Fury raced through my veins as I dismounted from my horse. My blood boiled. The small part of me that hesitated on actually killing my father was gone. The bastard was going to pay.

Kieran, my brothers, and I discovered a spy at Martha’s Inn. Tia’s second cousin on her mother’s side of the family, William. When we questioned Martha about the chocolates, she said she didn’t pack any.

It was Kieran who sniffed out the herbs used and found William disposing of the evidence. With fangs exposed, Kieran got the young man to spill.

The king offered a large bounty for Tia—dead or alive. I thought for sure Kieran was going to make the man his next meal. Elion had to drag the vamp out of the inn and back to Tia.

Martha was heartbroken and pissed. I’d never seen the tenderhearted woman curse anyone out before. I could see where Tia got her fire.

“We can’t ignore this,” Ayen snarled as he stopped next to me.

“We aren’t. I’ll send Jonah to get the bastard. I don’t even care if the wolf brings him back alive.” I closed my eyes. For a brief moment, I sounded as ruthless as my father. Only difference was, I was sane.

“Are we switching plans?”

I shook my head. “Not yet. I want to see how much DD knows. If our element of surprise is no longer going to work, then we move to Plan B.”

Plan B involved creating a civil war within the kingdom by leaking the evidence already collected, turning the people against the throne, and allowing Kieran, Jonah, and my brothers leave with Tia. Say goodbye to her, not knowing if I’d ever see her again.

“I don’t like Plan B.” Ayen nudged me to get moving. “It ends tomorrow night at the ball. It has to. I can’t leave our people in a war.”

I agreed. “It ends tomorrow.”

---

Jonah rode into the stables as Conell and I reached the entrance. We waited for him in silence. Conell and Jonah had to make a face-to-face with Father to keep up appearances and to make sure the bastard’s drink was spiked. Since we discovered that Tia was alive, each of us took turns keeping the king in a semi-drunken state.

Recently, Conell had added more of the potion Chester made us to keep the king in a fog of what was actually going on. Conell gave the guards their orders and kept them busy enough not many of them looked for Tia unless we were all out pretending to search for her.

We didn’t know who to trust. When Tia got to the safe house poisoned, our trust issues multiplied.

Jonah joined us at the entrance. Conell asked, “How’s Tia?”

“She’s awake. She’s has regained some of her mobility, and she’s healing.” Jonah glanced around like he usually did when we had our little meetings. He was searching for threats and listening to our surroundings.

Yet, he seemed a little more relaxed. “And you and her?”

Jonah glared at me. “We’re working on it.”

“Good,” Conell said. “Ay, I need you to search for the journal. Try her cell room again. See if one of the other servants took it. Then go to the safe house. Jonah and I might not be there until time to take her to the ball.”

With another short nod, I headed to the servant entrance of the castle that led to the dungeons.

I slipped in and down the stairs to the damp underground of the castle without being noticed. So I thought until I entered the cell that used to be the one Tia stayed in. Two guards stood in the center of the small space, waiting for me.

Not just any guards, but the general and his first lieutenant. My heart fell to my feet. Dread burned my gut and quickly spread through my veins. Squashing my fears and keeping my features as emotionless as possible, I smiled. “What’s up?”

The general, Trace, frowned and pulled out a leather-bound book from his jacket pocket. “Looking for this?”

“What is it?” I played dumb to see where they were going with it. Obviously they hadn’t taken the journal to my father or they wouldn’t be standing in front of me like they wanted something.

“Cut the shit, Ayen. We know you and your brothers are up to something.” Trace opened the book and slowly flipped the pages. “If it has anything to do with getting Conell on the throne faster, we want in.”

I raised a brow. “You seem to think you know too much.”

Trace chuckled and pointed to his first. “Kit and I have been watching you three. Plus the walls have ears.”

“Only if you put the ears in them.” I threaded my fingers through my short hair. “Why should I trust you?”

“My service is to the king. That monster is no longer a king. He’s a coward who hides behind the fear and terror he spreads through the kingdom.” Trace advanced toward me, then handed me the book. “My service is to Conell, Elion, and you.”

I blew out a breath. Building our forces to overthrow our father was always a goal. “I can’t give you details. You’ll need to get them from Con. But this journal give us the proof we need to call my father out in front of the whole kingdom, during the ball tomorrow night.”

Trace nodded. “Where is Conell?”

One side of my mouth lifted. “Drugging our father with Jonah. So follow the drunken rants of the king.”

The guards laughed and left the cell. I held the journal and stared at it for several long moments. Sadness filled my heart. In my hands was the proof my father murdered my mother, and then Tia’s.

Taking a deep breath, I put the book in my blazer inside pocket and left the cell. I needed to see Tia. To make sure she was okay. To hold her.

And tell her she’d never have to run again.

It all ended tomorrow.