And if we succeed in killing Felix, the team won’t have a choice but to choose Kai or me as the leader when the time comes. Even if neither of us has an heir.
“I need to talk to you.”
I expect the words to be coming from Kai, but it’s Liesel who is speaking.
“Okay,” I say with a deep frown. “Now, or do you want to talk in private?”
I notice Langston tense, and Kai’s eyes drop to her lap like there is something very interesting she needs to pay attention to on her thigh.
“No, we need to talk now. And everyone can hear,” she says.
I nod for her to begin, not having a clue what is so important that needs to be said right now.
“I know you are both worried about having an heir. Even if you kill Felix, the only way to ensure one of his followers doesn’t gain power and ruin hundreds of innocent lives is to have an heir. If you have an heir and win the final game, then that’s it. No one can question your authority,” she says.
“Yes, I guess that’s true,” I say, but I do not like where this is going. No one on the boat does.
Langston’s face is turning angrier by the second. I can see a vein popping out of his head, and his nostrils flaring.
And Kai keeps trying to sink into her chair until she vanishes.
Kai is the only one I want a child with, and she can’t have children. And even if she could, I’m not sure our joint child would be accepted. Not after half of our team shot at us.
But if Liesel is suggesting her and I have a child together, everyone on this boat is going to lose it.
I try to be patient, to wait for her to speak, but my anger gets the best of me.
“Liesel, you can’t be seriously suggesting that I fuck you to get you pregnant?” I half say, half yell.
The boat lurches to the side as Langston takes a turn too sharp. We all grab on, emotions flowing too much.
Liesel looks like she’s about to cry.
“Just listen to her, Enzo. That’s not what she’s trying to tell you,” Kai says, taking Liesel’s hand in hers and squeezing it.
Langston doesn’t speak, but it’s clear he isn’t happy.
And I don’t understand what is happening at all.
“I have a child,” Liesel says.
I narrow my eyes, not understanding.
“What? No, you don’t. I would have known about it. We’ve never gone nine months witho
ut seeing each other,” I say.
“I hid it. I didn’t get big until close to the end, and at that point, you were pretty busy with other things,” Liesel says.
Liesel has a child? That’s crazy. But incredible. Liesel would make a great mom. Except, I’ve never seen her with a child.
“I gave him up after he was born. I didn’t want him anywhere near this life.”
I nod, it makes sense. If given the choice, I wouldn’t want any child of mine in this world.
The boat has stopped, and Langston’s eyes are wide on Liesel. He didn’t know.
But Kai is still holding Liesel’s hand, nodding for her to go on. Kai knew. This was the secret Liesel shared to gain Kai’s trust. And the more I see how Kai is looking at Liesel, the more afraid I am.