Kai stepped forward. "But Derek, I already told you the reason she went to meet—"
"Stay the fuck out of this, Kai, before I have you charged with treason!" Derek snapped, his furious eyes darting to his cousin like two loaded pistols. "Or do you imagine I didn't know that you smuggled your pathetic little lover out of Dravengard at the very height of all this? Right under my nose?"
Kai stared at him, bewildered, and struck silent with disbelief.
"Derek," Kira called, her voice cracking. "I only went to see Lydia to get information about my mother. That's all. I swear it to you."
Derek's eyes snapped back to her. He raised one brow.
"And drugging my entire security detail to do it?"
Kira's stomach flipped. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She looked completely caught out, her silence speaking volumes to everyone in the room.
