Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 117510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Levi nodded. “Letting her take the case off the island risked someone else, like Jonas, seeing it. Plus, I doubt Dion would have wanted it so far out of his sight and reach.”
“I don’t think Dion’s the fourth Horseman either, but that’s not to say that he isn’t one of the bastard’s minions,” said Larkin. “Honestly, though, my suspicions lean more toward Jonas. Maybe it’s just because I’ve never liked him and something about him rubs me up the wrong way. And it still bugs me that he wanted an archdemon.”
“He said he wanted one so that he could use it to kill the incorporeal,” Levi pointed out.
“But I can’t help wondering if maybe what he really wanted was an archdemon for a minion, so that he had extra power against Knox,” said Larkin. “Jonas did seem to put a lot of effort into looking for Alethea, but that could have been for show. You said he was adamant that she wouldn’t have known she was working with the Horseman, but that’s exactly what you’d expect him to say. You’d be suspicious if her own brother did anything but defend her.”
Levi tilted his head, allowing that. “True. But if you ask me, Dario is the most obvious suspect, since he had a connection to both Nora and Isla. He campaigned to be Monarch of the US like Isla, but it’s possible that they weren’t really competing for the position. Maybe they both did it in the hope that at least one of them would be elected.”
Knox twisted his mouth. “Dario does seem to be the most logical suspect. He also had a connection to Alethea. In Malden’s words, Dario’s ‘ancient history’ with Alethea hadn’t ended well, but that’s not to say that she and Dario hadn’t recently rekindled what they once had.” Alethea had never been difficult to seduce, which was partly why his demon hadn’t found her in the least bit interesting.
“And, if the rumors are right, Dario’s no stranger to rituals,” Levi added. “It’s alleged that he regularly engages in voodoo sex rituals with his harem.”
Larkin’s brow puckered. “Was his concubine part of the harem? The one who died?”
“Most likely,” replied Knox. Many Primes had harems consisting of several concubines. Personally, he’d never seen the appeal in having a harem.
“Maybe he replaced her with Alethea. I heard she was pretty adventurous in bed.” Larkin’s gaze turned inward. “I wonder how the concubine died.”
Levi shrugged. “No idea.”
Touching Harper’s mind, loving the way it rang with her fire, iron will, innate sensuality, and the soft streak she did her best to hide, Knox said, Hey, baby, how are you and our boy doing?
We’re fine, she replied. He seems very pleased with himself after peeing in the air while I was changing his diaper. Honestly, it was like a fountain.
Knox’s mouth twitched, able to imagine the impish grin on his son’s face. I’d say it was the Wallis part of his nature at work. They were mischievous to their core.
Yeah, probably. How did it go with Dion?
Alethea got the incorporeal from him. It seems that she stole it and replaced his display case with a replica, which suggests she was either prepared and went there specifically to take the incorporeal or she had someone teleport a replica to her.
Harper was quiet for a moment. I’m more inclined to think that she already knew he had an incorporeal. The Horseman probably knew and sent her to get it, allowing her to take the risks. She’d have gotten a kick out of the danger. But we can’t be sure, can we? She sighed. At least we know where the incorporeal came from. Are you going to tell the other Primes about it?
Yes, I’ll hold a teleconference later today to bring them up to speed. I don’t want them wasting resources on trying to find out where she got it from.
“So,” began Larkin, “you no longer think that Thatcher’s a possible suspect?”
Knox gave Harper’s mind a soft stroke with his own before breaking the connection and responding to Larkin. “I didn’t say that. They could have chosen to continue their relationship in secret for one reason or another. Whatever way you look at it, Dario is the most likely suspect. But it bothers me that it seems so obvious.”
“Just because something is obvious doesn’t mean it isn’t the right answer,” said Larkin. “If you’re leaning so much toward Dario, why haven’t you paid him a visit?”
“I feel as if I’m missing something. Something important.” But damn if Knox could figure out what.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Ew, Asher, don’t eat the sand—” Too late. Harper sighed, shaking her head. Sitting in his sandbox where he’d been digging out half-buried toys, Asher grimaced as he worked to spit out the gritty sand.
Mouth curved, Keenan declared, “I got it.” Taking a tissue from Harper, he crouched and wiped Asher’s mouth.