regards me. “I may not be your father. But you and your queen…”–he nods to Alena—“will bring your sister, Sasha, back to me.”
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
LOCH
“Our sister!How the fuck is that possible?” Axel fumes, pacing like a lion across our mom’s living room, its wooden beamed ceilings, plank floors, alabaster walls, and sweeping ocean views like a cage to him.
White slipcovered sofas and coastal-blue chairs frame the open space, with each spot taken by the stunned kings and queens.
None more shocked than our mother.
Her elegant face, frozen in horror.
“Mom.” I reach for her hand. “I’m sorry to break this news. Fuck, are you okay?”
Alena sits on my lap, nudging me, shaking her head because it’s clear.
My mom’s not okay.
Today was supposed to be a celebration. Our entire family together after Sire’s sermon, celebrating his safe return and Axel’s son, Lev’s arrival. Alena and I were going to announce our engagement.Again.Wren’s pregnant. Ruby’s pregnant. Nick and Zar are partnering with a surrogate. They’re expecting a baby too.
This was supposed to be the perfect start to the perfect year.
Instead…
“A sister?” Grant asks, leaning forward, clasping his hands with Delphine beside him, wringing hers. “Are you sure that’s what he said?”
“I’m shocked that fucker has the balls to be here,” Nick seethes. “One of us needs to shoot his ass and end this hell.”
“It wouldn’t end it,” Jace predicts, sitting with Nash and Vale on a sofa, their eyes narrowed, taking this all in. “His soldiers have orders to come after all of us? Right?”
He turns to Sire, who’s nestled with Wren in an oversized chair. She’s on his lap, and he’s not letting her pregnant belly go. “Right,” Sire confirms. “And now it all makes sense.”
“What makes sense?” Ruby challenges, then chides, “And keep it down, y’all. Lev’s napping in the other room.”
Lowly, Sire explains, “When I was in Moscow, waiting for my surgery, I met with Tariel.” He looks to Axel. “Remember him?”
Axel nods, still pacing. “Our father’sAvtoritet, his top brigade leader.”
“Yeah,” Grant adds, “he was always nice to us.”
“He was,” Sire agrees. “I think he felt sorry for us. And I hope he’s the next Pakhan once Ruslan dies. I told him, we, the kings, do not want that throne. He can have it.”
“In exchange for what?” Nash calculates.
“In exchange for the intel he gave me,” Sire continues. “He said Lev wasn’t the only child taken.”
“What?” Ruby glances around. “You mean, one of you has unknowingly siredanotherchild, and Ruslan has them?”
“No.” I clench my jaw, hating the pain on our mother’s face, the pain I caused. “He meant Sasha, our sister, was taken.” All eyes fall on me, disbelieving, but I insist, “I don’thave the words to describe it, except I was looking in the mirror the moment I met her.”
“Yeah, the moment you met her as Sheremetev’s escaped wife,” Jace snarls.
