Page 173 of Ruthless Chaos
“It is in the Kingmaker Council’s best interest,” Keller says. “Otherwise, the Kingmaker Council could face disciplinary action stemming from a…dispute between two members of the Council,” he smiles slyly. “Or there might even be a disagreement between the families of those two members of the Council.”
I clench my fists under the table.
To be honest, it was strange that instead of reporting me to the School’s Executive Body and have me expelled, Keller’s family attacked the Empire. He would have got heat for drugging Alize, but I almost killed him.
It makes sense, now.
The fucker knew he would need something eventually and wanted to be able to hold it over my head. If I had been expelled, there was no guarantee Keller would win the elections for Head Kingmaker over Ezra or Vance, hell, even Cesare.
But now that he has dirt on me, he’s going to use it to get what he wants. This Vico Strinati must be important to him, somehow.
I flip through the papers to his vitals.
Fuck.
This is the kid who claimed he had intel on the Beneventis at the Welcome Party. We kicked him out of the House after he failed the first Trial.
Why is Keller interested in him?
Suddenly, this seems bigger than just Kingmaker business.
Ezra and Vance look tense during our exchange. Cesare is clueless, as I doubt he even knows that I almost killed Keller. I close my eyes to center myself.
The anger seeps through my skin, and my fingers twitch
I don’t want to do this. I feel like I shouldn’t.
“If I admit Strinati, it’s the last favor I will ever do for your family,” I say.
I won’t allow him to keep using this to get what he wants. Before that I’ll tell the Executive Body about what I did myself and face the consequences.
Keller chuckles. “Is that reallyyourchoice?”
I raise an eyebrow. Even for him, this is bold. We’re sitting on opposite ends of the table, but I can be on him in a second if I need to be.
“It is. I don’t do favors for snakes. This would be an exception.”
“I’ve done you so many,” Keller says, leaning over the table with an asinine smile on his face. “I think it’s time you start repaying me.”
The tension in the room is rising by the second, and he doesn’t seem to realize how close he’s coming to setting me off. Maybe it’s what he wants though. It must be part of whatever fucked up plan he and Cassidy devised.
I’m determined not to fall into it.
“If there’s something you want to talk about, we can discuss it in private,” I say to him, though what I really want is for him to meet me outside so I can put a bullet through his brain. “I don’t think this is the time or place to discuss something like this.”
Keller doesn’t care to heed my warning.
Is it Cassidy in his ear that has given him this much hubris?
“It’s not?” he mocks. “Why can’t we discuss the favors I’ve done for you, Duke? I left your bitch alone like you asked, didn’t I? I think that’s a massive favor.”
Ezra interjects then, putting a hand on my shoulder. It’s only when he touches me that I realize I’m already halfway out of my seat.
“Knock it off, Keller. This isn’t going to end the way you hope.”
Vance cracks his knuckles, rising to his feet as well.
If Keller thinks I’m the only threat to him in this room, he’s sorely mistaken.
