3. Twice in One Night
3
Twice in One Night
Caspian
As Dimitri and I glare at one another from across the threshold, it’s hard to decide whether I’m more annoyed or angry that he’s disturbed us.
Annalise has been through hell today. The entire estate knows this, so the least anyone could do is give us a bit of privacy, a chance to rest. Yet, as I live and breathe, my brother decided that whatever has him worked up at such a late hour needs to be shared.
A frustrated sigh leaves me when I purposely don’t cast a look in Annalise’s direction as I step out into the hallway, closing the door behind me.
“What is it?”
Dimitri arches a brow, then nods toward the bedroom. “Not here,” he says. “Someplace a bit more private.”
It’s no secret he’s not exactly fond of Annalise, and his concern for her overhearing our conversation is clear.
“She’s asleep. We’re free to talk.”
I’m careful to keep my expression muted, hiding the fact that I’ve just lied to my brother’s face. However, it’s quite unlikely Annalise will hear anything through the solid, wooden door. Still, Dimitri hesitates before speaking.
“I concluded my interrogation of Geneva and Mitchel Lark twenty minutes ago. They claim they had no involvement in the incident and that they had no knowledge of Elizabeth’s plan. According to Geneva, Elizabeth had a solid upbringing, was taught to respect the High Chamber, and she was an excellent student. Once she left for finishing school, there was only minimal contact. And when they did reach out, Elizabeth’s conversation was always limited.”
I rub my hand across my chin while I think, drawing an imaginary line that runs through Elizabeth’s life—from the time she lived under the care of her parents, to attending finishing school, and finally arriving on my doorstep. Bringing her here had been an act of kindness, a peace offering toward Annalise because I’d been such a brute. I was desperate for her to see that I wasn’t quite the monster she pegged me to be, but the gesture turned into a nightmare.
A nightmare currently on the run after having tried to assassinate the one woman I’d walk through hellfire to save.
“So, whoever got to her, whoever convinced her to take part in the attack, likely has some sort of connection to the finishing school.”
Dimitri sighs and shrugs. “It’s possible.”
“Put someone on it. Nothing too obvious or heavy-handed. Background checks for the staff as well as everyone in Elizabeth and Winifred’s graduating class. If they shared their sleeping quarters with other girls, if they had friends outside the facility, we need to know about it. Report back as soon as you have answers.”
I turn, intent on returning to Annalise’s side when Dimitri’s voice halts me.
“Done and done,” he says. “Those steps were covered before we brought any of the girls here. It was all standard procedure to ensure the safety of the High Chamber.”
The irony of those words is hard to ignore. And the news Dimitri has just shared means that, if there were any red flags with any of Annalise’s maidens, we’d already know about it.
Which also means, this seems to be yet another dead end.
“So, what you’re saying is that Elizabeth is in the wind, and we have exactly zero leads.”
There’s a glint in Dimitri’s eyes. “Well, I wouldn’t say zero.”
He has my full attention. “Explain.”
He reaches into his back pocket, hands over a swatch of fabric, staring as I unfold it.
“Look familiar? You should recognize the symbol.”
He points toward the center of the piece as I focus on the printed dagger with a snake head as the handle. I nod once. Unfortunately, he’s right. I have seen the symbol before. On more than one occasion, actually. Most recently, it was stitched on a piece of fabric just like this one, tied around the arms of the degenerates I executed at the civic plaza following an attempted bombing.
“I sent a small crew out to retrieve the body of the wolf you killed near the scene of the accident. The guy had the same symbol tatted on his shoulder blade.”
“Damn it.” My frustration deepens, and I begin to pace. It’s unnerving to hear how widespread this movement has become.
“Archibald and Creed are waiting downstairs. With any luck, between the four of us, we can come up with a solid plan and put this issue to rest. Sooner rather than later. And while we have you, we’re also hoping to discuss a more… sensitive matter that’s come up.”
I can feel the tension spreading in my brow.
“ What more sensitive matter?”
“I think it’d be best if we stick to the plan and move our discussion to the study. There, we can talk a bit more freely and strategize with the others.”
“And whose plan will we be discussing, exactly?”
“Mine,” he shoots back firmly, and I’m reminded why coexisting under the same roof has become increasingly difficult with age.
Dimitri pushes the boundaries of respect on an almost constant basis, but his loyalty, his devotion to this clan, has never been in question. And while those attributes may be priceless, as he stands before me today, I still want nothing more than to kick his stubborn, ornery ass.
My wolf has an even lower tolerance for insubordination than I do. A fact made clear when a low growl rumbles deep within my chest.
“Whatever you need to say, you say it here.”
The harsh command has Dimitri’s jaw ticking with anger, but as my beta, he has no choice but to submit.
“I’ve been informed that the boy we executed in the plaza was a former suitor of Annalise.”
“Informed by whom?”
“Her aunt, Geneva,” he reveals. “When asked if she or her husband had any other known affiliation with defectors, she reluctantly shared this information.”
“But with them being Annalise’s guardians, they were the ones responsible for selecting her suitors. So, if this information puts anyone in the hotseat, it’s the Larks. Not Annalise.”
“Possibly,” Dimitri says with an overly-confident glimmer in his eyes. “But I’m guessing Annalise hasn’t mentioned anything about this to you. Am I right?”
I sense the accusation in his tone, and I hate that I can’t readily defend Annalise’s choice to keep this secret, but I give nothing away when I shake my head. “She hasn’t.”
Dimitri smiles, and I’m tempted to remind him why he shouldn’t think sharing the same bloodline affords him protection from my wrath.
“Figures,” he scoffs. “That places two defectors, two threats to the clan, in her circle.”
“What you’re suggesting is absurd. Annalise was just attacked.”
“No, denying what’s right in front of your face is absurd. For all we know, the accident was just a distraction, something to throw us off her scent.”
His words have an image of Annalise flashing in my head, seeing her nearly being burned alive inside that car. Then, I can feel her lifeless body limp in my arms as I carried her up the stairs, desperate for Jezebel to fix her, desperate for her to live.
“Now, I’m not sure what picture this paints for you,” he says, crossing both arms over his chest, “but for the rest of us, in the very least it marks Annalise as a threat. A threat sleeping right under this very roof.”
My glare hardens. “What are you suggesting?”
“The same thing you’d suggest if your heart weren’t involved. She should be removed from the premises. Immediately,” he adds. “And from there, pending further investigation, punishment might be in order.”
Punishment.
That word lingers with me as I nearly forget that the man standing in front of me is my brother.
“I’ll handle it.”
“Caspian, we?—”
“I said I’ll fucking handle it!” My voice booms and there’s no way Annalise hasn’t heard it. Dimitri continues to stare, nearly frothing at the mouth to say more, but he knows better. I won’t be strongarmed by him or anyone else. I’ll meet them in the study, I’ll let them get their thoughts out into the open, but I’ll be damned if I’ll let them sway me.
He’s still staring with hellfire in his eyes when I step back inside the room and slam the door, effectively shutting him out. My stare lands on Annalise, and she stares back, wide-eyed and anxious, having just heard me yell.
While I’d love to say something to comfort her, the term punishment reverberating in my thoughts has me at a loss for words. Mere hours have passed since I risked my life to save hers. Now, depending on how the next hour plays out, it’s possible I may have to fight to save her once again.