Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 65094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
“Is he not allowed to do that?” I retort before I can stop myself.
His nostrils flare and the smile transforms into a snarl. “You may be my cousin’s breeder but you’re still just a breeder. Watch your fucking tongue.”
I’m hit with flashbacks from my last assignment where Master Fredresk, would be jovial one moment and then angry maniac the next. I brace myself just in case he decides to get physical with me.
“Chancellor Braeden,” Ayla speaks up, “I must get Miss Jamie back to her room, with our permission of course. She’s tired after a long day touring the fortress.”
He ignores the maid altogether, focusing his narrowed gaze on me. “Keep in mind, Jameshia Green, you are just a breeder. There are many like you out there. Especially ones without a murder flag on their file.”
I stiffen.
Of course he’d know about that. As someone of his ranking, he would have access to view all the files in the Registry.
He steps forward until he’s hovering over me and then he bends over until his hot breath brushes my ear. “Once he gets what he wants, he will discard you. And you will be executed for what you’ve done. But you if you behave yourself, then maybe I can save you.”
Chancellor Braeden then straightens up and steps back. The smile returns. “You’re now dismissed.”
I’d gotten too comfortable, but this was a reminder that my life was insignificant in their eyes and I could trust no one.
Chapter
Nineteen
DRAKEN
“Are you absolutely certain?” I ask, even though I’m staring at the evidence myself.
“Yes, My Lord,” Physician Gwyen nods solemnly. I ran the test twice. The first results were inconclusive, and I suspect there may have been some issues with the workers in the lab, so I had it run again and this time I sent off the bloodwork to the hospital in region 5 because I have some trusted colleagues who work there. That’s why it took a little longer than expected.
“On top of these findings, you believe that the previous results were tampered with in the lab?”
“Unfortunately, My Lord. I do believe so.”
I hang my head, frustrated that the results were what I suspected from the beginning. I had hoped to be proven wrong but that isn’t the case.
“Thank you. Please get back to the infirmary for now and report anything you find suspicious in the coming days.”
“Yes, My Lord.” He bows his head and places his hand over his head before backing out of my office.
I look down at the report that had been transmitted to my e-device. Not only had Lawreynce not died from an aneurysm as the former head Physician had stated but he’d been poisoned. Apparently he’d been administered enough to kill several large beasts.
That explained the scent I’d smelled on him when I’d examined his body. There was also a reason why that smell was familiar. It had been the same scent that had been in my food.
Someone in the kitchen had laced my food with this stuff and I’d been ingesting. I tap the screen on the e-device to give me more information on this drug.
It was called bellum, a cross pollination of several plants that creates a purple flower which would be harmless for the most part but when dried out and crushed into a fine powder or made into a liquid, it could cause irritability, headaches, and paranoia in small doses. In large doses it was poisonous.
Clearly he’d been administered a powerful dose. Perhaps it was hindsight that the chef who happened to be in charge of my meals had been dismissed and had been thrown in one of the holding cells.
I could no longer ignore that the fact that I was in the middle of a coup. And the mastermind behind it was none other than my cousin.
From the time I’d come to live at the fortress, he would speak of nothing else except one day taking over his father’s position as Sector Leader. He’d had so many grand ideas about how he would make our sector better and that he planned to weed out the corruption.
I’d always promised to support him.
But we were both young and foolish.
When my Uncle found me and summoned me to live at the fortress, I thought it was because he’d felt some familial tie toward me but instead he’d wanted an attack dog.
He’d heard about the undefeated ‘beast’ he’d fought in the pits. Discovering that the fighter was his brother’s son, probably made him think I’d be easier to control.
Instead of treating me like a cherished family member, I became his main Enforcer, sent to attack and kill anyone who he deemed unworthy of living. I became his sword, striking down anyone in the blink of an eye.
My Uncle was a petty man who took offense over the slightest offense. No one under his reign was safe. Servants, dignitaries…his own son.