So it was time to make another statement that I was in charge, and just because I’d delegated one area of law enforcement to the Alpha didn’t mean he was in control. It didn’t mean he was somehow the boss now.
Dray, Vex, and a few other Alphas involved were gathered in the dungeon along with Belinda, Darren, Fraser, and Maple.
“They signed the extras?” I checked with Belinda, she and Fraser on board with me showing the Alphas why I was the boss.
Darren and Maple were worried more about my safety. I didn’t disagree, but my safety was in jeopardy in the long run if I couldn’t keep the Alphas in line.
Belinda snickered. “Men don’t like to be kept in the dark, but they were very willing to be gagged to learn royal secrets.”
Fair enough.
I went into the first room and smirked at Elder Bramble. He was the piece of shit who quickly slipped in that my parents had traveled through the storm to get to me after our fight—basically blaming me and my tantrum or whatever for their deaths.
When in reality it was his nephew. His nephew was the biggest culprit of the corruption and neglect.
“You should have kept your mouth shut and your head down,” I said as I pulled out the chair and sat down. I smirked at the pissed-off elder—former elder. “Fucking fools. The lot of you.”
“Mask is fully coming off if they’re all gagged I see,” Fraser said with a dark chuckle.
I gave a half shrug, keeping Bramble’s gaze. “All so full of yourselves andso sureyou knew everything. Knew so much more than me and you didn’t even fucking know why I was really sent away.” I chuckled when he rolled his eyes. “My parents were terrified of me. That’s the truth.”
“Sagan,” Darren sighed, but I snorted, meeting his gaze in the mirrors.
“No more lies. You can say they had some love for me, but I believe Belinda that it was more an act. But everyone in the know hereknowsthey were scared of me more than they were scaredfor me.”
And he couldn’t deny it. I was impressed that the truth dragon and tiger who were in charge of this interrogation didn’t react. They were gagged as well and none of this was going to be recorded.
“See, here’s the truth,” I told Bramble as I crossed my legs and folded my hands. “I had a crush on an older boy—so handsome and full of life. Everyone loved him and he was so nice to me—genuinely nice to me, not the Heir of Thovudin. And as silly children do, I tried to keep up with the big kids. I wanted to show him I could and I was just as good.
“Except I almost crushedhim.” I looked back to the mirror and into light blue eyes. “Didn’t I, Benson? I broke—half the bones in your body? At least a third.” I was shocked when he seemed to blink back tears and focused back on Bramble whose mouth was hanging open. “And my parents werehorrifiedthat their little princess—theirheirdid that.
“So I was sent off. Immediately. Before I could even apologize or learn if I’d killed the boy I’d liked so much.” I swallowed loudly at that memory. “That’s why your plan was so fucking stupid. You were never going to puppet me. You were so in the fucking dark it was ridiculous because as achildI was a stronger dragon than Father and it terrified him.”
Just to prove my point to everyone there, I stopped shielding my power, the very aura of my dragons. No one would be able to sense there were two—no one could since that hadn’t ever happened before. They would just sense power unlike they’d ever felt before.
“You thought to control that?” I mocked. “You’re just one of Hardin’s lackeys. The lot of you fools couldn’t handle me.”
“You never told me that they didn’t tell you I was okay,” Benson rasped.
I met his gaze in the mirror and flinched. “All that mattered to them was you. Father loved you like a son and I was just his overpowered freak heir. He didn’t even talk to me for…” I shook my head and glanced at Maple. “Maple learned that I was being shunned basically and came to see me. Told me you had fully recovered and that it wasn’t my fault.”
“It wasn’t, Sagan,” she rasped. “You were a child—just a kid. You’re powerful by the blessing of the gods and Thovudin clearly needs it. You’re not even the only powerful royal who’s made mistakes and hurt people.” She glanced at Fraser. “Who was that nanny I hated and accidentally sicced all the squirrels on?”
“Oh, that twat was—I forgot her name but yes, accidents happened.” He snorted. “She deserved it, but—we’ve all made mistakes. Rhys—I’m so mad at him he never told you his own mistakes with his powers. He mademany.”
I blinked between them and then let out an evil laugh, scrubbing my hands over my face. “I’m seriously over the lies. He told me not once did he lose control. No member of the royal family ever injured someone with their powers until me and I could never forget that moment so I always kept control.”
“I no longer think he sits next to the gods,” Maple seethed before storming out of the room.
I wasn’t sure I did either, but I felt bad for ruining their image of their brother.
“I can practically hear you blaming yourself and none of this is your fault,” Darren said firmly. “It’s theirs. I’m furious at Amelia too, and I—we should have—none of it is on you.”
Fair enough, but I didn’t have a switch to shut it off in my mind either, so it was best to just move on.
“The mistake you just made—and in a line of them that will show the others you shouldn’t be in charge and they should havelet us guide you,” Bramble said confidently. “Was that I didn’t sign anything and it doesn’t work after the fact. There’s no magic that contains me or—”
I burst out laughing and knew instantly it was Belinda when it echoed. It took me a few moments to calm down, but when we looked at each other, it set us off all over again. It got so bad the Alphas stepped into the room and couldn’t hide their confusion.
