Page 268 of Vexatious Queen

“You did your job and gave me a grandson.”

Ana stopped walking, her face neutral, and I wasn’t sure what was happening. She burst into laughter.

“Oh my god…do you still believe that Sabastian is my son?” There was silence on the other end of the line. “Christov really had you fooled. No father, Sabastian is the bastard child of Christov and Alina. You remember her, the nanny Christov moved in as his mistress? The prostitute. You are such a fool.” She laughed again.

“Lies,” Vadin hissed.

“No. It was the truth that mother took to her grave because she was the only one who knew. In fact, she was the one who made sure the birth certificates were doctored so you didn’t know Eddie was Lilya’s father. Lilya is your only heir. You really thought Mom loved you? No, we both hated you. How does it feel to know that the woman you loved couldn’t stand to look at your face? You poisoned our family and turned us against you.”

Ana paused and took a deep, steadying breath before continuing.

“Know this…run or not, I don’t care. I don’t even care if you came here with good intentions, I’ll never let you near my daughter again. I will find you, and I will look you in the eyes as I take your life and never shed a tear,” Ana said and ended the call.

Seething, she looked at me, her body shaking.

“It’s going to be okay,” I said. “I’ll find him, and then we will take him out together.”

She nodded as I walked toward her.

My phone dinged with a text, and she handed it back to me without looking at it.

“I need a drink,” she said, marching to the bar in the corner.

Opening the message, I read over the strange poem.

Unknown: Rub-a-dub-dub, a Little Queen and her crown,

too late to save her, the King watches her drown.

Water stays calm while the prowler is near,

but seconds dissolve into silence and fear.

Rub-a-dub-dub, no echo, no sound,

blood sinks slow where secrets are found.

By the time love reaches where she’s been,

the water has already claimed her then.

I snarled at my phone as I read it a second time. I’d promised Lilya that I would let her handle this, but no one sent me a text threatening my family. No one.

MARCH 16 – MONDAY 4:39 AM

Ren

Knock, knock.

I sat up, blinking. It was still dark out, like very dark out. I hit my phone, and it wasn’t even five in the morning. I’d come back to Wayward last night and decided to spend the night in my actual room. I was hoping to see Ivy, but she had either decided to get a ride in with her dad or was with Chantry, and I wasn’t invited. Not that I was surprised.

Knock, knock.

My phone lit up with a text.

NASHOLE: It’s me, Princess.

Slipping from bed, I stomped across the room and pulled open the door. I had to shade my eyes from the hallway light.