Blood Trial Supernatural Battle (Vampire Towers #1) - Kelly St. Clare Page 0,151
“Nine now.”
My stomach roiled. “Yeah, I guess so.” The sickening squelch of the drill bit digging into the Vissimo reared in my mind. I covered my mouth, breathing thinly. I felt nothing but regret over killing Callum.
I managed to keep whatever was left in my stomach inside. “What are the ramifications of that?”
“An impartial clan assessed the scuffle. The Fyrlia royals alleged that when the opposing Indebted forces happened to meet, you attacked their youngest brother without provocation. They later conceded that they’d been in error. The impartial clan ruled that although Fyrlia attacked you and later Kyros, you did kill one of the royals. There won’t be any further repercussions—aside from that which Clan Fyrlia decides to deal out unofficially.”
That’s what I meant in the first place. “And they’ll feel the need to, I’m guessing?”
All four sisters dipped their heads.
The triplets would be among those roaring for my head. I couldn’t win. I just couldn’t catch a motherfucking break.
I exhaled loudly. “Someone needs to tell me why they were going to kill Kyros, who they believe is really their brother. I thought Vissimo weren’t allowed to kill each other. Isn’t that why you guys are playing Ingenium in the first place? To prevent all-out war?”
Dierdre scowled at me. “Calm down. Your heart rate is rocketing.”
Because telling someone to calm down always worked.
“They weren’t ever going to kill him,” Safina said.
My mouth dropped open. “Yes, they were. They—”
“Were going to set him alight because even a Hyanium cage couldn’t have held him more than a few hours. They wished to eliminate Kyros from the turn that day because we were racing each other to broker a large land development opportunity.”
Never going to kill him.
“No one thought to tell me that?” I whispered. Though why would they? I hadn’t been back to Level 66 purposefully. I wanted nothing to do with their game aside from what I had to do for money and survival.
“The deal?” I asked despite myself.
Safina pursed her lips. “We lost it. Fyrlia landed on agriculture yesterday and signed.”
Shouldn’t she be more upset if the deal meant that much? The lives of her family members were on the line if they lost Ingenium.
“Was the developer Mr Ringly?” I tapped my lip.
The four sisters exchanged a quick look.
Dierdre glared. “You know him or something?”
I snorted. “Did Rory claim glory for figuring out Mr Ringly’s drug habit? Wouldn’t put it past him. But I assume that’s why you’re not devastated about losing the development deal.”
Clan Fyrlia just got fucked and they didn’t know it yet.
A slow smile spread over Safina’s face. Lalitta beamed.
“The Indebted who were with me. Are they okay?” I sighed, sinking deeper into the pillows.
Lalitta answered, “The female who got between the SUV and truck will take time to heal. She’s hooked up to a blood IV at the moment. Two were killed from another car. Three from the perimeter guard.”
That she took the time to enquire about the Indebted spoke volumes about her.
“Five died?” My chest tightened. Five more lives on my head. I’d handed them pinecones three days ago and now their rooms lay vacant on Lower Level Four.
“Who cares?” Francesca quipped.
“I care,” I snapped back. “And you should, too, you brat. They were there to save your brother’s fucking skin.”
She swung her legs off the armrest of Kyros’s circle sofa. “To save your fucking skin.”
“Franny.” Safina’s voice cracked like a whip.
Francesca’s guilt-tripping ploy didn’t work. I already knew Clan Fyrlia attacked to distract Sundulus while they made the development deal.
But five Indebted were dead. Five people.
I pressed the heels of my palms into my eyes.
“Why does she do that?” Dierdre asked.
“Kyros said she doesn’t cry,” Lalitta whispered.
“Good, I hate it when they cry. Makes me feel angry.”
The word she was looking for was angrier.
I lowered my arms. “I want a pay raise.”
They turned to me. Safina alone looked amused.
“I’m not getting paid enough to deal with you fuckers.”
What were they smiling about? I was deadly serious.
I gave up sidestepping the giant elephant in the room. “How is Kyros?”
Safina smirked. How old was she again?
“Did they get him with the fire?”
Her smirk widened. “Our crown prince is well, Miss Tetley. Comparatively speaking. The overlapping thralls and recent threat to your life have had an exponential effect on his urges and instincts. He’s not entirely in control of himself.”
My mouth dried. “How bad?”
Safina tilted her head to the door. “We had to fill his office downstairs with Indebted. He’s tried to break in eleven times in