Page 69 of Ashes of Honor

He spat in my direction, a pathetic attempt at defiance as he shuffled backward. His hands fumbled against the table behind him, searching, desperate. For what, a weapon probably. Didn’t care. Wasn’t planning on letting him live long enough to find out.

“Not going to answer me?” I tilted my head, watching him the way a wolf watched its prey stumble. “That’s fine. Odd, though. A lieutenant general wandering around unarmed. Did you have plans tonight, Victor?” My laugh came low, sharp. Cruel. “I’m afraid you won’t be making them. None of you will.”

“This is how she wants to play, huh? So much for the fight Ronan promised. Send you out to do her dirty work? Pathetic.”

“I volunteered,” I said, my voice steady, almost conversational. My thoughts strayed from him, landing on the blade in my hand. Slowly, I pressed a fingertip against the tipof the knife, watching as a bead of blood welled up, bright and mesmerizing. “Though I must admit I expected a bit of a fight myself.”

The room had grown too quiet, save for his ragged breathing. I finally glanced up, letting the faintest smirk tug at my lips.

“I wouldn’t give you the pleasure,” he sneered.

“Oh. It’salwaysa pleasure.”

“You’re sick.”

“I’msick?” A clipped, harsh laugh broke free from my throat. “Me? The sick one.”

I stepped forward, the knife gleaming in my hand, the weight of it familiar and steady. Each step drew me closer until the space between us felt suffocating—for him, not for me.

“I look death in the face and feel nothing. San Jose made the wise choice in choosing Covert. What we’re building here will surround them with greatness—from the architecture and inventions, down to the people. I’d say you’ll see it, but … you’re on the losing side of this war. There will be no bending the knee here,Bloodhound. To die standing is to die with honor.”

I could no longer resist the urge. Lunging forward, I sliced across the back of his knees. Victor crumbled to the ground. Blood pooled beneath him but he clenched his teeth together, resisting the urge to release a cry. I crouched down to his level and pulled him close by the collar of his shirt.

“You have no honor,” I whispered, each word sharp and deliberate. “And I’m going to make this hurt, you sick, sick fuck.”

He tilted his head, staring back at me with empty, unflinching eyes. An unapologetic smile cracked across his tawny skin. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Fury swelled in me, a familiar beast awakening within. My knife moved before I thought, cutting a deep line across his chest. Blood welled up, stark against his skin. The bastard didn’t even flinch.

“Those arechildren,” I hissed.

“I. Don’t. Know. What. You’re. Talking. About.” His tone was flat, his stare unbroken.

My grip on the blade tightened as the heat of my anger warred with an unwelcome flicker of doubt. He didn’t deny it outright. His confusion felt too raw.Damn it.This was supposed to be simple. Kill him, make an example, move the fuck on.

But his words lingered, carving a small crack in my certainty. What if he wasn’t lying? What if there was something I didn’t see?

“Are there more?” It was a simple question.

His smile faltered, almost imperceptible, then slid back into place, a faint shadow of something shattered. “Perhaps,” Victor said, his voice soft, mocking. “You’re mistaken.”

His answer—or lack of one—nagged at me, sharp and unwelcome. A feeling I wasn’t sure how to explain presented as a crack in the armor I didn’t even want to admit existed.

I pressed the knife harder, focusing on the steel’s edge to silence it. “I know what I saw. What I heard.”

“Do you?” Victor’s tone dripped with condescension. “If you came across children, you saw only a sliver of the greater vision. They deserve care.Structure.A chance at life within a proper home.” The crisp pop of his p onpropermade my jaw clench. “That’s all we’re doing—restoring order. Ensuring the right values are instilled in them. But of course, you’d find that wrong. The intelligence required to understand such a concept is clearly beyond your capability.”

I scoffed, my voice cutting. “Pardon my lack of subtlety, but, when do the breeding programs start?”

Victor didn’t flinch, his expression an infuriating mask of indifference. He stayed silent.

“Continue,” I snapped, leaning forward, letting the threat hang in the air.

He stared at me, unblinking, before smirking ever so faintly. “I think I’ve said enough.”

I took a step back, holstering the knife. My fingers twitched, magic simmering beneath my skin. Fire wasn’t necessarily as discreet as I was hoping given I still had two other stops to make. Then I made the call—fuck it.Closing the distance, I let the heat build.

“Torture won’t work on me, Bloodhound,” Victor said with a low chuckle. “A lieutenant general doesn’t rise in the ranks without surviving a few rounds. Ask your general. Oh, wait. One of those times was at yourother wife’shand. Remember that? Wrong time to ask your secret? It’s just one powerful piece of ass after the other. Though I must say, I prefer blon?—”

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