LXIV
Just as James had insisted, Duke Straton cared deeply for his family, detrimentally so. Using his daughter, Mererid, had been effective in keeping him under their persuasion. And, as a good host, she'd been happy to remain in close proximity with them, not realising her role as a hostage.
?Alex felt guilty using her as a tool but he had no real plans to harm her and the action was going to save many lives. She seemed happy in the presence of male company.
?Like a wildcat, her sights zeroed in on Yufus, instantly identifying him as the one owning the weakest heart.
As they sat in the lounge, she openly flirted with the man, finding any excuse to drag her fingers over his skin, slowly wrapping her seductive noose around him.
It was clear that she enjoyed tempting out his fluster.
?"Women in Talum do not behave in such a way," Yufus had asserted, his face beet red.
?Alex had to admit, he was somewhat entertained by the display. Yufus was like a mouse being tossed between either of her paws. She toyed with him easily. Khearian men were less prude in comparison, so Yufus' reactions must've been refreshingly new.
?Mererid feigned surprise. "No?" She brushed the hair away from Yufus' face. "But then how do they show their appreciation?"
?"They do not."
?Mererid tutted. "Handsome men like you deserve to hear compliments."
?Alex never would've considered Yufus 'handsome', not that it mattered.
Alex was aware that Khearian women had a negative reputation on the rest of the continent; many considered them along the same vein as sirens and succubi.
Given how unaccustomed Yufus seemed of Mererid's audaciousness, he reckoned the reputation wasn't far from the truth, comparatively.
?"Give it a rest, already," Riley said, sitting beside her. "You're disgusting."
?Mererid jabbed a sharp elbow under his ribs, Riley grunting in pain. He didn't retaliate physically, but he shot her a hateful look.
?It was then that Mererid caught Alex staring, cocking her head in interest. Alex braced himself, seeing her evaluate him as potential prey. James' company had refined Alex's ability to read people like that.
?Abandoning her toy, she fluttered over to where Alex sat, falling onto the sofa beside him. Yufus relaxed, breathing in deeply like he'd been starved of air.
?"Hello, my lady," Alex plainly greeted her.
?She smiled. "Hello, my lord."
?Unfortunately for her, she was barking up the entirely wrong tree.
?Riley snorted, taking a seat opposite, rudely resting his feet on the low table between them. "Your time would be wasted with that one."
?"How come?" Mererid asked, clearly not heeding his advice.
?Alex didn't hate female attention. He wasn't disgusted by it but he didn't enjoy it either.
He allowed her to adjust the straps of his shirt and retie the string around his chest area, even though it was unnecessary.
More than anything, he was interested in how she was going to attempt to pull a reaction from him. He could use a distraction.
?"That one is pining," Riley remarked.
?Alex flicked a look Riley's way.
?Mererid wasn't dissuaded. She smoothed down the front of his shirt once she was done. "Oh, who is she? Your wife?"
?"I'm not married, no," Alex denied.
?"Then..." she leaned in closer. She smelled nice, like flowers. It reminded Alex of the honey fields James had confessed to him in. "I know a way to make you forget."
?Riley burst into sudden laughter, his shoulders shaking. Mererid growled and glared at him, the moment ruined.
?"Will you shut up?" she snapped.
?Riley wiped away an imaginary tear. "This is hilarious. Please, keep going."
?She crossed her arms, leaning back, her concentration in Alex waning. "What's so funny about it? He's handsome, masculine. And he's the son of a duke. We're equals. You can't fault me for being interested."
?"That's not the funny part," Riley sniggered. "It's funny to see you try so hard for a useless cause, that's all."
?She frowned. "What are you talking about?"
?Riley addressed Alex this time. "You know, it confused me a little. I wasn't sure until now, but— you don't like women, at all, do you?"
?Alex bristled. He waited for the wave of embarrassment to hit him but... it never arrived. He wasn't thrilled Riley had said it out loud, but he also didn't feel the deep soak of shame that tended to follow such an idea. He was simply... miffed.
?Since when did that happen; since when did he stop obsessing over his image so severely in front of these people?
Was it because of the futility of the situation that meant the humiliation didn't stick?
Perhaps it was humiliation enough that he'd failed so exceptionally to escape his father's abuse that this issue seemed minor in comparison.
He knew he was unusual, deviant, but it suddenly stopped mattering.
