Page 60 of Urban Gladiator

My father scoffed. “She is for another two days until the bloodletting ceremony.”

“Until then.” I nodded and inwardly seethed. My wolf wanted to rip his fucking head off for even suggesting harming my mate. “I have a question for you. What do you know of the witch, Bronwen?”

“Where did you hear that name?” My father glanced around the room, ensuring we were alone.

He didn’t realize that he’d given himself away. I never realized how weak my father really was until now. He always projected strength, but it was built on lies. I demanded, “Answer the question.”

“I don’t know where you’re going with this—”

I cut his diatribe off. “Stop. Just fucking stop. You really did start the war, didn’t you? After destroying her village, you raped and tortured that witch and then burned her at the stake. You’re the reason so many of our people died.”

My father leaned back in his seat with a bored expression. “And? It worked. I brought those fucking witches to heel. They think they’re so much better than the rest of us.”

“Just stop. Those are your prejudices. The witches never did anything to you except turn you down. I can’t believe you destroyed so many lives to simply hide what you did.” And Ember had been right. About all of it.

“What do you want from me?” His gaze narrowed. And I knew from experience he was calculating his next move.

I approached the throne until I stood right below him. Because I needed to watch his response closely. “Here’s how this will go. You will relinquish the throne in the next twenty-four hours, or I go public with what I have learned.”

“You’re threatening me? Blackmailing me? Do you want the throne that badly?” My father laughed like it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard.

“No, I don’t. But I also can’t sit still while a liar and a murderer sits upon the throne. The witches have paid enough. We will be putting an end to the tournaments.”

My father shot to his feet and shouted. “Fool. The barrier will fall, and all our people will pay the price.”

“Not if you know how to keep the barrier up without draining the blood of a witch.” I countered.

My father tossed his head back and laughed. “Your witch must be quite the fuck. It’s obvious she’s fed you lies. It’s the only way to reinforce the wall.”

“I will give you one pass because we’re blood. But so help me, if you ever speak of Ember that way again, you will have to fight me. And we both know that your fighting days are over. You might have been alpha once, but we both know who the alpha is in this room. And if you think I’m joking, try me and see what happens,” I dared him, staring him down. If he wanted a fight, I’d give him one. And I would win.

He sneered. “Listen up, boy. I will not cede anything to you. What right do you have—”

“I have the only right. And if you want to threaten me, I will ensure every household in Avalon knows your crimes. In fact, I’m prepared to do it. So go ahead, threaten me and see how far you get,” I challenged, past the point of caring. He lost his way years ago, and I had been too blind to see it, too self-righteous.

“Not going to fight me? Didn’t think so. Better get a good night's sleep, old man. In the morning, you will announce your retirement and relinquish the throne. Otherwise, I will follow through on my threat. And you know me well enough to know that I never threaten what I’m not prepared to deliver.”

And then I walked away. I didn’t want to listen to his lies and scathing replies.

I had a finite amount of time left with Ember. I didn’t want to waste it quibbling over split hairs. My father was guilty of crimes against the kingdom. It was time he paid for them.

All my tasks that day took longer than I would have liked. Whittling away my time. When I returned to the room, my breath caught in my throat. Ember had taken time with her appearance. She sat at the table with silver platters of food, waiting for me. But she rose the moment I entered.

She took my breath away.

I didn’t know how I was going to let her go. It would be the hardest thing I ever did. Even more than dealing with my father.

I went to her then, striding to her side and taking her into my arms. “You look lovely.”

She circled her arms around my neck. “As do you. Have dinner with me.”

I pressed a chaste kiss to her mouth. “I will. And then I’m taking you to bed the rest of the night.”

“Sounds perfect.” She smiled, but I spied the sorrow in her eyes. We were both hanging on by a thread at the coming separation.

Pulling out the chair for her, I helped her sit and then sat beside her. I didn’t want to be on the opposite side of the table. My place was at her side.

“Did you get all your tasks completed?”

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