“You can’t be so foolish.” Segreti released Ezra and returned to the cot, where he resumed his seat.

  “What?”

  “Khalon will never release me. I’m a threat to him and his realm. He won’t trust me again after this.” He closed his eye and shook his head. “I should never have come into this damnable kingdom.”

  “Why did you?”

  Segreti glanced in his direction. “It no longer matters.”

  Ezra flinched. “And what of me? Do I no longer matter?”

  “You were a fairy tale,” Segreti replied hoarsely. “One I should’ve known better than to believe in.”

  “You don’t mean that.” Ezra’s words were almost a whisper. How much more could his heart take?

  “You… you would do best to forget me.”

  “How can you say such a thing?”

  “It’s over, Ezra.” Segreti motioned around him. “My fate lies in the hands of your king.” His gaze grew hard. “And you’ve seen for yourself where it’s led me.”

  Ezra gasped. “You can’t possibly compare Khalon to that bastard.”

  Segreti released a heavy, weary sigh. “No, but that doesn’t mean I can trust him.”

  “Please don’t give up. We’ve—”

  “You should go.”

  Ezra sucked in a sharp breath, tears stinging the backs of his eyes. That was it? This was as far as Segreti’s love went? “I was wrong.”

  Segreti glanced at him but remained silent, his expression guarded.

  It pained Ezra to say the words, but he forced them out regardless. “When I said you could never disappoint me.” He angrily wiped at the tear that rolled down his cheek. “All this talk of mates and love was simply pretty words. You never meant them.”

  Segreti closed his eye, his brows furrowed as he averted his face. “Ezra, please.”

  “No. You lied, General. You told me you read those stories because you could lose yourself in the notion that someone might love another so completely they’d face any threat, no matter how great.”

  “Please, stop.” Segreti’s pleas were barely audible, but Ezra heard them clearly as if he’d shouted them. He heard the words not spoken.

  “And yet here you are, surrendering.”

  Segreti launched to his feet, the agony written across his features almost too much for Ezra to bear. “And what would you have me do?”

  “Something! Anything but merely accept your fate! You’ve spent centuries at war, yet when the time comes for you to fight for love, you yield.”

  “As you pointed out,” Segreti said with a sigh, “I’ve spent centuries at war. I’m tired of fighting.”

  Ezra shook his head, unable to understand. Nothing made sense to him. He stepped away from the cell, refusing to surrender to the anguish in his heart. How could he have been so foolish? He needed to be alone. To think. With one last look at Segreti, he shook his head before leaving.

  He didn’t bother seeking out Khalon, Rayner, or even Adira. If Segreti refused to help himself, what could Ezra do? Not able to bear being in his room, he sought the comfort of his cottage. Although touched by memories of Segreti, Ezra could lose himself in his herbs and books. By sunset he was so exhausted, he fell asleep on the love seat, a book in his hands. When he woke, he found Riley sitting at the end of the love seat, staring off at nothing in particular.

  “Your Highness.”

  Seeming to snap himself out of it, Riley gave him a sad smile. “Hey. Sorry if I woke you.”

  “No, you didn’t.” Ezra placed his book on the table next to him.

  “How are you holding up?”

  “I can see why some have sworn off matters of the heart. It’s unbearably painful.”

  “Yeah. I’m sorry things have turned out this way.”

  Ezra nodded his understanding. “Thank you for trying to help.”

  “I had a long conversation with Khalon. I know there’s been a bit of a learning curve. Okay, a lot of a learning curve, and it’s partly my fault. I’ve been so afraid of failing that at some point, I stopped trying. I accepted my title. It’s time I acted like it. Khalon may be king, but I’m his mate, the prince, and Saugur. By hiding away in my garden, I’ve been letting the Soldati down. I won’t do that anymore. What good are my powers if I don’t use them?”

  Ezra smiled despite his heartache. He held great admiration for his prince, always had.

