Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 92612 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92612 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
“I’ve inspected her memories, such as they are. There is nothing in them concerning Theo. She barely has any recollection of her work on the cure. I suspect she didn’t play as pivotal of a role as we were led to believe.” I can hear the sneer in his voice. “She only gained her place at the lab because of who her sister was. The others did the actual work.”
“The others?” Gregor asks.
“The ones who attempted to flee DC. We destroyed their convoy before they ever reached Atlanta. Our human spy tells me only two remain alive, and soon enough, we’ll have them for questioning.”
Human spy? He must mean the redhead from the garden. From what I heard, they didn’t sound particularly forthcoming with information. In fact, they seemed more like enemies than collaborators. But what do I know of spies?
Gregor stares at Valen for long moments, time passing without Gregor so much as blinking. I shiver, my skin cold and my heart on ice. If Valen has a spy higher up in the human ranks, how can we fight back? We’ll never get ahead of them. Never have a chance at survival if someone is blocking us at every opportunity.
“Whitbine!” Gregor snaps so unexpectedly that I jump, my scalp smarting where Valen still holds my hair tightly.
“My lord.” Whitbine appears to my right and gives a deep bow.
“What of her memories?”
“She has recounted everything from her time here with utter clarity. There is no mental defect that would keep her from giving me the details of her time before captivity. However, she is unable to do so.”
“Unable or unwilling?” Gregor drums his long fingernails on the arm of his throne. A cheek. A person’s cheek, their eyes gone gray and dull, dried blood crusted where their nose was shattered.
“I assure you she cannot fight the compulsion. She’s only a human.”
“You’ve failed me yet again.” Gregor hurls his glass at Whitbine, striking him in the face. The glass shatters, shards littering the floor.
Whitbine only blinks, bits of his blood welling from cuts on his nose, his white tuxedo shirt turning crimson to match his bow tie. “As I suggested before, my lord, I believe she may have been tampered—”
“Do you have any evidence of this tampering?” Gregor thunders.
“Not yet. But I would like to request that the Lord Specter allow me to interrogate her alone and more frequently. I feel that his presence may possibly be interfering with her ability to focus solely on my requests of her memory. Also, a prolonged compulsion may yield better results.”
I stiffen and clutch my hands together. At least Valen has made Whitbine cut his tortures somewhat short. If he’s given free access to me, I don’t know what I’ll do. I don’t know if I’ll be able to withstand it.
“Are you accusing Valen of tampering with her mind?” Gregor asks carefully.
“Oh, no, my lord. Of course not,” Whitbine crows.
“Specter, what have you to say for yourself?” Gregor’s tone rises, furor in the hollows of his cheeks and eyes.
“If Whitbine seeks to cast aspersions, I suggest he look inward.” Snide and clipped, Valen continues, “He is the one who damaged her mind beyond repair. The only one who had access to her for the weeks she was in the Black Cavern’s dungeon. If anyone tampered with her, it was him.”
Whitbine steps closer to the throne. “My lord, I assure you—”
“Silence!” Gregor’s voice cuts through the air surer than any blade. I wince, leaning back until I’m against Valen’s unforgiving form.
“Someone has betrayed me. I know it now for certain.” He surveys the crowd. There isn’t a sound, not a single breath from the huge ballroom. “Which of you was it? Blood Corvidion?” His gaze returns to Coal. “You’ve sought my death for centuries upon centuries. Have you finally achieved it by destroying my only heir?” He gnashes his teeth.
Coal drops to one knee and bows his head. “Corvidion is loyal, High Lord. We would not betray you.”
“Nice words.” Gregor rises and walks down the steps, his movements jerky. “But empty. All of them.”
Coal doesn’t move even when Gregor is standing right in front of him.
“Lady Tantun!” Gregor snaps, then appears in front of Carlotta in a blink.
She drops into a low bow. “Blood Tantun awaits your orders. We will slay the humans and praise you as we do it.”
“More pretty words.” Gregor looks down at her with disdain.
“And you.” Gregor materializes in front of me, his eyes focused on Valen at my back. “What of you, Valen? You’ve failed to avenge Theo. Failed to find his killer. Failed to bring honor to my line. Did you think killing Theo would elevate you? You? A halfbreed?” Gregor’s arm shoots out, his cold palm wrapping around my throat. He squeezes, cutting off my air as he lifts me off my feet. “You were the one sent to mind this human, were you not? You!” he yells, his fangs only inches from my face. “Has your weak human side won out finally? Have you chosen to die with these animals?”