CHAPTER FORTY

B en pretty much didn’t breathe for about three more minutes as Craig instructed the security to depart, leaving only the SLCs, him, and Ari out on the driveway.

“We thought you were fucking dead. For over four hundred goddamn years!” Brayden exclaimed.

“I need to speak to the king,” Ari instructed the prince.

Craig turned slowly to watch Brayden’s reaction.

“I hate to point out the obvious, Ari, but your role has been replaced.”

Ben cringed.

The prince didn’t know. Ari had been right. The young Moretti’s had never been told who Ari was back when he was training them. By that point, his identity had been long diminished, and King Frances had obviously decided not to tell his sons.

Ari took a step forward and placed a hand on Brayden’s upper shoulder. “Go and get the king or take me to him. It’s time we spoke. The three of us.”

Craig was tense as fuck, but no one was doing anything stupid. Such was the power of an original Moretti. Ben knew all about it.

The fact he hadn’t even glanced at Ben was both a relief and a concern.

“I’m going to ask you to remove your hand really nicely,” Brayden growled lowly. “Then you are going to explain.”

Ari smiled. “Not out here I’m not. None of us want that, am I right, Ben?”

Oh fuck.

Excellent. Fucking great.

Seven pairs of eyes turned to him. Ben shoved his hands into his pockets and shook his head. “No, sir. Nobody wants that; especially not the prince.”

Brayden stared at him, and Ben hoped like fuck he would take it for the important comment it was.

“Fucking knew it,” Craig spat out.

Ari ignored the commander and turned back to Brayden. “I’d like to say I am no threat to your king, but that will be for him to decide. Either way, we all need to speak privately.”

Thirty seconds later, Vincent stepped through the double doors of the castle looking every bit the king in a pair of black leather pants and a loose black shirt. It was the scowl on his face that told Ben the prince had relayed everything to him telepathically.

“Leave us,” the king ordered.

The SLCs stared at each other, and when the king continued staring at Ari, they moved inside the castle.

“And you two,” Vincent told him and Craig.

“You’re joking, right?” Craig replied.

“No.” Vincent gave Ben an unreadable glance. “Don’t leave the castle.”

Ben nodded. He cast Ari and the two other Moretti’s a curious glance and then followed the commander inside. Behind him, he heard the king invite Ari into his office.

“Follow me.”

Ben had no idea what was about to happen in that room, but he knew exactly what he had to do.