Page 66 of Empress of Ruin
“Weren’t you the one whomadeit?” Spencer questions.
“AI made it.” I won’t bend on this lie.
“Very well.” Spencer folds his hands on his lap, regarding me thoughtfully. “Your wish to see Silas dead goes beyond thefrictions between you in the last year. You hate his kind as much as his kind hates yours.”
I smile sardonically. “Hiskindcost me everything.”
“And our kind is threatening to costthemeverything.” Spencer leans forward. “Self-made men are an existential threat to generational wealth. We always have been. The problem with those who come from money is that they think there’s not enough to go around. They won’t share it. In doing so, they create a self-fulfilling prophecy. They leave themselves in a position to either thrive or go bankrupt since they won’t adapt or play nice.”
“I have no wish to eradicate Silas’s ilk,” I say smoothly. “They have their place. Silas does not. Frankly, neither does Vladimir.” I lean forward. “Now, irrespective of what Silas did to mywifemonths ago, a few days ago he tried to have me killed.”
“I’m aware of the bomb that went off in your building, and of the assassin who set that bomb.” Spencer braces his elbows on the table and steeples his fingers under his chin. “You believe he was sent by Silas?”
“Almost certainly.”
“Almost.So you don’t have proof.”
I grit my teeth. “I’m working on it.”
“Work fast,” Spencer advises. “But, even if you get it… your case isalmostas weak as Silas’s. Yes, he deliberately hurt a woman pregnant with your child—that much can be said for certain. What can’t be proven is that you intended to marry her. For all we know, you might’ve intended to squirrel her away somewhere or have her killed. In which case, you had Silas mutilate himself for no reason. The assassin angle would change things—ifyou prove it. That would constitute a direct violation of the core tenets of The Eyes.” He stands. “This has been an… interesting conversation, Killian. I look forward to the tribunal.” He leaves without further ado.
I failed to concretely bring him over to my side. There’s no knowing how he’ll vote.
Which means I need to flip Ryan and Raegan… or risk losing my head in less than two weeks.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Lyra
Killian returns home late after a meeting, his mood pensive. I’m in the library, sipping tea and going through pages of handwritten notes on my manuscript. I really should automate everything, but I like writing by hand. It helps me remember things better, too.
“How was it?” I look up. I know he met with another member of The Eyes—a judge of the tribunal. Killian wanted to persuade him to vote in our favor.
Hold on, when did it becomeour? It’shisfavor.
Except it isn’t. This whole thing was started because Killian hurt Silas in retaliation for Silas hurting me.
Killian just shakes his head. “Difficult. Come to the bedroom, please—I have something to show you.”
Please?When was the last time I heard Killian utterthatword? He demands, never asks. Curiosity helps me to my feet
I trail behind him through the enormous penthouse and up the stairs. “You really shouldn’t have gone out so soon after your injury,” I mutter. “You could rip a stitch. Someone could come after you again—”
“Worried for me, Little Bird?” he sounds amused.
My cheeks heat, and I’m grateful he can’t see my blush. “More like worried for my own wellbeing. If you go down, what happens to me?”
“You’ll be protected no matter what.” At the entrance to the bedroom, he puts a hand on the small of my back and ushers me forward.
I freeze when I see what’s on the bed. A pair of metalhandcuffsdangles from the headboard.
“No,” I say immediately. Being held immobile by cuffs is different from Killian holding me down, and it brings to mind memories that I very much want to keep forgotten. The night when he filmed the tape.
“They’re not for you.”
What?
I hadn’t realized I’d spoken out loud until Killian speaks again. “They’re for me.”
