Spirits and Crowns (The Shadow Series, Book 1)

Epilogue

He looked like the proper asshole he was. All pampered and bleached in his dumb suit. I had never felt a deeper hatred for a man in my entire life than I felt for this one. His icy-blond hair was slicked back, making his eyes look even darker than usual. His dumb suit had buttons on the right shoulder, like the national dress in Andaheim. I couldn't fathom why he'd adopt Andaheim fashion when he seemed to hate the country with such a fierce passion. Or maybe the hate wasn't towards Andaheim. Maybe it was all Aatskina. It was after all twenty Aatskina tribe members he had raised on those poles.

"You think I was too harsh," he said, his dark eyes landing on me. They just looked like black pools of nothing.

"Uh, you hoisted twenty people up on a pole and put spikes through their stomachs. You don't think that's a little harsh?" I growled through my clenched teeth.

"You should be grateful to not be there too, considering you've been actively working with them." He leaned back in the armchair and chuckled softly.

"And why aren't I? Out there with them?"

"Because we need you. You control the king. You put ideas in his head. He follows your every whim. Make him believe in our cause." He tapped his temple with his finger and sent me half a smile. A creepy half smile.

"He's not a dumb boy. The fact that you believe that is why you're going to lose." I tapped the armrest. "You're underestimating him."

He snorted. "I might. But I know you, Islo. I have for a long time."

"You never knew me."

"Oh, we were friends once. I can't see why we shouldn't be that again."

"You called my daughter a halfbreed, Dreki."

He rolled his eyes and opened the top button on his shirt. "She is. Cat came from a good Andaheim family with a long line of Bursaaq blood in her."

"You only say that because she was your cousin." I sighed. "Leave Quinn alone. Whatever you have against me, let that be between you and me. But leave Quinn alone."

"Why should I? I find it entertaining to watch him squirm. He's an entertaining person."

"Dreki, leave him alone," I said coolly.

"I would if it hadn't been for the fact that we need him. He's a very useful resource for us and our cause. And he's so easily manipulated too. Just find those small things that make him tick, and..." He lifted his hand and opened it as if he was imitating a small explosion. "Boom. You get free entry to his head."

I lifted my hand to my mouth, biting down on the nail on my thumb. He was mad. Completely. Whatever I had hoped I could get out of this conversation was a lost cause. There was no man left in him. There was only a monster.

"Why did you even agree to see me?"

"Because I wanted to see how you'd react to losing everything. I want to see you break, Islo. Just like you broke my cousin."

"She died in childbirth, you maniac," I growled back.

"And that has been so hard for you, hasn't it? So hard you find yourself in the bed of a king now." He slung one leg over the other and smiled a dead smile at me.

"I had to keep going for Isla. For your family. She's your flesh and blood, Dreki!"

"She is nothing but a disgusting mongrel. Just like you." His smile died, and he looked actually angry now. "You killed my cousin. And now I'm going to take everything away from you."

I rose to my feet and clenched my fists. "I didn't. Kill. Cat. I loved her, you asshole. Fuck you and your entire family. You can all go jump in the icy sea around your beloved tribe. I hope you all freeze to death. You and your family."

Dreki broke out in a hoarse cackle. He almost sunk down into the chair and slapped his legs up on the coffee table. "And there he is. That small excuse of a man. Welcome back, Charred. It's been a while." He sighed. "Now. Another thing you're going to help me with. Another loose end we need to tie up. We need you to help us find King Quinn's mother."