  “Khalon’s used to being the one who makes all the decisions, and I get it. Change is hard.” His eyes widened. “Boy, do I get it. But guess what? We either embrace them and adapt or get left behind, and I refuse to be left behind. From now on, we make decisions together, and if we don’t agree, that’s what the council is for. You, Rayner, and Adira, your positions are critical to the Soldati monarchy; don’t ever forget that. Anyway, I’ve babbled on long enough. We’re going to get through this. Something about this whole mess reeks.”

  Ezra sat forward. “You sense it as well?”

  “You bet I do.” Riley folded his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowed. “The visions haven’t changed, and none of us have had any luck finding the traitors. There might not be a whole lot we know about my powers, but the Eye? How are these assholes hiding from the Eye?”

  “Do you think they have help?” Ezra asked, the pieces starting to come together. It would explain why the conspirators had remained out of their grasp for so long. If they were receiving some kind of help from someone or something, whatever it was would have to be powerful enough to interfere with the Eye’s power. There was nothing he knew of with such power. Not anymore.

  “It’s the only thing that makes sense. Has the Eye ever been wrong?”

  Ezra shook his head. He’d never been so miserable in all his life.

  “If Segreti’s found guilty… what will they do to him?” Riley asked.

  “He will be presented to the Goddess. She will decide his punishment.”

  “Meaning…?”

  Ezra swallowed past the lump in his throat and closed his eyes. “I’ll never see him again.”

  Riley grew silent, which was very unlike him. Something was wrong.

  “Your Highness?”

  “I think it’s time.” Riley turned to face him, his expression determined.

  “Time for what?”

  “Time for you to know the truth we’ve been keeping from you.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Segreti sat on the cot, his head against the stone wall as the first rays of moonlight entered his cell through the small window. He’d been here for hours, and with every passing moment, the ache in his heart grew deeper. Why hadn’t he foreseen this? He should have known such a complex plot would bring about complications. Of course, he’d never expected the complication to come in the form of his beautiful Ezra.

  With a frustrated growl, he stood and paced the cell. Never would he have imagined losing his heart so completely in such a short time. Perhaps he’d lost his heart to Ezra centuries ago and hadn’t realized? Or perhaps his inner bear had known all along that Ezra was destined to be his. Patience he had, more than most, but now, knowing the pain he’d brought to Ezra, his conviction wavered.

  No, he must be strong. Ezra was the reason he was more determined than ever in his mission. He’d see this through, no matter the outcome.

  “The rumors are true.”

  Segreti turned to find Vestri standing outside his cell. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to see for myself.” Vestri approached the cell door, his brows drawn together in concern. “Are you really to be tried for treason against the Soldati?”

  Segreti scoffed. “Tried for a crime I didn’t commit.”

  Vestri glanced toward the end of the corridor to the entrance, where Soldati guards stood at attention. He drew closer, his voice lowered. “You didn’t plot to murder the king of the Soldati?”

  Segreti hesitated. “Were I involved in such a plot, I would never have done something so foolish as to confess to it in a letter.”

  Vestri studied him. He seemed to give Segreti’s answer considerable thought. “Khalon is your friend.”

  “Khalon was my friend, and in name only apparently,” Segreti growled, joining Vestri by his cell door. “A true friend wouldn’t have condemned me so quickly. Pavoni may have been a bastard, but at least he never pretended otherwise.”

  “What will you do?”

  Segreti cast a glance in the direction of the Soldati guards, his words hushed as he spoke. “Certainly not sit idly by while I get convicted of a wrong I’ve not committed. Blasted floating orb. I should’ve known the healer was trouble the moment I laid my eye on him.”

  “You blame the healer?” Vestri appeared surprised. “Word is you took him as your mate.”

  “I was a fool, believing he’d come to care for me. He’s the reason I’m in here. The moment I let down my guard, he betrayed me. No warning. Simply called the guards on me.”

  “Cowardly.” Vestri grew quiet, and Segreti laid his head against the bars.

  “Pavoni was right about the Soldati. Nothing but arrogant, haughty cowards who believe themselves greater than the rest of us.”

  “This is a travesty. An absolute insult,” Vestri replied with a growl. “How can Queen Verity stand for this?”

