My Darkest Shadow

Chapter 46

Sweat travelled from the nape of my neck down between my shoulders. It slid slowly on the slippery slope of my spine. Fareau made me nervous in the lavish hotel, with Kael's protection and in a setting that mimicked a civilized meeting. With his thin mustache twisting up and his small eyes glaring at me, I knew a different kind of fear. Behind me, the man who had chased me into the alley advanced, his feet catching on loose pebbles and pieces of rubbish on the street.

The next second he latched onto me like a serpent, sucking all the air from my lungs. I lunged forward, but a blade sliced the nape of my neck. Defenseless, I watched an amused Fareau come toward me.

"Kael's clever. I have no doubt he felt confident leaving you." Fareau flicked at some imaginary dirt on his suit jacket's sleeve before levelling me with another narrow look. "But I've been a step ahead of him this whole time, sweetheart. I know that Henry Sullivan is back. Or would you call him Arthur?"

He chuckled at my small gasp. The arm stealing my oxygen grew even tighter as he continued.

"I know that Henry's special contact moved up the meeting. But he was paid off by me. Kael won't see Arias." His voice dropped cynically. "He'll be lucky to see the end of the day."

Shifting my feet, I tried to steal a breath to speak. Gasping, "It doesn't matter. Kael will escape. He'll get to Arias and when he does - ah!" The knife sliced another layer of skin at my neck.

"If he does, I have my contingency plan, you see. As his right hand, I've got this." Fareau held up a signet ring.

The piece looked identical to the one Kael had used to kill Dahli. It had the same widely scripted silver across the front, the small plate that could be lifted to administer the death sentence to the wearer of the cuff. After giving me a moment to appraise it, his ringed fist came forward and hit my jaw. The impact drew my head to the side, elongating the slice in my neckline. Sharp pain followed by the warmth of fresh blood trailed down my neckline. I cried out, but Fareau only watched me, his fingers running over the surface of the ring.

"I don't want to kill Arias, but if he tries to name Sullivan the successor, I will." He wagged his head. "Arias hasn't taken bribes or given up intel to the government, but justifying his death to the council is something I'm prepared to do. Even if I fail in my appeal, my death is a small sacrifice."

"Why?" My voice was breathy.

Fareau stepped toward me again. "Arias is blind but I see clearly." His eyes narrowed as he said, "Sullivan was a boy yesterday and today he's to lead the greatest corporation in the northern hemisphere? No, I won't allow it."

His face was crimson as he wagged his ringed index at me. "Maybe Gideon taught him everything he knew and maybe Sullivan pulled that old maniac's crumbling business out of the gutter, but it still shouldn't come so easily. Not for anyone."

My face felt flushed. For a moment, I forgot the blade pressing against my neck, the skin it had already opened.

"You were passed up, weren't you? Fareau - selected as the right hand, not Arias." I tried to wriggle free a little, but the thug behind me wouldn't allow it. My voice was louder now. "Who cares if he's twenty years younger than you? He's got the resume you never had. Arias sees it, but you're blinded by prejudice, aren't you?"

Fareau hit my jaw again. The spot throbbed after he hit it a second time. When he punched me a third time, I flew to the side and away from the thug. A stack of old crates against a brick building broke my fall. Using the wooden boxes to steady me, I turned slowly. Fareau had the knife now. He was coming for me.

The exhaustion and pain from the accident overwhelmed me. The wound on my neck hurt every time I moved. My face throbbed. There was no fight left and no chance I would win. Fareau was two steps from killing me. Leaning away from his advance, I felt hard cold metal press into my back.