Cain's Identity(54)

Cain straightened, letting his brother’s last words sink into him. “Kill me? It was a kidnapping, not an assassination.”
Abel scoffed. “Well, same difference! You’re no good to the kingdom either way—dead or kidnapped.”
“At least on that we agree.”
“Then reconsider your decision about Baltimore. You’ll need men like him to protect you. He knows everybody. He’ll be able to warn us if anything nefarious is going on. You need him.”
Cain shook his head. “No. My decision stands. Anybody who hurts Faye will have to deal with me.”
“Well, I guess that means you’ve taken her back despite my cautioning you about her motives.”#p#分页标题#e#
At his brother’s attempt to continue to show Faye as a gold digger, anger boiled up from Cain’s gut. “Yes, I’ve taken her back. So I would advise you to keep your opinions about her to yourself.”
Abel raised his hands in defense. “Now, now, since when are you so touchy? I’m looking out for you, Cain, as your brother, your closest advisor. We’ve been through too much together to let a woman come between us. I regret now that I gave into Faye’s advances . . .”
Cain grunted with displeasure. “While we’re on that subject, I would also advise you to stop alluding to things as if they were the truth.”
Abel puffed up his chest and fisted his hands at his hips. “Are you saying I’m lying?”
Cain clenched his teeth. “I’m saying you should be careful what you say about Faye. Spread any more rumors about what she did or didn’t do and I’ll have to reconsider what relationship you and I will have in the future.”
Abel leaned closer, his jaw tight, his eyes pinning him. “You need me, brother. Lots has changed during the time you were gone. You don’t know who you can trust. And the men you brought with you, do you really think they can protect you? They haven’t got the slightest clue about what’s going on in the kingdom. Hell, they don’t even know who’s allowed on the palace grounds and who isn’t. They can’t protect you.”
“Are you threatening me?” Cain ground out.
“I’m cautioning you. You have enemies. We all do. And it’s unwise to leave yourself open to attack.”
“While we’re on the subject of enemies: why did you convince me to invite the Mississippi clan?”
Abel’s forehead furrowed. “What has that got to do with anything? We need to make peace with them to safeguard the kingdom. You know that just as well as I do.”
“Damn it, Abel, do you have any idea what those bastards are doing to their own people?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Last night two vampires came to us. They’d fled their clan in Mississippi.”
“Those two down and outs who are housed in one of the cottages?”
How did Abel already know about them? Cain hadn’t mentioned them to his brother when he’d informed him of his decision to ban Baltimore from the premises. “You’ve seen them?”
Abel shrugged. “Not personally, no. But one of the guards mentioned them.”
Cain should have known. Nothing escaped his brother. This was his turf more than it was Cain’s at the moment. But that was something he was planning to change. “Anyway, did you also hear what has been done to them?”
“How should I know?”
“They were defanged by their clan. Do you understand what that means?”
Abel showed little surprise. “I’ve heard of the practice. I’m sure there were grave reasons and they deserved it for whatever crimes they committed. Surely, you’re not going to continue to give shelter to some criminal elements. Make them leave, before they draw us into a renewed feud with our neighbors.”
“How can you be so callous?”
Abel shook his head. “I’m not any more callous than you. You know what’s at stake. Why get into the middle of things that may jeopardize our plans? Taking sides has never been a good thing. And interfering in a neighboring clan’s business will only cause more problems than we need right now.”
“So you’re still interested in making peace with Mississippi despite their brutal practices?”
“I won’t be swayed by something so insignificant. I see the bigger picture, but it appears, my dear brother, that you’ve gotten soft during your absence. You’d better make sure nobody notices. Nobody likes a weak king.” Abel turned on his heel and stalked to the door.
Before he reached it, Cain responded, “Nobody likes an evil king either.”
A snort was Abel’s answer before he shut the door behind him, leaving Cain to stew over their antagonistic exchange.