Jonas’ POV
“Jonas, stop! Jonas, listen to me! Stop and listen!”
I whipped back around furiously, and my sister, Hailey, gasped in fearful shock.
My golden eyes dug deep into hers, and she backed away slowly. Her face was pale with fright, and her breathing was frantic.
I gritted my teeth. The master had found her hiding out in one of the inns in the pack. He brought her back here and said that I would be happy to have a member of my family here with me. But he was dead wrong.
“Stay away from me, Hailey. You are a disgrace to our family.”
“Jonas, you can’t do this,” she retorted with tears in her eyes. “We can’t do this. Our family is gone. We can’t anger Andre and Olivia anymore!”
I snarled, and she jumped in fright. Her eyes were moist with tears, and her whole body trembled as she regarded me fearfully.
“I always knew that you were weak. That is why, when they attacked, you ran away. You allowed our family to die by their hand, and you couldn’t do anything about it. You would have at least had some honour dying the way that they did.”
She began to cry, but she didn’t stop talking.
“I know that I am weak, but you ran away as well. You were powerless to stop them as well…”
I struck her hard across her cheek, and she fell to the floor at my feet. Her palm held her face as she sobbed even harder. I didn’t care. She was never a sister to me.
“If you are insinuating that I ran away like a coward like you did or that we are in any way alike, you are wrong. I have every reason to kill you here, but I won’t. I wouldn’t have you poison the death of our family with your shame. I am fighting to take back what is ours. Stay out of it!”
I kicked her lightly in the stomach, but her weak frame couldn’t take it, and she slid across the floor and groaned in pain.
I readjusted my suit and headed into the meeting room.
Four pairs of eyes stared back at me, and I met with the leaders of the other two Royal families and their advisors.
Their demeanour was cold and dismissive. It hadn’t been easy getting them to come here.
“Thank you, gentlemen, for joining me here today.”
My greeting was not replied to, but I didn’t care. I didn’t come for the pleasantries either.
“Cut the bullshit, Jonas,” said the Head of the Rios family. “What exactly is this meeting about?”
I smiled.
“Such eager people. Well, in that case, let’s delve straight into business. I believe that you all have heard about the tragedy that befell my family a few days ago.”
There was no reply except a snicker from the Head of the Vadala family.
She was tall and stunningly beautiful, with long black hair that touched well below her waist and dark, imposing eyes.
“Lady Vadala, I believe that you would like to say something.”
She snickered again.
“That brute wiped out your family. It’s ridiculous. I always knew the Reiss family was weak. What is this meeting for? Huh? A pity party so that we can sympathise with you for your loss?”
Her annoyance echoed through the room. I was boiling with anger, but I let it simmer. I would make her eat her words but right now, I had to focus on forming an alliance. I couldn’t let the master down.
“Well spoken, Lady Vadala”
My reply wasn’t at all what she expected, and I took that as small consolation for her rudeness.
“But we are here for something much more pressing.”
I placed my palms on the table and took in the whole room with a single glance.
“The heir of Solvan is back.”
The shock rippled through the room and reverberated off the walls. It seemed like everyone held their breath.
I showed no emotion but was grinning inside. This was going to be a piece of cake.
“The ‘brute’ you spoke about, Lady Vadala, is the mate to the heir of Solvan and she is back to reclaim her territory…”
“Lies! All lies!” Lord Rios was screaming at the top of his lungs.
“We refuse to accept.” Lady Vadala found her voice.
“Whether you accept it or not, the truth still remains. She is back. My family was the first hit, and I assure you, she will come for the rest of you as well.”
I allowed my words to stew. Fear was written on everyone’s faces. They all knew about the Solvans. They knew how powerful they were.
Lady Vadala stood up. Her forehead was teaming with sweat, and her advisor quickly dabbed it away.
“No. I don’t believe you. This is all a ploy to drag us into your suicide revenge mission. We have no issue with the Heir. Why would she come after us? Settle your problem by yourself!”
I chuckled.
“How quickly you forget history, Lady Vadala. Are you not aware that after the death of the Solvans, the three Royal families plundered and stole their lands? I am sure that the heir is well acquainted with all of this, and she will come for you two next.”
I eased off the table, and all the eyes in the room followed me.
“Maybe it is a revenge mission, maybe it isn’t, but it all boils down to the fact that we need to stick together if we are going to stop this threat.”
“What you are asking for is an alliance but I don’t think that you are in the right position to make such a demand.”
Lord Rios found his voice as well. He was filled with fear, and I could see him trembling slightly.
I raised my brow and looked at him, trying to figure out what he was trying to imply.
“What are you trying to say, Master Rios?”
“What I’m ‘saying’ is that you do not have the resources to be beneficial to us in an alliance. Your family is dead, your warriors have dwindled in numbers, and you have nothing. I am surprised that you could even find a decent enough house to host this meeting.”
He looked around the room and said nothing more.
I nodded slowly.
“Lady Vadala? What do you have to say?’
“I say that I don’t need this stupid alliance. We are more than capable of handling an attack.”
Her voice oozed confidence that was uncanny for a lady. I found it attractive and intriguing.
“I, too, can hold my own against an attack,” Lord Rios added. Forming an alliance would be of no benefit to us. And even if we did, Lady Vadala and I are sufficient. You will just be a parasite, eating into our resources.”
At that point, I couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
The room was silent as I chuckled, and the Lord and Lady stared at me as if I had a screw loose.
I called myself back to order after a while and met annoyed faces glaring at me.
“Is something funny, Master Reiss?” Lord Rios said threateningly.
I gave a few more chuckles.
“Yes. Two things, actually. The first is that you two really think that you can stand alone or even together to face the Heir of Solvan. The second is that you called me a parasite. Trust me, I have no need of your resources. I have my own.”
Now, it was their turn to laugh. I was annoyed but stayed silent as their outbursts filled the room.
“Wow! Good one, Jonas. I see the death of your family has made you a clown, a laughing stock. You are as poor as they come. You have nothing to your name anymore except stashes of cash in the family bank.”
Lady Vadala didn’t hold back, and Lord Rios laughed a little more.
I allowed them both to have their fill, and soon I paced around the room again.
“I would say that you are right, Lady Vadala. But I have much, probably even more than you or Lord Rios.”
I stopped at the head of the table and placed my hands on it.
“Losing one means of power opens one up to a lot more. I guess I was a lucky case.”
The silence in the room was broken by Lord Rios.
“Big talk. Show us what you…”
I pulled up my sleeve, and they all gasped as they saw my arm.
All the faces in the room were as pale as ghosts except mine, which had a smug look.
“You…you bear their mark?!” Lady Vadala was aghast.
Lord Rios looked like he was on the verge of fainting.
“Yes. I do.” I said proudly.
They all looked at it again and then back at me.
“You are… you are his…”
Lady Vadala couldn’t find the words. I smiled.
“Yes, I am…”