Page 21 of Crown of Death
There’s a little spark of excitement in his eyes, and I have to wonder if I’ve triggeredsomething.
“I can give you a week,” hesays.
“Logan,” Eli hisses. “You don’t know what you’redoing.”
“A week isn’t enough,” I say, shaking my head and steeling my gaze. “Sevenweeks.”
“Two,” Cyrus counters. And a tiny little smile begins curling on hislips.
“A month,” I say loudly, glaring at him. “I’ll bargain nofurther.”
And that smile grows full. It reveals perfectly straight, white teeth. A stone does a little skip in mychest.
“Deal,” he says. “But in exchange, I will be with you at all times. Lest you decide you stand a chance atrunning.”
I swallow.At alltimes.
“Fine,” I say. “But I will up the stakes. During that month, you have to get to know me, reallyknowme. And maybe at the end of that month, you’ll think twice about me having todie.”
His smile broadens. And I can’t help the little one that tugs at my ownface.
“Oh, my love, I shall take your offer to get to know you.” His eyes darken with plotting. “But the final chip to our bargain is that I will take Rath into custody, and he shall not be released until you aredead.”
And before I can react, Cyrus clasps his hand around mine, shaking hard, his eyes boring into mine while he smiles that conniving smile ofhis.
Eli roars, raging against his bonds, snapping anotherbolt.
“Edmond,” he says, releasing me and taking a step away. “The House of Valdez will keep Rath in their custody until mine and Logan’s deal comes to a close. He is not to be released untilthen.”
“Yes, your majesty,” Edmond says. He and the woman rush forward, and with a speed I can hardly track, they unleash Eli from the chair, binding him and dragging him to his feet. Not another moment of hesitation for further instruction, they begin dragging him toward thedoor.
“Eli!” I scream. Though I don’t know what else to say. Everything is moving at lightning speed, and I don’t stand a chance of keepingup.
“Logan!” he bellows, looking over his shoulder back at me. “Cyrus is a snake. You watch every move. And never forget he has twofaces!”
But then he’s out the door, and Edmond shoves another needle into his neck, just before shoving his collapsing body into the back seat of avehicle.
“That was nice and clean, wasn’t it?” Cyrus says, looking back at me with a little smile. “Let us move on to closing your human life, shallwe?”
Chapter 6
Slow down,slowdown!
My brain is screaming the two words on repeat. Too fast, too much. This is all insane. Toomuch.
I sit in the back seat of a huge SUV, Cyrus at my side, looking around the town as we roll down the street. He wears a dark pair of sunglasses. As does the driver. A pale white man, who I’m guessing is actually an albino. And the woman sitting in the passenger seat. She’s tall but very thin. Her face looks like it was sculpted by razor blades. She may be the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, but she’sterrifying.
Cyrus introduced them as Fredrick andMina.
I didn’t even manage words tothem.
I guide them to my apartment building, wishing the journey took so much longer, but really, we were only four blocksaway.
Fredrick turns the vehicle into the parkinglot.
“You say the transaction has already closed?” Cyrus asks, looking at my building with warydisgust.
“Yes, your Majesty,” the man says in shaky English. “The realtor will meet us there with thekeys.”