Page 372 of Reign

“You can argue whatever you like on your way out of my house.”

“With the journals.”

“Without them.”

“That defeats the purpose of coming.”

His voice lowers.

“Put. Them. Down. Or you leave without hands.”

There it is.

Less Santo.

More Scythe.

I tighten my hold on the journals.

“No.”

He steps into the library.

“You walked into my home uninvited, went through my private library, and now you intend to leave with my mother’s journals.”

“When you say it like that, it sounds impolite.”

“It sounds like a remarkably efficient way to die.”

“There you are.”

His eyes narrow.

“I was wondering when that extensive vocabulary would pop up.”

“You are trying my patience, Castillo.”

“I noticed.”

He takes another step.

“If you leave this room with those journals, I will personally ensure you regret the spectacular failure of judgment that brought you here.”

“See? You use too many words.”

His nostrils flare.

Then I hear heels in the hall.

Fuck.

Santo hears them too.

Something in his face changes.

I know that look.

Scythe.