Page 266 of Lethal King

I don’t want to hurt you. Not physically, at least.

What the hell does that mean?

“Well, that’s a relief. I thought you might be angry at me,” he teases.

“I am angry at you,” I spit back. “Furious. You almost got Roz killed.”

Suddenly, Tytus doesn’t look so playful.

“I heard about that,” he snarls. “If you haven’t heard my messages, let me update you. I did not tell that greasy Italian fuck to kill you. And I definitely didn’t send him after Roz. Don’t you ever dare accuse me of that again.”

“Bullshit,” I spit. “If you didn’t tell him to come after us, then why the hell did he do it?”

“For the same reason he brought Kaja to your coronation,” Tytus says. “Because he’s an idiot. A small-minded, vicious little idiot.”

Part of me wants to believe him. Everything would be so much better if he hadn’t actually sent a hit out on Roz. But how can I trust him?

“Where have you been?” I ask, not letting the sneer drop from my lips.

“Preparing.”

“Preparing for what?”

“War.”

My grip tightens around the handle of my gun.

“With who?” I ask, already knowing the answer.

“With you, of course. Who else is worth fighting?”

“So you do want us dead?”

“No,” Tytus says, shaking his head. “I just want your power. Well, most of it anyway. I’ll leave enough to you and Roz so you two can retire to some tropical paradise.”

“And let you destroy the rest of my family?”

“I don’t have any soft spots for the rest of your family,” Tytus callously points out. “Well, that’s not true. There is—”

“What the fuck…”

Looking over my shoulder, I see Roz stumble into the clearing.

“Hey, sis,” Tytus smirks.

“You… You’re alright,” she mumbles, staring up at the hologram. The relief in her voice is tentative.

“I’m better than ever,’ Tytus assures her. “Though, I do miss you. And our brother. How is Gabriel, by the way?”

“He… He’s good,” Roz stutters, stepping forward.

I take her hand. Those sharp brows are twisted with confusion.

“Tytus has been leaving messages in the village for me to find,” I quickly explain. “The cats have been dragging them out into the woods to use as nesting and playthings.”

“… The cats? Plural?”

As if on cue, a pair of yellow eyes stick out from the hollow trunk behind Tytus’ flickering image. A pair of green eyes pop out to join them. More follow.