Page 96 of Unmasked

“Why did King Lawrence let me go, Vaughn? Why did he just brand me and leave? What does it mean? He hasn’t come after us. He didn’t kill or imprison me.”

“It is concerning he managed to just walk away,” he said, lowly. “But technically, even if he did find us, he couldn’t come here. The Collective High Council would kill him and he knows it. He may be king, but even he has a handler. Just like me. Just like every other powerful president or leader in the world. The Council runs us, and we obey, whether we like it or not. Otherwise… death.”

“The Council,” I whispered. “Have they contacted you?”

Vaughn rolled over, grabbing his phone. He scrolled through, his face becoming more closed off by the second.

“Yeah. A lot.” He appeared to be reading something. After a long moment, his jaw flexed, and his head fell back to the pillow. He laid on his back, staring up. I moved in closer, and the concern had me flattening my hand on his bare chest to trace the P carved over his heart.

“What is it? What did they say?”

“Nothing good.”

Seconds passed before I pressed him.

“Explain. What does that mean?”

More silence.

“I guess it was always going to come down to this. Katia was right. It’s all a game to them. It doesn’t truly matter who wins or who dies. They’re untouchable. We’re not. Not really.”

I didn’t speak as he kept looking up.

“Mr. Prescott wants to set up a time to meet with me. I am to… enter society. Apparently, King Lawrence is throwing me a party. A costume ball, Halloween night.” Vaughn grew quiet. “It’s a trap. Even Mr. Prescott hinted enough, but it’s mandatory I attend.” He turned his attention to me. “Especially if I’m to be with you.”

“Me?”

“You are the Duchess of Rosemoor, Penelope. The world now knows it. All The Council needed was this heightened drama for their game to become irresistible. The Sultan is in King Lawrence’s corner, and Mr. Prescott is supposedly in mine.”

“And what about me? Who is in my corner?” I sat up, narrowing my eyes, angrily. “None of our lives are games. Our child wasn’t a game. You could die if you did this. People want to kill you. If you enter into society, you’ll be more of a target than ever.”

“And if I don’t…”

He left the statement hanging between us, but we both already knew. My voice was barely audible as I let the words drift between us. “They could kill you anyway.”

My lids lowered as my mind raced. I looked up, jerking my gaze to Vaughn’s.

“The Magister is dead. We’ll marry. We’ll…”

It was pointless. I already knew that answer, too.

“The Magister’s death doesn’t change the laws of The Order, love.” He took my hand, pulling me back down so that I laid partially on top of him. “I could kill them all and you’d still have to undergo the trials. The Collective High Council owns The Order. It rules us. It is a contract that cannot be broken. It just is.”

I nodded, hating it.

“Then you will have to emerge back into society. We have no choice.” My eyes burned through the tears that threatened. “We’ll just have to make sure The Order protects you.”

His brow furrowed, and he pulled me down to kiss him.

“And they will. Don’t worry about me. I was raised in these games, Penelope. That’s the thing about being king. Strategy is nothing without sacrifice. Everything in-between is trivial. The goal is not surviving the ball. It’s not even emerging back into society.” He paused. “It’s claiming my rightful title.” He nibbled on my finger, but all I felt was King Lawrence. I tried to repress the odd tremble that took over, but Vaughn didn’t miss it. His lids narrowed, but he continued.

“Will the world be shocked I’m alive? Yes. Will they find it controversial that King Lawrence is throwing a ball in my honor… absolutely. But it’s a distraction. King Lawrence thinks he’s forcing me into a corner. He’s going to try to embarrass me and make me bend the knee to prove a point.” Vaughn’s mouth pulled back on the side. “All he’s doing is letting the lion inside his den. He’s going to come to regret that. Not all kings are kingly. And not all predators attack at the first drop of blood. Some of us like to play with our food.” His smile grew darker. “Some of us don’t stop at a kill… we want a massacre.”

CHAPTER 30

King Lawrence

I shouldn’t have been so excited. After all, happiness was the last thing I felt over learning that my father’s men hadn’t succeeded in my enemy’s assassination so long ago. But as I stared down at Vaughn’s personal cell number, I didn’t just feel happy. I was fucking elated.