Exported [Book 3 in the Expiring Series]

5 Friendly People Have a Propensity to Want to Watch the World Burn

Jonas~~

A few days after returning to the Estate, I stand before my mirror in my bathroom, adjusting my tie yet again, wrestling with my shaking hands to achieve the perfect knot. Moretti will be here within the hour, and while the Amoris in the Society know a Preeminence's Date is secret, Moretti may not hold that same belief, and tricking him into not making eye contact will be hard to accomplish.

Giving up, I drop my hands to my sides and face Iris who's sitting on my bed. "Help?"

She gives me a regretful look. "You know I'm no good at that." She stands and walks toward me and with a kind smile, places her palms on my upper arms. "It looks perfect." Leaning forward, she kisses my cheek. "You've got this."

"What if I don't?" What if he wants to kill her?

"You are the brilliantly brilliant man I love— I know you have this."

I stare at the wall behind her. "I could screw everything up with the blink of an eye."

"If you don't pull yourself together, I'm going to go get Colton and tell him that his big brother needs him to do his job. You know I'll do it."

I run my hand down her bare arm. Her other arm is wrapped up in a bandage incase Moretti doesn't already know. "Will you though?"

"Oh absolutely."

******

Roughly forty minutes later, my Order and I stand in a line outside of the front door of the Estate. My father and mother are on their way back with Moretti now.

"Preeminence?" Percy, my Iota says.

"Yes?"

"Would you say Preeminence Moretti is scarier than you were when we forgot you were in a group text while we were drunk?"

I raise an eyebrow. "You mean when you stripped in the maze?"

Percy grimaces.

"I've never met him, but from all accounts, yes."

In the distance, I spot a limo coming down the driveway. I let out a deep breath before composing myself.

The limo stops before us, and the driver gets out and opens the back door. First my mother and father step out, standing to the side. Following them is a tall, broad shoulder man, his skin a light umber brown. His beard reminds me of Sebastian's, thin barely more than a five-o'clock shadow. He's the same height as my father, about an inch taller than me.

His mouth framed by his beard, stretches into a grin, though something off lies beneath the surface of it. "Preeminence Blackwood." He offers his hand and I clasp it with mine.

"Welcome."

"I'm very eager to meet this Raggioet of yours," he says in Amorian.

I'd rather introduce him to the bison roaming the old Estate. "That can certainly be done. Beta, would you find Iris and bring her to the parlor closest to the ballroom."

Colton begins to bow when Seong-ho interrupts. "Preeminence, Iris was handling something for me. I'd be happy to get her for you."

Iris must be watching Andromeda and Cassiopeia.

"Please do, Zeta."

He bows to each of us before heading into the house.

I motion with my arm toward the door he steps through. "If you would follow me inside," I say to Moretti.

My Order falls in line behind us as I lead us through the mansion to the parlor I mentioned to Seong-ho. My cousins and brother file along the edges of the room while Moretti and I take a seat on the two couches that face each other at the center of the parlor.

"Your Estate is beautiful, Preeminence Blackwood."

"Thank you." I wasn't expecting himto act so friendly, and honestly, I find it disturbing and terrifying. In my experience, most people who act friendly really just want to watch the world burn.

The two of us make polite conversation about his trip until Seong-ho arrives with Iris.

"Preeminence Moretti." She curtsies to him. "Preeminence Blackwood." She curtsies again to me. The engagement ring isn't on her finger.

Moretti stands and crosses the room until he stands in front of her. In the blink of an eye, his hand is on her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes." I shoot to my feet, but Seong-ho grabs hold of my shoulder.

"Astounding," he murmurs in Amorian.

Iris's whole body has gone tense.

"Why did you save the Society?" he asks in English.

"The Preeminence spared my life. How could I not help them?" Her voice has gone soft. She knows she's saying exactly what she wants to hear.

He releases her chin and faces me. "She's certainly a find," he says in Amorian. Since Colton and I have been working on teaching it to her, she's probably not as clueless as he believes.

"Preeminence Moretti," I say. "Might we speak in private?"

"Ol." Amorian for yes.

It's time to announce I'm engaged to the Raggioet.