Zane

 

 

 

A COUPLE HOURS later, X popped his head inside my chambers.

“You ready to interrogate Uncle?” His voice dropped to a low tone as Astrid slept on.

I pressed a tender kiss to her forehead before rising. Dragging leather pants over my legs, I padded toward my brother.

“Did Cozmo come?”

Astrid’s brother appeared beside X, his face grim. “How is she?”

“She’s okay now. Don’t leave her alone?”

“I won’t.” Cozmo strode inside and immediately perched beside his sleeping sister.

I turned back to X. “I’m questioning Uncle alone.”

“He won’t like that.”

“Do I look like I give a fuck?”

A tight smile stretched X’s lips. “Not one single bit. Just let me know when the funeral is so I can fail to show my respects.

X took up a solid stance beside Magnar, standing guard outside my rooms, and I stalked through the corridors alone.

Then down into the very depths of the palace where only the sound of my heavy footfalls rang through the silence of the night. Here, the palace resembled a dark, dim garrison—nothing like the sleek luxe atmosphere of the rest of the castle.

The air moved in icy swirls. Dampness clung to the walls. Dust puffed from beneath my boots.

X had detained Uncle all right. In the dungeons, a cold ugly place, just like him.

Jedrek—charged with looking after our detainee—opened one of the many cells as I approached.

Uncle had been disarmed, but still he stared at me with steely arrogance when I entered.

I snarled, ready to rip his face off.

“Easy boy.”

“I’m not some animal to be handled!” I roared, ranging closer to him. “Do you have any idea what I went through tonight? Astrid could’ve been killed. And this time you’re at my mercy.”

His face paled until the long jagged scar from temple to chin stood out in stark relief. “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t fucking pretend you have no idea. The attack on Prairie four months ago. The attack on Astrid tonight! Because they’re humans!”

Rage exploded, and I lashed out. My fist bashed the side of his face, right across the old uneven scar. Blood spewed from the gash opened by my knuckles.

Uncle reeled back, but he made no move to retaliate. Good thing too because I was one jab, jibe, or jeer away from foregoing interrogation and just getting down to extermination.

Uncle just stood there, blood dripping off the edge of his jaw to splat on the ground. “I did not have anything to do with any assaults.”

“Really? That’s not what the male said tonight. Just before I ended his life. I won’t hesitate to end yours, too, in the most unpleasant fashion.”

“Just because I deem humans unworthy of taking over our planet doesn’t mean I have a hand in this—”

“In this plan for genocide!” I balled my fists, ready to strike again. “They’re not taking over Zenithia. They’re part of it. It’s called progress.”

“A human queen is the most vile insult to our species.”

“Wrong. You’re the most vile insult to our species. You consider anyone different from you an aberration, I should know.”

“Toughened you up though, didn’t I?”

I grunted in reply, some of the venom leaking out of me.

I didn’t want to become him.

Didn’t want to be like him.

Didn’t want to heap my hate upon his.

Uncle walked toward me. He stared at me unflinchingly. For the first time, I saw a certain respect shining from his dark eyes.

“Differences aside, I’d never seek to harm any of you, Zane. Nor your human females.” His steady look never wavered. “If you believe otherwise then I accept your punishment, whatever you deem it should be.”

I glimpsed a certain truth in him at that moment. He may have been a monster, treated me abhorrently in my youth, but he’d never been one to spread falsities.

Nodding, I stepped back. “I suggest you return to your outpost and find out who’s behind the attacks unless you want to face X’s and my retribution firsthand.”

 I spun on my heel and left the cell.

“Release him,” I ordered Jedrek.

“But—”

“He’s innocent in this. Escort him from the palace. The Valkrane trials are over for the time being.”

By the time I made it back to my rooms, I was no closer to the truth, which unsettled me.

After I filled X in on what little I’d gleaned, I dismissed Cozmo then rejoined Astrid in bed. As if she recognized me even in her sleep, she cuddled closer to me, drowsily mumbling my name.

The next morning everyone descended on our quarters, fussing over Astrid. Cozmo, Prairie, Kerta, X, and even Dylka made appearances. The company cheered Astrid up, especially when Prairie invited her to tagalong while X dragged her to one of her twice-daily appointments with the healer.

When Astrid left me with a kiss, a soft plucking of her lips on mine, I wasn’t sure I ever wanted her out of my sight again. But all three warriors would accompany them. The palace was safe, and I knew I could trust X to protect both women with his life.

In the end I was glad Astrid went with them, because I had something else to take care of.

Something of utmost importance.