Page 37 of Sinner
Putting Nix in line meant removing any potential threats from others wanting that position for themselves. Now, even if all four of them were murdered, it wouldn’t gain their would-be killer a thing, because there was no chance of anyone else moving in on the throne.
Demitrious and Hendrix had both coveted it in their own ways, and while Yejun and West trusted Beck, Lake had always been wary where his cousin was concerned. This ensured that doubt could finally be put to rest. Neither of those old men stood a chance, and with Nix in line, Beck was also officially off the table.
Hendrix wouldn’t have a reason to bother trying to poison them again. He’d only risk getting caught and exposed for killing the late emperor, making his situation a thousand times worse than it already was.
He was a greedy, pompous son of a bitch, but he wasn’t stupid. Yejun had known the older man his whole life and was sure of that fact. Once Hendrix was arrested and held by the proper authorities, West and Nix would ask Beck to allow them to take a look at his father’s devices with a team from the palace. They couldn’t risk doing it now, in case they were later accused of planting false evidence.
Yejun also didn’t want to read Beck in just yet. He trusted him, but they’d all agreed that until Hendrix was secured, they’d only confide in each other.
But now Hendrix had been found, and soon he’d be taken into custody. They were safe.
Which meant they could finally enjoy an event with their Fourth without having to fear anyone lurking in the shadows, intent on slitting their throats.
“Let’s talk about something more pleasant,” Yejun suggested. “Demons Passing. Who here is going and what are we all planning to wear?”
Chapter 12:
Nix was going to throw up.
No.
No, he could do this.
It wasn’t a big deal, right?
He was overreacting.
Overthinking and—
“Hey, Mom!” He forced the biggest smile he could muster the second the video call connected, and his mother’s familiar face appeared on the projected screen of his multi-slate. “How are you? How’s dad?”
“Explain this.” She held up a holopad, and a picture of him from a news article lit up the screen. “Please tell me this is some kind of sick prank, Phoenix. There’s no way you’re involved with someone like Lake Zyair, isn’t that right? Not my quiet, well-mannered boy…”
“Mom.” Nix bit his lower lip and scrambled to recall even a fraction of the speech he’d rehearsed before gathering the courage to make this call. Since the announcement had been made yesterday, he’d been trying to work himself up to the point he could do this, but now that it was happening…
“We couldn’t bring ourselves to call you,” she continued when it became clear he was going to remain silent. “We kept waiting and waiting for you to reach out and explain, and now that you’ve finally called, this is it? Why aren’t you denying it? Say something!”
“Let’s give him a moment, dear,” his dad’s voice trickled through the line a second before he appeared in frame. He looked a lot like Nix, with the same sandy blond hair and soulful brown eyes. But that was mostly where the similarities ended.
His father had been popular in school, both high school and university. He’d been on several sports teams, was homecoming king, and graduated with high honors, all while maintaining his social life. When Nix had been a rising swim star, the two of them had been closer than ever, but the second Nix had quit…
There’d always been a note of resentment and disappointment between them, no matter what his dad claimed, and Nix had felt it strongly enough he’d run off for college and never looked back on the past. They’d both just pretended that awkward period in their relationship had never happened.
Until now.
Because the disappointment wasn’t so hidden this time around. The way his dad was looking at him—the way both of his parents were—made their feelings on the matter abundantly clear.
There was one rule their family had always had and strictly followed, and that was to not get involved with politics or Club Essential.
Nix had broken both rules.
And he’d kept it a secret.
“I understand why you’re upset,” he tentatively began, finally finding his voice, “but I didn’t mean for this to happen, it just sort of…did. And I love him. I love them. I’m happy. So—”
“What do they have on you?” his mother cut him off sternly. “What did you do to draw their attention like this? What mistake did you make? I knew we should have never allowed you to transfer to Foxglove Grove.”
“Mom.” Nix’s only mistake had been attracting Lake in the Enigma forums, which, albeit was a big deal, he refused to take responsibility for the rest of it. At least, he wouldn’t feel bad about it, since he couldn’t exactly come out and tell her the truth either.
