Page 26 of Lethal King

My fingers tighten around the handle of my pistol. He’s defenseless. I could finish him right now.

But I don’t raise my gun.

No. I won’t have it end like this. Especially not if there’s any chance I hit that cat with one of my bullets. One way or another, I’m going to win it over.

Rian, on the other hand, needs to suffer a whole lot more.

Up ahead, I hear the heavy sound of the throne room door being opened from the inside. Then, it slams shut.

For a moment, I’m almost sad to hear him go. But that disappointment quickly gives way to an explosion of adrenaline.

Now is no time to be humble. What a fucking performance. Shit, someone needs to hand me an Oscar. But I guess I’ll take the lion’s crown instead.

“Lights,” I whisper, keeping my finger pressed on my earpiece.

Sure enough, the lights flicker back on.

My heart momentarily stops. Rian’s crown isn’t on its mantle. Neither is the cat.

But then I see the little black fuzzball flash across the room, and my gaze falls on the toppled crown. It lays on its side, hardly any more glorious than an ordinary baseball cap.

What a perfect image.

I can only hope it's prescient.

Without wasting another breath, I scoop down and pick up the bejeweled crown. It’s lighter than I thought it would be, and it fits perfectly inside my backpack, squished right next to the cake.

Good. That will make it easier to carry the cat.

“You’re coming with me,” I insist, spotting the little black void cowering in the corner. “I promise to protect you from these Irish devils.”

Either the fuzzball is too tired to resist, or I’m already winning it over, because the poor little thing hardly puts up a fight as I bundle it up in my arms.

“A girl,” I note. “I wonder what I should call you?”

No. No names. Not yet. Don’t get attached, Rozalia. Not again.

Just like that, a repressed sadness threatens to send me through the floor.

Trying my best to ignore it, I look back over my shoulder. The hologram disc is hidden well enough that it would be impossible to find… unless you were looking for it. And I’m sure Rian will be.

That’s good too. I want him to find it.

I’ve already left a little breadcrumb in the hardware. An irresistible treat that should lead him into my next trap. Hopefully, it will be our final encounter.

The thought sends my heart racing. And a flicker of rage cuts across the pit of grief in my gut.

Fuck my stupid hormones for making me attracted to that vile monster. I’ll have to nip that shit in the bud. Because there’s still so much to take from the lion who helped steal my brother away from me. And I won’t stop until I’ve taken everything. From him. From his family. From the world that’s tried to destroy me.

I’ll conquer this darkness. I fucking swear it.

But first, I’m going to conquer him.

3

Rian

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”