  “You forget Khalon made Verity queen. She owes him a debt. My life seems to be the price of that debt.”

  “There must be something we can do.”

  “I appreciate the sentiment, my friend, but I won’t allow you or any other Orso to risk themselves for me.” Segreti resumed his seat on the cot. “I’ll think of something. I won’t stand for this humiliation.”

  Vestri nodded. “I shall pray to the Goddess for you, my friend.” With that, he left Segreti to the stillness of the empty prison. It was clear the cells had not been occupied in a very long time. Segreti couldn’t remember hearing of the last poor creature to end up down here. Only a few more hours and this ordeal would be over. Would Ezra return to him?

  The night sky filled with stars, the moonlight growing brighter as the evening continued. Several hours later as the guards changed, Gori arrived. Segreti was surprised to see he wasn’t accompanied by Lazzari.

  “Vestri came to me.”

  To see him? Why would Vestri report anything to Gori?

  “He told me everything.” Gori’s intense gaze told Segreti exactly what Vestri had relayed to him, and suddenly the pieces began to fall into place. Quiet, unassuming Gori, who never seemed to have a thought of his own and followed Lazzari around like a lost cub. A clever ruse.

  “It’s all true,” Segreti said, coming to stand at the iron bars beside the cell door. He shook his head, his voice lowered when he spoke. “Khalon will regret this day.”

  Gori seemed to consider something before coming to some decision. “Take me hostage.”

  “Pardon?”

  “My knife.” He dropped his gaze to the knife sheathed in the scabbard at his belt.

  “Are you certain?” Segreti asked, voice low.

  Gori met his gaze. Gone was the uncertain insipidness, and in its place a darkness filled with machination. “Are you prepared to carry through with your plot?”

  “Kill Khalon.”

  “Well?” Gori’s gaze never wavered.

  Segreti nodded, his gaze hard. “He’s shown his true colors. His deceit will cost him.” He slipped his arm through the bars as if to hug his friend, ignoring the shout of the Soldati guard who took off in their direction. Grabbing Gori’s knife, he spun Gori to face the guards, an arm around his neck and the tip of the knife pressed to his flesh.

  “Please, Segreti, no!”

  “Open this door!” Segreti glared at the two guards, swords brandished in their hands.

  “Release him,” one demanded.

  “Throw him the key to the cell or I’ll slice his throat. You’ll have an innocent Orso’s blood on your hands.”

  The guards hesitated.

  “Fine. Start a war with the Orso. I’m certain the countless deaths will be worth it.” Segreti made to cut Gori’s throat when one of the guards quickly unlatched the key from his belt and threw it at Gori, who caught it. He held it up, and Segreti growled at Gori. “Unlock the door.”

  Gori fumbled from his awkward position, but they’d purposefully stood right at the door’s edge.

  “No one moves,” Segreti warned as Gori struggled with the lock but finally managed to get it open. Segreti kicked at the cell door, then reached around to move the knife to his other hand and slowly step outside the cell, his gaze never leaving the armed Soldati. “Move,” Segreti ordered Gori. “Slowly.” He kept Gori in front of him as he backed them up toward the exit, the Soldati following him. Segreti had just reached the prison’s doorway when one of the Soldati shifted and roared, sounding the alarm. Blasted hell. Segreti grabbed Gori and dragged him along as he ran out and slammed the prison door closed, locking the guards inside.

  “Stop!”

  Several guards on either side of the corridor they stood in shouted, and Gori grabbed his arm. “This way.” They darted into a small corridor that appeared to be a dead end.

  “Are you mad? We’ll be skewered!”

  “Trust me.” Gori threw a hand out, pushing against the wall. To Segreti’s astonishment, a door appeared. “Quickly, before they see us.”

  Segreti ran in after Gori, the door swiftly closing behind them.

  “How did you know this was here?” Segreti asked, following Gori down the dimly lit passage. It was wide enough for two and seemed to stretch out for miles, with several dark tunnels every few feet on each side.

  “We’ve been studying this castle for months.”

