Read Online Born of Shadows by Sherrilyn Kenyon - Free Book Online

reiterated his own thoughts. “I need proof.”
    Nykyrian scoffed. “Of all people, you know how hard that is to come by. These people unfortunately aren’t stupid.”
    He was right about that. And Caillen’s mind whirled as he tried to think of how best to protect his father. “What language was that note in?”
    “Ancient Pralortorian.”
    No wonder his translator had been useless. It also made him feel better that he hadn’t been able to identify it. “What the hell is that?”
    “It’s a language the Trisani spoke about four hundred years ago.” Only Nykyrian would know something that obscure.
    “Why would his orders be in a dead language?”
    “League protocol. They use dead languages to communicate so that any mundane who happens on their missives won’t be able to understand them.” Which was no doubt why Nykyrian had been fluent in it. That assassin training came in handy in so many ways.
    Caillen sighed. “So it all goes back to the League.”
    “Not necessarily. The League might have nothing more to do with it than issuing termination orders. Remember, they’re corrupt. Anyone who can afford to bribe them could have gotten this done.”
    “In other words, guard my back.”
    “Yeah. ’Cause no offense, this is going to get ugly. If I was the hitter, my next crack at your father would be at the summit.”
    Caillen arched his brow as he looked at Darling and remembered what Darling had said earlier. “What about their security?”
    Nykyrian laughed. “Amateur night.”
    “Darling told me that it was so tight even Syn would get caught.”
    “He seriously underestimates our Rit. Trust me. Even you could breach it.”
    Now that was just insulting. “Thanks for that.”
    “Ah, don’t get your feathers knotted. You’re one of the best contractors I know. That wasn’t meant as a slight. Only saying you could.”
    Caillen still felt insulted by it. His thoughts went to the summit and how best to protect his father while there. “Are you going to be there?”
    “No. Kiara’s about to give birth any second. There’s nhing this side of hell or the other that could pry me away from being here right now. Sorry.”
    He couldn’t blame Nyk for that either. The man had literally given his life for his wife. “It’s all right.” He didn’t need help when it came to surviving. “Thanks for translating for me. I’ll talk to you later.”
    Nykyrian hung up.
    Caillen let out a tired breath as he turned his attention to Darling who’d waited patiently through his call. “What’s up?” he asked Darling.
    “I found something you missed.”
    He arched a brow at that. “Pardon? I missed something?”
    Darling nodded. “He was transmitting right before he attacked. I routed it back and was able to get a twenty-second loop.”
    “Okay. What did it say?”
    Darling pushed the small transmitter in his hand. A deep, accented voice spoke. “Don’t worry, Your Highness. I’ll kill your father for you and then you’ll be emperor.”
    The blood faded from Caillen’s face. “What the krik…”
    “You’re the one being framed, Cai. I barely got that out before the guards found it.” He dropped it on the ground, then crushed it beneath his boot heel. “Someone plans to remove both you and your father from the line of succession.”
    No shit.
    The only question was who.
    And when.

6
     
    Royal Qillaq Training Arena
     
    “Cover your back!”
    Circling her sister in the dirt practice ring inside their oversized stadium, Desideria Denarii barely ducked out of the way before her older sister’s sword strike separated her head from her shoulders. She countered the blow with one of her own. One that drove her sister back and into a defensive stance.
    And that set Narcissa’s temper into overdrive. Shrieking, she went at Desideria with everything she had. But with her furious attack, she unbalanced herself and Desideria disarmed her with one stroke which only made her sister madder as her sword was