Fated Insurrection (Book 3)

Chapter 9

"Why do the gods make
kings and queens if not to
protect the ones who
can't protect themselves?"

~~George R. R. Martin

****************

~Nova~

I looked at Nevada, her emerald eyes bright with panic as we watched our father calmly climb the stairs. His parting words echoed in my head and made my blood run cold. Standing quickly, I pointed a finger at Michael who appeared just as stunned as we were.

"Don't go anywhere, I'll be back," I instructed before Nevada and I raced from the room.

"August!" Nevada called at the same time I yelled for Robbie, our voices dripping with anxiety as our feet pounded across the floor.

"What's wrong?" August asked, the two men instantly in front of us in the second floor corridor, nearly making us stumble. 

"Someone has called Dominic out, accusing him of being the one to kill the Braelyn royal family, and Alana too!" Nevada rushed out.

"There's a warrant for his arrest but I don't think it's real," I added, my tongue tripping over the words because I couldn't get the words out fast enough. "It's been over twenty years and now they bring up kidnapping? It's too convenient!"

"Convenient for who?!" Nevada shrieked, flinging her hands around.

"I don't know!" I shot back with a scowl. "Whoever wants us dead maybe? Someone with a grudge against him which could be anyone! The real killer just looking for an easy scapegoat?"

"It doesn't matter," Dominic cut in, standing in his bedroom doorway with a black canvas bag in his hand. "Alana doesn't need to be alone and everyone in the country is looking for me right now. If any of you are caught with me, you'll go down too."

"There's got to be another way," Robbie replied as he stepped behind me, resting his hand on my lower back. "Haven't we already discussed the fact that separation is a bad idea?"

"Maybe so but leaving her out there…," my father dropped his head, pain rolling off him so intensely that I had to strengthen my shields to keep from crumbling to the floor, "… I can't do it. That woman has my soul, is my soul, and everything good about me is her."

"What about us?" Nevada asked, crestfallen as tears sparkled on her lower lashes. "What about your kids?"

Dominic met her broken gaze, our own hurt reflected back at us in his shattered eyes. I refused to let the pain consume me, twisting the ache in my chest into an angry ember. Being abandoned was nothing new to me, something I should have gotten used to after all these years, but I hadn't. Despite the subtle fury flowing into my cells, I still felt the dagger slowly sliding into my heart all over again. 

"We aren't enough baby sister," I answered her quietly before he was able to form a response. 

"That's not true!" Dominic countered instantly with a shake of his head. "But I'm no good to you like this!"

"You're not any good for us dead either!" Nevada cried, the tears finally overflowing and dampening her cheeks. "We need you here!"

"No, baby girl, you don't." Dominic's voice was quiet, sadness tinting the edge of his words but pride swam in the mossy depths of his eyes. "August and Robbie are formally trained and experienced in the art of war, and you both have control of your abilities now along with weapons training. What else could I possibly teach you?"