Kenzo reached over, placing his hand on mine. While the heat from Ronan’s fire was comforting, his father’s was a warning. Hetuttedpatronizingly. “You have much more to offer us than a few paltry runics.”
Ronan slammed his fists down on the table as he stood. “Sage doesn’t have to do shit!”
The guards’ eyes began to focus on Ronan, and I worried they would actually move in on him if his dad gave the signal.
“Ronan, chill. Let’s just hear what dad has to say,” Maia said, picking up a small black bean with her chopsticks. “You know there’s always going to be room for negotiation.”
Kenzo smiled at his daughter, his head tilting a fraction of an inch to the side in respect. “Thank you for being the reasonable one, as always.”
I knew why Kenzo was insistent on Ronan being his successor—alphas never really saw omegas as having much potential, even when it was staring them in the face. But removing all designations from the room, it was obvious that Maia was clearly more suited to this.
Ronan was… too emotional. Too moral.
I loved that about him, but if not for his physical and magical strength, he’d never have survived in this world as long as he had.
“Then just spit it out already,” Ronan growled, refusing to sit back down.
Kenzo looked over at one of the guards and nodded, and he came forward, taking a small tablet out of his suit jacket and handing it over to the elder Oniguro.
He quickly found what he was looking for and slid the screen across the table so we could all see.
My blood ran cold.
It was a photo of Accalia with Alaric.
Ronan scoffed. “What does Corvane’s widow have to do with Sage?”
Kenzo took out a roll of vaporleaf, lighting it and taking a long pull. “Haven’t you heard?” he asked, releasing a cloud of smoke. It curled out of his nostrils, winding its way around his horns. “Madam Corvane is now the Premier Regent of Noctis until junior here comes of age.”
My heart pounded in my chest. He couldn’t know. There was no way.
Did he know?
Oh, Hecara, did he know?
Ronan cracked his neck, clearly losing patience, while Maia was unreadable, her eyes slowly making the circuit between the screen, me, and her father.
They widened.
She’d figured it out.
Everyone knew except Ronan.
“So what?” he asked. “I fail to see the connection here.”
“Ronan,” Maia said quietly. “Look more closely at the baby.”
I swallowed, my eyes watering, but I refused to cower. To shrink back.
Ronan clicked his tongue against his teeth in annoyance, grabbing the tablet off the table to get a better look. He wasconfused at first, but then something caught his attention. He stared. He squinted. And then he gasped.
“No.”
“Yes,” Kenzo replied, exhaling again.
“Sage?” His voice was small. Hurt.
Betrayed.
