“But even now, before any of this happens, Hreban is likely not alone. He must’ve made alliances and bargains. If you kill him, whoever is working with him will simply take his place and continue.”
And Reynald and the kids would still be in danger. The nightmare would still come to life.
I shook my head. “No, this will be complicated. I can’t just eliminate Hreban. I have to dismantle him while the entire kingdom watches. He thinks he is untouchable. I will reach out and touch him. I know his secrets. I’ll drag all his dirty laundry out into the light for everyone to see. It will take time, money, people . . .” And I didn’t have any of that.
He leaned forward over my desk. “I will do this with you.”
“No.”
He gave me that Reynald look, the same one he had treated me to when I announced I would sell myself to Derog.
“I’m capable—”
“Three hours after we met, you sold yourself into slavery and then died.”
Well, yes, it sounded bad when he put it that way.
“You need help. You need me to keep you alive.”
“You have done enough for Rellas,” I told him. “You served the country for twenty years. You fought and bled for the kingdom. You deserve to rescue your son and go far away from here, to live a calm, safe life. Matheo needs a living father.”
“I’m a knight,” Reynald said. Steel vibrated in his voice. “I swore an oath to defend my country. A kingdom isn’t land or cities, it is people. If what you say is true, we are on the threshold of great suffering. I will do whatever it takes to shut that door.”
“No. There will be consequences.”
“We will deal with the consequences.”
I wasn’t explaining it very well, and the danger he radiated made it harder to think.
“I’ve already meddled to save someone, and then you and I came here and killed Derog and his crew. Now an entire sequence of events won’t happen, and I don’t know what will happen in its place. I only know what was supposed to happen. I may have made things worse.”
“I doubt it,” Reynald said.
“Our actions will alter the future in unpredictable ways. What if we stop the assassination of the crown prince and King Sauven is assassinated instead? What if your son is blamed for it and dragged through the streets chained to a horse? What if you die? What if Clover dies? You won’t come back to life like I do.”
Here is a giant sack ofwhat ifs, deal with it.
“I have six brothers,” Clover said from the doorway.
I turned. She stood on the threshold, her face pale, her body rigid. Oh great. “How long have you been there?”
“Since I asked you if you could see the future,” Reynald said.
“And you didn’t mention it?”
“She has a right to know.”
I raised my hands.Really?
“While we are on the subject.” Reynald looked past me at the open door to my bedroom. “Come out.”
I turned in my chair.
Kaiden crawled out from under my bed on all fours.
You’ve got to be kidding me. “Kaiden! What are you doing hiding under the bed?”
“I heard you crying. I thought something bad happened.” He stared at Reynald. “How did you know I was there?”
