Mark of Betrayal (Dark Secrets #3)(109)
Author: A.M. Hudson

“From what?”

“From the temptation to come back here to you.” He smiled. “You do realise I’m destroying David and Morgaine’s little conspiracy right now as well.”

“Their what?”

“Conspiracy,” he said, as if it was yesterday’s news. “They know about the dagger, and for some reason, haven’t told you.”

“How do they know about it?”

“I stole a page from a book Arthur was reading and posted it to David, signed by ‘anonymous’.”

“So, what, you think they’re looking for the dagger, too?”

“I’d bet my life on it.” He folded his arms, looking a little smug.

“Does Mike know about it?”

“Nope.”

“How do you know he doesn’t know?”

“Because Arthur hasn’t been taken for torture and questioning yet.” He laughed. “If Mike knew there was a dagger Drake planned to use on your child, what do you think he’d do to Arthur?”

I nodded, pushing my tongue into my cheek. “Good point. So, it’s just David and Morg then?”

“Far as I know.”

“Not Emily?”

He shook his head.

Good. At least I still had one friend who was on my side.

“Uh.” Jason cleared his throat, holding up two fingers and a cute grin.

“Did you just read my mind?”

He shrugged. “A little.”

“Don’t do that. Figure me out some other way. Stay out of my head.”

“Fine. Easy. I can figure you out by watching your face.” He sat back, smiling. “What I can’t figure out is why Morg and David are sticking to this prophecy child thing.”

“What do you mean?”

“You haven’t caught on?”

I scratched my nose. “I didn’t know there was anything to catch.”

“No, of course you didn’t, sweet girl, because you trust David too much for your own good.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean, think about it. If the whole point of David being dead is to stop Drake coming after you, because the prophecy child must be conceived only with a firstborn son of Knight, then why do they think it’s okay for Arthur to be here, and not David?”

“I…”

“Exactly,” he said. “David could return, and there is still the same chance of Drake attacking as there is without David. I don’t know why he’s pretending to be dead still?”

“I…I don’t know. Maybe so he can follow Arthur—perhaps Arthur will lead him to the dagger.”

“But David isn’t following Arthur.” Jason ushered around the grounds. “So, what are they up to?”

“I know he’s sneaking around Elysium and giving us info on Drake’s whereabouts.”

Jason shook his head again, the smug grin growing. “Nope. Wrong again. Mike has a vampire informant—one who lives at Elysium.”

“He does?”

“Uh-hu.”

“Then…why’s David putting me through this—making me live without him?”

“I’m not sure. But, whatever it is, it must be pretty serious to be keeping him from you.”

I slumped back, running everything over in my head. “So, Drake wanted to kill me because of some prophecy child that could kill him, but now, all of a sudden, it’s that he wants me to have this child so he can steal its powers?”

“That’s the latest.”

I thought about that for a second. “That doesn’t really fit. He ordered me dead—”

“No, the council ordered you dead because Drake swore death to all Lilithians.”

“So, he didn’t really want me dead?”

“Nope.”

The frown on my face deepened, disappearing with a sudden realisation. “Is that why Drake put you in charge of my torture—because he knew you wouldn’t really kill me?”

“Maybe.” He smirked. “I have a funny feeling Drake may have had his own agenda this entire time—perhaps one not even a high councilman like my uncle was aware of.”

“So…wow. This goes so much deeper than I thought. I can’t even begin to piece it together.”

“Oh, trust me, I know. I’ve been trying. The only things I can deduce are that Arthur is here on Drake’s request but has an agenda of his own, and I believe Drake actually thinks David’s dead—”

“And that, what, there’s no hope of a prophecy child?”

“I don’t know. Drake wants your child. He doesn’t seem too concerned about which Knight it comes from.”

“Really?”

“Yep. But, you have to realise that, no matter who the father is, Ara, that child will be born of immortal blood. She will be very powerful.”

“So, do you think he made the prophecy up—just to make me have a baby that he could kidnap and kill to steal powers from?”

“Possibly. He may have even forged prophetic parchments to throw the Lilithians off his true plan all these centuries.”

“And that’s his only plan—just to kill an infant?”

“I don’t know. There could be more to it. It seems like a great length to go to just for a bit of extra power. I…” He tapped his head. “I keep going round in circles with it—even storyboarded it and couldn’t figure it out. He’s a master of strategy and deception.”

“Okay, so let’s focus on the facts. One; Arthur is here for the dagger—on Drake’s request, but we don’t think he plans to hand it over?”

“Yes, but if it’s true that the child can restore life to those who are immortal, then Drake would gain that power by killing your child, and it’s possible that’s what he offered Arthur in exchange.”

“Would Arthur give up his own flesh and blood for his freedom? Does he want it that bad?”

“I hope not.”

I went quiet. “I feel really unsteady now, Jase.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know who to trust.”

“Trust me.”

“So…you’re staying, then?”

He smiled down at me, gently brushing my hair back behind my ear, and I felt the closeness between us, the heat from his body alongside mine, barely two inches away. “Of course I am. Not only will it be impossible for me to leave you now, but the fact that Morgaine, who’s known about this dagger since the day after you were rescued, hasn’t told you, indicates there are several different agendas in effect here.”