Page 140 of A Crown Without Mercy

“I’m so sorry, Sylvana,” Muriel whispered under her breath as the tears streamed down her face.

Ranan walked over and lifted her chin. “She is not worth your tears and given the chance, she would have you thrown into the gutter should she tire of your friendship.”

Her body trembled and she fell to her knees, placed her face in her hands and wept. “I just betrayed my best friend,” she cried.

“You honored your mate,” Ranan stated, as he kneeled before her. “There are always casualties of war. However, we have no intention of taking her life.”

“It’s not the point, Ranan. I betrayed the only friend I had as well as her family!”

“You will have a chance to convinceyour friendto do as she is told.”

“She will never forgive me,” Muriel said coldly. She then looked over at Sylvana’s limp body, and immediately regretted what she had done. “Not only have I betrayed Sylvana, I have betrayed her family!” she snapped.

“Are you speaking of Alaric?” Ranan snarled.

“Yes. He treated me as if I am no different than anyone else, and he never looked down on me, and neither did Sylvana.”

“I am your fucking mate now and should another thought of him ever cross your mind, I won’t be as kind.” He pulled her to her feet. “Forget your past, Muriel. Your home is with me now.”

“If there is nothing more, we should adjourn for the rest of the evening,” Astaroth suggested.

“Agreed,” Riordan replied.

“Your mating ceremony is a welcomed distraction from everything taking place,” Rhazien said.

“Just like my cousins to steal my thunder,” Tobias joked.

“It’s not difficult when your thunder is more like a distant rumble,” Kieran replied in jest.

“What the fuck?” Riordan exclaimed as he shoved his chair back, and looked at Nicolai and Kieran, who had also jumped to their feet. They picked up their amulets and a gentle, red glow was radiating from the center.

“Sylvana,” Nicolai snarled.

“What’s wrong?” Astaroth asked as he stood.

“Something’s wrong with Sylvana,” Nicolai replied.

Everybody followed the brothers as they ran from the chancery.“Cassius, where the fuck is Sylvana?”Riordan asked telepathically.

“Milord, she is resting. I am outside the door of the formal sitting room.”

“Get your ass in there!”Riordan demanded.

Cassius burst through the door and frantically looked around.Fuck me!He thought, as he hurried over andripped the veranda doors open.

“Sylvana, answer me,”Nicolai said.

“Sylvana, can you hear us?”Kieran asked.

“Milord, she—she is gone,” Cassius stated nervously.

They all materialized in the sitting room, and Cassius was standing on the veranda looking down. They rushed out the doors, leapt over the railing; Riordan kneeled down and ran his hand over the small impressions left behind. He lifted his nose to the air and followed her scent to the gate.

“She fucking snuck out,” Riordan snarled. He then turned to Cassius. “You had one job! One. Fucking. Job,” he snarled, enunciating every word.

“Milord—” Cassius hadn’t seen Riordan’s hands move until they were on either side of his face. He then heard a large pop before completing his sentence and found himself staring at the iron gate that had been to his back. Nicolai and Kieran plunged their daggers into his chest and the gate slowly faded away as his body slumped to the ground.

“Blow the fucking horns,”Riordan demanded telepathically.

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