Page 128 of Unmasked

“I hate this. Hate it.”

“Maybe not as much as you’re going to hate what I tell you next.”

I eased back, studying her face. “Is it about the trials?”

“No.” She looked at the Reeve, heading over to grab her purse as I followed. “We should go home. I can tell you on the way. It’s almost midnight.”

“Alright.”

I gave Able a wave, walking for the door and holding it open for her.

“What is it? You’re not thinking of going to Rosemoor again, are you? Because if⁠—”

“Don’t get all defensive. I’m not leaving.”

“Good. What, then?”

Penelope let out a deep breath. “Something is shifting in King Lawrence.”

I slowed but forced myself to keep up with her steady pace.

“What do you mean, shifting?”

“Towards me. I’m not sure I can really describe it other than just telling you and letting you explain to me if this is what I think it is.”

“Start at the beginning.”

She nodded. “He called me on my way to training.”

“Tonight?”

“Yes. A little after ten. It was small talk at first, but then he revealed the real reason he called. I said something to him that he can’t stop thinking about.”

I stayed quiet, allowing her to continue.

“In the prison room, do you remember when he was asking about The Order, and he made the comment on why someone would want to buy a person? Like… what they’d use them for? I knew sex was the first thing that came to his mind so then I said⁠—”

“Even death,” I whispered.

“Yes.” She quickly nodded. “Those words stuck with him.”

My brow crinkled as I tried to gage his mindset. “What about it?”

“He asked me if I could kill a person. If I’d like it.”

My head snapped to her. “He asked you that?”

“It gets worse. He said he wanted to watch me kill someone. He said I could do it at the palace. That it was safe there. I think he was… I.” A look of unease had her hands coming up to interlace. “I think maybe he was…” her hand gestured.

“What?”

“You know… pleasuring himself.”

“What? When? When he was talking to you about killing someone?”

“Maybe. He wanted to meet me at Rosemoor tomorrow. I told him no. That I had other plans. So, then he told me to come to the palace tonight. I said absolutely not. Then I told him to go to bed, and I hung up on him. I turned my phone off after that.”

My hand went up, and my head lowered as I took slow steps. Anger was there, but more of an uneasy disbelief. I almost couldn’t wrap my mind around how brazen he was being. To confess, to admit…