King Yulnar's eyes grow wide with disbelief. Rainer cuts him off before he can speak, "Where are they now?"

"Dead," Vadim feels no remorse for his fallen cousin when he looks into his uncle's eyes.

"How?" King Yulnar whispers.

"I killed them," he lies seamlessly, "Two of them at least. Callen killed the first centaur because he had been ordered to only kidnap me, but as I was never alone Coral was grabbed as well. I managed to steal the keys from the second guard before he left—then I stabbed Callen and killed the guard."

Yulnar's face twitches, his voice quiet, "The punishment for a human killing a centaur is...