Throne of Secrets (Prince of Sin #2)

Forty-Nine Prince Gluttony

I STRODE DOWN THE upper corridor at Merciless Reach and paused outside the chamber where my best spy waited. If my luck had turned, he’d be joined by a guest of honor. I opened the door and thanked the wicked powers that be. Shayde had done exactly what I’d asked. He’d worked with Envy to bring in reinforcements.

Standing beside my spy was the legendary Unseelie hunter known simply as Wolf.

His hair was snow-white, and his eyes were the gold of the creatures he’d taken his name from. He always looked like he was plotting some deviousness and trickery.

“Wolf. It’s nice to see you again.”

The Fae smirked. “It’s rather fun to be owed a favor by a demon.”

“Shayde, have Val triple your reward.”

Shayde bowed. “How generous.”

I eyed the Unseelie male, who lounged casually back in his chair. His reputation for sleeping his way across the realms was worse than that of any of my brothers.

The Fae looked exactly like the sort of danger he posed—a male who’d turn a lover inside out and make them hunger for more.

I understood why he got under Envy’s skin. If he turned those half-lidded eyes on Adriana, I might rip out his throat.

Wolf removed an envelope from his jacket pocket and held it out to me. “This wasn’t easy to find, but it’s a strong lead.”

I removed the contents and read them carefully.

The last will and testament of a noble I’d rarely interacted with since he’d spent most of his time in his country estate and not the castle—the Duke of Oleander.

His obituary.

And a rather curious letter addressed to a reporter.

I read through the findings carefully. The duke had apparently been in possession of the Hexed Quill and had a secret relationship with none other than Miss Ryleigh Hughes.

Adriana’s coworker and friend.

“The Duke of Oleander died days before the All-Sinners Ball. And he bequeathed something with the initials of HQ to Ryleigh.” I glanced up. “Where did you find this?”

Wolf’s face split into a grin.

“I scoured any last wills and testaments for the last decade like you asked. Breaking into any barrister’s office that was in business then. I started with nobility; the duke was of interest because of his rumored penchant for trading in dark market objects. I traveled to Waverly Green and confirmed with several dealers there that the duke was a regular client.”

I paused at this delightful break in the case. The barrister had marked that Ryleigh picked up her item the day of the ball. It was exactly the information I needed.

I didn’t have to worry about locating Sil. I could destroy the sheet the Hexed Quill had been used on and end this madness once and for all. Ryleigh had the quill. And that meant the parchment or journal or whatever she’d used to change our fates that day was close by too. I would send a team into her home immediately.

Relief flooded through me.

“Well done.” I folded the will back up and tucked it into my suit, then turned my attention to Shayde. “I want eyes on that reporter. Send in a team to retrieve the quill and locate where the hex was written at once. Bring everything to House Gluttony undamaged.”

“Of course, Your Highness.” Shayde bowed low. “I’ll return soon.”

“Tonight,” I said. “I want them both in my hands before midnight.”

Shayde inclined his head, then disappeared into the darkness from which he’d chosen his name. I glanced at the clock, wanting to hunt down the Hexed Quill myself, but I refrained.

There was still a role I needed to play in public for a little while longer.

I had a ball to prepare for and a terrible wrong to set right.

It would be the perfect ending to a twisted tale—setting the past on fire and watching it burn so we could rise from its ashes anew.

One way or another, tonight would see the dragon curse ended, my court’s future secured, and my life restored to what it ought to have been before Ryleigh meddled.

Tension radiated through me. We were close to ending this, yet I couldn’t quiet that innate warning system. It was almost too good to be true.

I didn’t have to find Silvanus, but it would be nice to know where he was just to be sure he stayed far from the castle. I only needed a few more hours. If I burned the hex, then my court and circle would never need to know how close we’d all come to disaster.

Wolf sauntered over to where I had a decanter filled with bourbon. He splashed some into a cut-crystal glass and swirled it before tossing it back.

His eyes gleamed. “What time’s the ball?”

“Have all the arrangements been made?” I asked, inspecting the ballroom. The marble floors were pristine, flawless. Not a speck of dust or smudge to be seen. They would gleam under the soft glow of the candles I’d had strung up at different intervals from the ceiling.

Val checked items off on her list. “The dress arrived an hour ago.”

I exhaled, then continued around the ballroom, ensuring each corner of the room was as enchanting as it could be. I’d had flowers and hedges brought in, along with an oversized stone fountain to emulate the gardens where I supposedly made love to Adriana for the first time.

I wanted to show my former rival that I might not recall that first evening, but deep down I’d never truly forgotten her.

“Are you sure you don’t want to issue a public statement?” Val asked.

I stopped before the fountain, the marble dragon spitting icy water instead of flames. It was a dangerous gamble to host the ball tonight before I had the hex in my hand to destroy, but I needed to put out one proverbial fire and trusted my spies would bring me what I needed soon.

The scandal of finding me with Adriana was all anyone could discuss.

The suitors hadn’t been put off by the fact that I’d been engaged in a secret affair. They felt it fed my reputation and helped to shine a spotlight on them.

There were no losers in this scandal.

Except for Adriana, though that wouldn’t remain true for long.

I glanced at Val. “Is she here?”

My second didn’t need to clarify. “Of course. She’s in her suite.”

If I hadn’t needed to personally speak with the remaining suitors before the ball started to let them know the competition had ended, I’d go to her at once. But I owed them the chance to hear directly from me what had transpired and how sorry I was to have carried on, knowing my heart was elsewhere.

Val had made her feelings known about the potential damage to my court, but I knew what I wanted, and Hexed Quill or not, there was at least one thing I had the power to fix.

“I want this to be the event to end all events.” I strode toward my suite. “Tonight, the realm will have a new story to focus on.”

And it all hinged on whether she’d say yes to the most thrilling adventure of all.