Page 6 of Silent Oaths
Thememory fades, andI’mback in the present, my phone pressed to my ear.
“Theo?”Juliansays.
“Everythingis set at the house,”Itell him, answering his earlier question. “Theguests have started arriving.Maxwellis already working the room.”
Whilethe staff were busy readying the mansion,Islipped away to the guest house for final preparations to welcome our visitor.
“AndIsabel?” my brother asks.
“She’llbe here soon.”
Weknew we couldn’t let this opportunity slip by.Shewould be ours, a siren caught and caged.Thethought of having her for myself sends a pulse of anticipation through me, quickening my breath.Myfingers tingle at the idea of what’s to come.
Tonight, there will be a sacrifice, and ours will beIsabel.
Theirony isn’t lost on me.Perhapswe’re not so different from our adoptive father after all.
There’sa pause on the line beforeJulianspeaks again. “Andthe plan?”
“Intact,”Iconfirm. “Bythe time she realizes what’s really happening, it’ll be too late.”
I’vebeen watchingIsabelclosely for a couple weeks now, since theHalloweenparty, and there’s one thingI’msure of: her friendValeriais looking for something.I’mnot sure exactly what, butI’veseen the way she searches with intent.
Shetook the bait onHalloweennight, whenIcarelessly left the basement door open.Shewent downstairs and no doubt saw the monitors.That’swhyI’msure she’ll be back tonight,Isabelfollowing in her footsteps.Thetemptation to get answers will be too great to resist.
“Good,”Juliansays. “Wedon’t get another chance at this,Theo.Youknow that, right?Ifit goes wrong?—”
“Itwon’t,”Icut him off sharply, leaving no room for doubt. “I’vethought of everything.I’vebeen watchingIsabeland her friend.They’repredictable.Trustme.”
Julianexhales. “Yousay that, yetIcan’t help but wonder if this is more about her than the plan.”
Hiswords strike a nerve, butIdon’t let it show. “Thisis aboutFather.Italways has been.She’sjust… collateral.”
Anotherpause stretches between us.Finally,Julianspeaks. “Justmake sure you remember that.Don’tthink with your dick,Theo.”
Iclench my jaw, my grip tightening around the phone. “Idon’t need the reminder.”
Afterwe hang up,Itake a moment to collect myself.
Tonight, everything changes.
4
JULIAN
Iend the call withTheodoreand slip my phone back into my pocket.
Takinga deep breath,Iglance over at the passenger seat whereMothersat just minutes ago.Shewas leaning against the side of the car, eyes half-closed, the sedative starting to kick in.Icould see her attempts to keep herself awake slowly faltering as the drugs did their job.
Ittook a lot to get her to theEbonridgeRoseInn, the quaint little place a few miles out of town that’s as much a sanctuary as it is a prison.Ihad to practically drag her out of the house.Sheprotested, of course, her voice high-pitched and shrill as she demanded to stay in the estate’s living quarters.Icould hear the irritation in her tone as she insisted she was fine, that there was no need for a night away.Buttonight wasn’t about her comfort.
No, it was about business.Thelast thingIneeded was her sniffing around when the real party started.
Theguards at the estate helped me pack her things.Ididn’t trust her on her own, especially not after the way she’d been acting.Maxwell, as the warden of security atVanguard, always has foot soldiers at his disposal—so he sent one to follow me to the inn, just in case something went wrong.Motheris far too unpredictable to leave unattended.
Bythe timeIarrived at the inn, the drugs had done their job.Shewas mumbling incoherently, fighting sleep with a mixture of confusion and stubbornness.Butonce she hit the bed in the expansive room, her protests ceased.Maxwell’sguard locked the door behind me, ensuring no one would disturb her beforeIreturned.
Istart the car and pull out of the parking lot, my blacked-outAventadorgleaming under the streetlights.It’sthe kind of car that demands attention, whetherIwant it or not.Thetires screech asIshift into gear, speeding toward theWhitmoreestate.
