Their grandmother had paid well for his childhood demise.
Now…
“The Probekeins still have a contract out on Kiara’s life, and her father is dealing with that distraction already. We can use some of our special guard to attack and make it appear as if they’re the ones after Kiara.”
Jullien nodded. “I can contact Bredeh – I went to school with him and his brother, Arast. He wants the bastard dead even worse than we do.”
Merrell dug his index finger into Jullien’s shoulder to emphasize his point. “You do that. Because if your mother or aunt ever learns that hybrid is still alive…”
“Trust me, I know.” They would personally kill Merrell’s mother and demand the tadara’s head. “You think I should tell my yaya that I saw him?”
Merrell paused to consider that. While the queen had been the one who’d originally used Merrell’s mother to pose as Cairistiona to get rid of Nykyrian, the tadara was a capricious bitch. There was no telling how she’d react to this news that her grandson was still alive. The gods knew, she’d been furious when she’d found out Nykyrian had gone to school with them and they had failed to kill him then. The queen had as much to lose in this as they did should Nykyrian ever come forward.
But Eriadne wasn’t that big a fan of Jullien these days either. She saw him as the weak hybrid coward that he was. Yet even so, she still preferred to see her direct blood on the throne than that of her sister. Which meant both he and Chrisen were forced to kiss Jullien’s repugnant ass.
All these years, Merrell had been hoping to eliminate Jullien from their lives before the mutant troll spawned an heir. So far, they’d at least succeeded in keeping Jullien from marriage and procreation.
It hadn’t been easy. Both he and Chrisen had bloody hands from it. And if Jullien ever found out, he’d kill them himself.
Hating that he had no choice except to kowtow to the creature he hated most, Merrell growled low in his throat. “Let me address this in private with her.” And while he did it, he planned to use this as a way to get permission to eliminate Jullien from succession as well. It was time for the throne to shift from Eriadne’s Anatole branch to Merrell’s.
Time for serious Andarion change.
Jullien nodded. “I’ll go make a few calls and see what I can put into place.”
“And I’ll stir the pot with Keifer Zamir. If Nykyrian really is with his daughter, it should be easy to make that paranoid bastard want his life for it. I’ll tell him that you suspect the hybrid raped and is abusing her.”
An evil smile curved Jullien’s lips. “Good.”
Merrell watched Jullien leave while his thoughts whirled. Things were unraveling fast. Sadly, he might have to sacrifice his younger brother to Chrisen’s stupidity. But that was Chrisen’s own fault.
This time, Terronova was out for blood.
If they fed Chrisen to Terronova, that should appease him for the time being. It would also quell the unrest with the nobility that was beginning to call for a restriction on royal power. Something they’d all taken a hand in causing, lately.
And once the nobles were distracted, Merrell would be able to go in and clean house.
Starting with the entire ezul Terronova line and ending with Eriadne’s life and that of both of her two remaining daughters.
Chapter 23
Felicia set a drink down by Talyn as she smiled at his patience while teaching Qorach how to play squerin – an old Andarion game. She was quite stunned at how fast and easily Talyn picked up both Qorach’s native language and his signs. Her male was exceptionally intelligent and quick.
As she met Morra’s gaze, the elevator pinged unexpectedly. Something that never happened.
Assuming it would be Galene, she turned to welcome her. Instead, Aaron stepped off first and was quickly passed by a group of eight enforcers who had weapons drawn and aimed at them.
Morra and Qorach held their hands up immediately and laced their fingers together behind their heads. The light in their eyes said they were debating if they could take their attackers, and what the cost of fighting them would be. Felicia was a little slower to move. For one thing, she couldn’t believe this was happening.
Homes didn’t get invaded on Andaria. Not like this.
Talyn didn’t move at all. He kept his hands on the table, in plain sight. “What is this, Aaron?”