  We? Segreti followed Gori through a maze of darkened corridors, the only light coming from wall sconces lit by magic that had been placed along the way. Segreti had never heard of there being secret passages inside Soldati Castle, but then he supposed if everyone knew about them, they wouldn’t be secret.

  “I don’t understand,” Segreti murmured as they hurried down twists and turns.

  “You will.”

  Gori turned left into one of the tunnels. A door sat at the end, and Gori opened it for him. Inside was a small stone room with wall sconces, an old table with several maps laid out, and two familiar faces.

  “Lazzari? Vestri?” Segreti scanned the small room. “Where’s Fausti?”

  “We know you care for the cub, but he’s not one of us and can’t be trusted. He’s too naive and weak-willed.”

  “For what?” Though Segreti already knew.

  “To kill the Soldati king,” Gori replied, coming to stand at the head of the table. These were the conspirators Khalon had spent months looking for. As they’d suspected, the traitors had been right under everyone’s noses. It didn’t explain how they’d managed to evade capture this long.

  “No one can kill the Soldati King,” Segreti grumbled. “Shouldn’t we be finding a way out of the castle?”

  “We have time,” Gori assured him. “Few know of these tunnels.”

  “How do you know of them?”

  Vestri grinned broadly. “The fennec foxling servant.”

  “Sansone.” Segreti shook his head. “How? The foxlings are loyal to Khalon. They’d never betray him, especially after he marched into our realm to rescue one of their own.” Sansone, like all foxling servants of the Soldati, had inherited his position from his father, the honor being passed down from generation to generation. Sansone would never betray the Soldati. Unless…

  “We kidnapped his twin and have been holding him hostage for months. Given our allegiance to Pavoni and our king’s reputation with servants, Sansone was quick to give us what we wanted.” Lazzari’s lecherous gaze made Segreti feel sick to his stomach. He knew exactly what Lazzari inferred. Sansone either betrayed his king or these monsters would force themselves on his brother.

  “Is the foxling still alive?”

  “Of course,” Vestri said with a snort. “No use killing a good servant. Once we’ve killed Khalon, taken the Soldati realm, and dethroned Queen Verity, the foxlings will become our slaves.”

  Segreti folded his arms over his chest. “You seem to be forgetting two rather important obstacles in this grand scheme of yours. Even if we somehow manage to kill Khalon, there’s the Saugur and the Eye, which are also the two reasons we won’t be able to get near Khalon.”

  “The dark demons will take care of them and leave the Soldati realm to us.”

  Segreti’s blood turned to ice, and he stared at Gori. “Dark demons? You’ve made a pact with dark demons?”

  A wicked gleam filled Gori’s power-hungry eyes. “The moment we discovered all was not as it seemed with Khalon, we sought them out. They were eager to give us whatever we asked for in exchange for Khalon’s death. With the Soldati king gone, the demons can harvest all the souls from the human world they desire, and we shall live as kings for the rest of our immortal life. Once Sansone informed us the Saugur had a vision of his and Khalon’s death, we knew we’d succeed in our plot. We only had to devise it. And then the healer presented us with the perfect weapon.” Gori motioned to Segreti.

  “You know all is not well with Khalon,” Vestri said. “You almost admitted as much the day we arrived. At first, I thought nothing of it. You said the prince was powerful and would protect his king at all costs. I found that strange. You then made sure to quickly add ‘not that Khalon needs protecting.’ In that moment, we knew the king was vulnerable. It didn’t matter how, only that he was.”

  “And he is, isn’t he?” Lazzari asked, excitement in his voice.

  Segreti nodded.

  “Which is why we have a small army of demons surrounding the Soldati Woods, waiting on our word.”

  Gori was a fool if he believed he could trust the demons to spare them. Demons were foul creatures. They’d outnumber Gori and his followers, but he’d worry about that later.

  “Even if Khalon is vulnerable, how are we going to get to him? There’s an army of Soldati looking for me, and the Saugur, the Eye, and the council are all protecting him. We’ll never get anywhere near him.”