Exposed [Book 4 in the Expiring Series]

10 A Plan That Probably Won't Work

Colton~~

Right now, my brother and Iris are packing—my brother with the mindset that he won't be returning—and I'm here pacing back and forth in my office, right where Alastair said he'd meet me. Ten minutes ago.

I slam my fist into the side of my bookcase and grimace, certain I've only caused a future bruise to form. I should be out there. Fighting this. Fighting someone. Figuring out a way to smuggle my brother to safety.

And then figure out how I am supposed to be Preeminence in his place.

In the past, I had always wanted the position. I even made a move to attain it when Jonas left the Estate to find Iris after Erik exposed her to the Society. It wasn't that I woke up one morning and realized I no longer had the desire to be Preeminence. Hell, that actually might have been what happened had I bothered paying attention. But that's the thing. I stopped focusing on that aspiration, and when I finally realized I no longer wanted to be the Preeminence, it had felt right. Maybe it had something to do with Vienna being exported to France and that I was distracted with finding her, but those months away from her and the months following her return to my life, I fell into a rhythm, one with Jonas at the lead, Gwen flourishing in her role as Tresais, and me enjoying the chance to develop deeper bonds with my cousins in the Order. Bonds that had felt strained in the years leading up to our initiations into the Order. But over these past months, they became family again.

And Iris was there in the center of it. Laughing, smiling, poking fun at us when we got too serious.

How could I upset this balance that was struck?

Even when I learned Jonas was Expired and that I am supposed to be Preeminence, I wanted him to keep the title. I wanted to serve him and continue to look up to my older brother. Because that's what he is. My older brother who always looked out for me and our sister even when we were beastly to him or ignored him as younger siblings are wont to do to their older siblings when they suddenly believe they have all the wisdom they need.

There's a knock on the door.

"Come in." My voice sounds more like a growl than anything close to a respectable tone.

Alastair pushes open my door. "I'm—"

"You knew this was going to happen."

Stepping inside, he shuts the door behind him. "I knew what my orders were, but I had no intention of following them. I didn't expect Alessi to force my hand."

"Did you believe Jonas was Expired?"

"When the prisoner told us, a part of me did believe him. After meeting Iris, was it so hard to believe? But I never once thought he should be punished if he were Expired. Most of Amoria would agree, but the Orders . . . they are different."

"So you've come to plead your innocence then?"

"No. I've come to tell you that you have to go with Jonas to Amoria."

I stiffen, restraining myself from wrapping my hands around his throat. How dare he come in here and taunt me with impossible demands? "They're not allowing us to go. Hell, he's barely getting Iris onto that ship."

"I can sneak you on and hide you in my quarters long enough at least that we'll already have taken off, and they won't turn around."

"Why though? Will the Order listen to someone who knew what his brother was and did nothing?"

Alastair drags his fingers over the smooth wood polish of my desk, his head tilted down toward them. "This isn't about your brother," he mumbles.