Page 36 of Iron Crown

“He didn’t tell me either,” Dairo said to me. Then he looked at Eoghan, “I had no idea, cousin.”

I suppose that if Dairo didn’t know, then I shouldn’t feel bad. I never suspected that he could be a hero in Yuliya’s story.

“Though, I suppose, I shouldn’t be surprised either.” Dairo gave Eoghan a small smile of approval and nod, which must have spoken volumes.

Eoghan scratched at his clean-shaven cheek, awkwardly shrugging, as if he were withering under everyone’s attention.

“I told no one but Shiny,” Eoghan said curtly. “I wouldn't have told Shiny if I hadn’t needed her help. If my father found out, he would have slit my throat and branded me a traitor. Same for Shiny. The fewer people that knew, the better and safer for everyone.”

Then, he smiled. It was sinister and cruel. The kind of smile a person had when they were so fucking sick of the fucked-up world that they started their villain era.

“The things I was accused of doing to Yuliya Vasilieva—” He lightly gestured towards the woman, but it didn’t seem like he was really talking about her either. Like he was referring to a fictional version of her. “Have come in handy over the years,” he said, as if it was almost a point of pride. “Wagging tongues said I was so heartless, I could beat a child, and string her up myself.”

He let out a sad laugh.

“And there was power in that, for me, as well.” He shook his head. “Mercy has no place in our world. You all know that as well as I.”

I knew, as he did, that his father would have called his kindness to Yuliya a weakness. Worse yet, I think Eoghan, in a small way, believed it as well. That what he did would brand him a traitorand a coward. It would make him soft, unfit to rule in his father’s place. Mercy has no place in the underworld.

I pressed my fingers between his, linking our hands together. I was gratified when he curled his fingers around mine as well, smashing our palms together.

“As you see,isoveli,” Yuliya said, with a small chuckle. “It seems I owe Eoghan Green my life.”

She tipped her wine glass up in a mock toast.

Jericho moaned, his lip curling in scorn.

He got up and went to a wet bar at the side of the room. He opened a drawer and pulled out a large bottle of Finlandia vodka, then pulled out several shot glasses. He placed them at the center of the table, and in one tilt, filled them all.

“Weowehim, don’t you think, Jericho?” Yuliya said again, louder this time, so as not to be ignored.

“I’m thinking!” Jericho barked at his sister, clearly not wanting any of her shit right now.

He grumbled something aboutfucking Irish,andgod damn Green shitbefore he put the cap back on the vodka and placed it on the table.

No one spoke. No one breathed, except for the messy children who were the real comic relief in this whole situation, oblivious and indifferent to the tense adults around them.

“You should have told me, Eoghan.” Dairo’s eyes were on mine and Eoghan’s linked hands.

He looked at Rose, who sat beside him, fork in hand, playing with the food in front of her as if it were the blandest thing she’d ever tasted. His hand reached out to her, but he hesitated, stopping midway, and simply placed his hand on his lap again.

“Of all the people you should have told,” Dairo continued, “you should have toldme.”

“If you knew, and my father found out, you’d be shot alongside me.” Dairo didn’t disagree with Eoghan. So it must have been true. “And sometimes you hold a secret so long… bringing it to the light feels… it feels…”

“Naked?” Yuliya said, her voice almost seductive in its mockery.

“Have a care for the children, Aunty,” Dairo said, his brows comically drawn as he covered Baby Jericho’s ears.

Eoghan looked at his cousin. They really should have been born twins. It was unnerving how similar they looked.

“Take a shot, Irish,” Jericho said. “You too, AgentPicasso.”

Fuck.

Jericho had just, as we would say in the business,blown my cover.

I stared at him, incredulous, angry. I wanted to reach over and punch him in the face, but one look around told me I wouldn’t get far. Blink was trying to communicate something with his eyes, probably telling me not to do anything rash, but I was beyond that.

---