Larissa Judson and Haskell Palmer novel Chapter 440

"Mm-hmm," Larissa confirmed with a smile. "Lucius tried to use the same tactic to humiliate me, so I just returned the favor."

"Impressive," Haskell commented.

"It was nothing, really," she said, beaming.

Draven watched as they ate and chatted, a pit of anxiety growing in his stomach. When they were finished, he looked at Haskell hopefully. "Bro..."

Haskell shot him a cool glance, cutting him off before he could continue. "Keep kneeling."

Draven clamped his mouth shut, his fists tightening, but he didn't protest.

Larissa took out her needles and began Haskell's treatment, then released Snowy and Sage to massage his legs. Sage slithered over to the kneeling Draven, hissed, and flicked its tongue, clearly displeased with the sight of the traitor.

Draven stared, bewildered. Was he really being bullied by a snake?

When the treatment was finished, Haskell pulled his pant leg down and finally turned his attention to Draven.

Seeing his gaze, Draven's eyes lit up. He was about to speak when Haskell asked, "Tell me, where is my real brother? Or perhaps a better question is, how is he?"

The words struck Draven like a bolt of lightning. He froze, his voice trembling. "Bro... what do you mean? I'm your brother."

A moment ago, they had been alone. But now, a rustling sound came from the nearby woods, and a figure seemed to materialize out of thin air at the edge of the gazebo. "Young Master," he said, his voice a low rumble.

Draven's face went white. It was one of Haskell's shadow guards, the secret bodyguards his mother had assigned to him. There were twenty-four of them. They wore cloaks of light-refracting material that rendered them virtually invisible, and each was as skilled as a mercenary. Not even their father, Thatch, knew of their existence. Draven only knew because Haskell had once trusted him enough to tell him. When he, his father, and Valeria had plotted against Haskell, their biggest obstacle had been finding a way to get past these guards. He had used Haskell's trust in him as a "brother" to lure them away.

"Cut out his tongue," Haskell ordered calmly.

The guard named Frost produced a military-grade combat knife from his sleeve and started toward Draven.

At the sight of the blade, Draven's resolve shattered. He slammed his forehead against the stone floor. "Bro... no, Mr. Palmer! I'll talk! I'll tell you everything! Just don't cut out my tongue!"