“What do you mean, now that you know?” Mother demanded. “You’ve known all along.” She gestured with the knife. “You’ve sent your spies to watch us since the takeover.”
“I sent them to protect you, not spy on you. They are only to report if someone comes after you because of me. Not about your personal life.” Valek glanced at his three...siblings. “And I take it you didn’t tell your new children about your old children?”
“They know about the others, but not you. You’re an assassin. The Commander’s killer. Everyone hates and fears you—they didn’t need to know they are related to an abomination.”
The word sliced into him. He encouraged others to feel that way about him, but hearing it from his mother had an unexpected impact. Recovering, he asked, “And how did you explain my agents?”
“We made them part of our family. The kids and the neighbors think we hired them,” his father said.
Not a bad idea, except for the fact that his agents’ covers had been blown for years and Valek hadn’t known.
“I don’t care if you’ve been protecting us,” Mother said. “They are not going with you.”
“Calm down, Olya. Let’s go inside and talk about this.” Father placed his hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged him off.
“They are coming with me,” Valek said. “Either we do this the hard way, and you’ll have no time to spend with them. Or the easy way, and you’ll get...the rest of the day together.” A day of pure hell for him. Another day away from Yelena.
“I’ll go with him,” Zethan said.
“No! He’ll kill you. That’s what he does. It’s all he knows,” Mother accused.
That was the breaking point. Valek moved. In a heartbeat, he unarmed his mother. “If I’d planned to kill them, they’d be dead by now.” He handed the knife to his father. “Now spend time with your children. We’re leaving in the morning.” Valek met Zohav’s gaze. “You know what I’m capable of. Try anything—”
“And we’ll go to the Citadel as cargo,” Zethan finished. “Got it.”
“Citadel?” his father asked Valek.
“Actually, the Magician’s Keep. They need to learn the extent of their magic.”
“Why are you doing this?” His father yanked on his shirt with his big callused hand—a nervous habit that had endured the years.
“Because his heart mate would be angry if he didn’t,” Zethan supplied.
His father didn’t react to Zethan’s comment. Instead, he squinted at Valek with his shrewd I-see-right-through-you expression that came from years of raising rambunctious boys. “That’s not the entire reason.”
“Let’s just say it will be beneficial for Ixia. Despite the rumors, I’m not just a killing machine.” This he said to his mother. “I do guard the interests of Ixia.” And my family. But Valek wouldn’t voice that aloud. “Go on.” He shooed them away. “No sense wasting time.”
They shuffled back to the house, appearing a bit dazed. Needing to move, lest his thoughts and emotions ambush him, Valek led Onyx and Smoke inside the gate. He fed them and gave them water. Then he groomed them. Every inch, until they practically glowed.
A door banged behind him. Valek spun and yanked a knife. Standing in the tannery’s entrance was Patxi, one of his corp. The man held out his stained hands. Valek relaxed and gestured Patxi over.
The tall man fidgeted under Valek’s scrutiny. “Sorry, boss, but this was the best way to protect your family. I’m with your father all day and sleep in the room above the shop. If something happens, I’m right here.”
“And Milya?”
“She helps in the house and stays in the guest room.”
“How did—”
“Your father discovered the agents long ago. When you assign new agents, we just take over the jobs. You can’t be too surprised, sir. You had to get your canny intuition from someone.”
Appealing to his ego—nice tactic. “Do you wish to be reassigned?”
“No. I’ve a feeling your visit today is going to cause a bit of a problem from the locals. I want to make sure Zeb doesn’t get into any trouble.”
“Is he a troublemaker?”
“He’s a fighter. And stubborn. Won’t back down ever. I’ve taught him a few moves to keep him from getting completely clobbered at the tavern.”
Interesting. “Recruitment potential?”
“Yes. And now he knows you’re his brother, it’s probably safer for him to get the full training.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
Patxi nodded and returned to the tannery. By the time Valek finished cleaning the horses’ hooves, the sun hung low in the sky. Now what? Having no desire to see what had changed inside the tannery, Valek looped around it.
The three graves remained in the place that was scarred into his memory. Their names had been chiseled into the black granite headstones lined up in a row—Victor, Viliam and Vincent. At the end sat another, smaller stone without a name. Had his parents put that there to represent him? Perhaps it was better to believe that he was dead instead of an abomination.