Crimson Mist - Rachel Jonas Page 0,1

hand on their holsters as they eyed the sentinels with suspicion.

“Your Highness, should we escort them back to their vehicles?” Collin asked boldly.

Being the most trusted among my detail, it didn’t surprise me that he read my rigid posture. However, the question earned him a scornful glare from the only officer who’d spoken thus far.

“That won’t be necessary,” I replied, hoping to diffuse the tension. “I’m certain these men can state their business peaceably.”

The five who didn’t belong stared with mistrust deepening the lines in their foreheads.

“Very well. Let’s get right down to it, then,” the officer declared. “We’ve come to seize and deliver one by the name of Mistress Corina.”

“Deliver her?” Levi piped. “Into whose custody?”

“We are neither obligated nor permitted to disclose such information,” the man answered. “However, what I can state is that the one who has issued the charge prefers that this matter be handled as amicably as possible.”

Meaning, the choice was ours. Either we could do this the easy way, or the hard way. I glanced toward my brothers, feeling my chest restricting with rage.

“Like hell!” Levi scoffed. “I can assure you, if Corina is ripped from this house it will be anything but amicable.”

“Pardon me,” Silas cut in after stepping forward, “but might I ask your names, gentlemen?” His gaze settled on each of the officers.

“Certainly,” the one who seemed to be in charge offered. “This is Major General Hughes, Colonels Blanchette and Finnigan, First Lieutenant Burns, Lieutenant Colonel Garvey, and myself—General Woodson.”

There was silence among my brothers, Elle, and I. Possibly because it dawned on us at once that the men who stood before us weren’t mere errand boys. These were high-ranking officers someone had called upon to seize our mate. Yet, we still had no insight into who that someone was, nor the motive that fueled this mandate.

On palace grounds, my guards outranked sentinels. However, besides Percival himself, only my father outranked the five at my doorstep.

Needless to say, our beloved presiding emperor wouldn’t lift a finger to act on Corina’s behalf. Not even if my life depended on it, I feared.

The rims of my nostrils flared when a thought occurred to me. Silas insisted he and Corina had been careful on their ‘mission’, but who’s to say they hadn’t been spotted? For all we knew, word had spread quickly, as high up in the ranks as Dr. Percival, and he spearheaded this ambush himself.

The haze of frustration quickly cleared, allowing room for rational thought to return. If this were about the Tine Facility break-in, Silas would have been apprehended as well.

This had nothing to do with the heist, and I hadn’t decided whether that brought me relief, or if it terrified me more.

“Would you mind repeating your orders?” Silas continued. “I’m afraid there’s been some sort of mistake.”

“Our instructions are to retrieve Mistress Corina from this residence,” General Woodson repeated. “She’s to be delivered into custody immediately.”

“On what grounds?” Levi pressed, unable to hide the emotion that bled through his tone. Mostly anger.

“That information has not been disclosed,” General Woodson informed us. “We simply have our orders, so if you’ll please excuse us—”

Without warning, he stepped forward brazenly, forcing his way inside. After ordering four of his comrades to detain us at the door, he stormed up the steps toward the second floor. One by one, the bedroom doors were pushed open.

Elle’s gaze flitted toward me as she struggled against the officer’s tight grasp, and I practically read her thoughts. She was depending on me to do something to stop this, depending on me to save her friend, my mate.

“Get Percival on the phone,” I called out. “He’s agreed to personally oversee the blood bond and he’ll, no doubt, object to having Mistress Corina seized before that bond has been completed.”

Ignoring my words, General Woodson continued his search, finally approaching the right door.

Or should I say the wrong door?

I breathed wildly as he burst into the Blue Suite. My brothers’ and Elle’s gazes were all locked there as well, staring in disbelief as he stormed into Corina’s space and, from the sound of it, turned the room upside down as he searched.

“I can smell her,” he seethed, still out of sight as he moved about overturning furniture, her personal belongings, and whatever else happened to be in his way.

After a few more heart-wrenching minutes, General Woodson stepped out again, and judging by the look on his face, he wasn’t happy.

“Her scent is confined to that room,” he grumbled to his constituents.