?A silent Fletcher finally spoke up at that moment. "Riley, that's not really our business. You shouldn't be announcing things like that."
?"I'd never seen you interested in women before," Riley went on. "But, even with my cousin. You look bored."
?"Riley," Fletcher scolded.
?Alex sent Mererid an apologetic smile. She had wide surprised eyes.
?"Why?" she asked.
?Alex shrugged. "There is no reason. I'm just not."
?"It makes sense why you were so cagey about it, now," Riley said. "You're strange."
?"This isn't up for discussion."
?Mererid gasped and then pointed between Alex and Riley. "Then, are you two...?"
?They both groaned simultaneously, repulsed by such a thought. "Absolutely not."
?Yufus clapped his hands together. "It was the yellow one!"
?Mererid was intrigued. "Yellow one?"
?"The one with yellow hair. James."
?"James? Is that the sixth guest?" Mererid asked. "Who is he? Father seems weird about him."
?"I don't want to talk about this," Fletcher announced, standing. "I'm leaving. Let me know when we plan to go to the jousting."
?Mererid seemed dazed by the outburst. "It's not for a while... Everyone drinks a lot, so it's in the afternoon."
?Fletcher nodded and took off, his steps heavy. Alex sympathised with the scholar. The reminder of James was devastating for more than one of them it seemed.
?"You look upset," Mererid stated, peering at Alex. He didn't like being under keen scrutiny, but it was something he'd become used to.
?"Like I said, he's pining," Riley reminded her.
?Alex sighed, rubbing his scrunched up face.
The headache from the night before hadn't left him, it drained him like a parasite.
He'd put all his eggs in James' basket and now his lover had run off with them.
He doubted he could bounce back again this time.
He'd invested too much. His energy had finally bankrupted. He was finished.
?He only kept going because he was still breathing. It was the same reason James had given as to why he lived and the reality of it was just as pointless as Alex had imagined. Perhaps he was simply destined to be a dog. An animal could never truly become human, he must've been the same.
?Mererid hummed in thought before tugging on Alex's arm. "How about I show you the horses? I need to check on them anyway."
?Alex obediently agreed. He needed to stay by her side to keep the pressure on Duke Straton anyway.
?"She's going to eat you alive, Alex," Riley warned.
?"Shut up!" Mererid's tone was guttural, coming from a sudden snap of irritation and rage that only siblings could conjure within. "I'm being nice."
?Riley snarled. "Bitch."
?Mererid dragged Alex out with her, a petulant impetus behind her movements.
Her irritation dissipated as quickly as it came, vanishing the moment the door closed.
She laughed and chatted with guards as she passed them and they happily conversed back, giving Alex the impression she was well liked by the estate.
?He looked up once they were outside. The sky was bright, just like the days before it. The sun still shone and it stung.
?The size of the stables was excessive considering the size of the villa.
The scent of hay and manure was familiar, the straw making the air feel dusty.
However, rather than wood, the building was constructed with stone, like the rest of the mansion.
It was needlessly extravagant for some animals that weren't capable of appreciating it.
?"This is the steed you came with." Mererid approached one of the closer stalls, gesturing.
?Alex politely wandered over and leaned against the wooden gate.
The familiar brown horse lifted its head from the ground, taking notice of their presence.
Mererid cooed and clicked, offering her hand.
The horse took a slight interest in it before stepping closer and pressing its nose against Alex's arm, snorting.
?Mererid chuckled. "They're very intelligent, horses are. They're deeply emotional souls. They can tell what we're feeling even if you don't show it."
?Alex carefully stroked down the horse's nose, it chewed in gratitude, enjoying his touch.
?"Most soldiers swear they're stupid," he remarked, a teasing note taking his voice.
?"They're stupid," Mererid retorted. "It's because they don't form a bond with them. You lot only treat them as a means of travel before dumping them at the next post, never to meet them again. You men never form a connection with them."
?"A connection, huh?" Alex mused. "Do you not get upset when these horses get injured in the shows?"
?"More than the horses, it's the men that get injured. That's just part of the thrill, though. My friend, Nora, is the one that likes to bet on them. I just like the animals."
?"Sorry, because of us your plans have been ruined..."
?She waved him off. "I'm enjoying this," she insisted. "After Llwyd vanished... Well, dad hasn't been the same. I don't really get to socialise with new people as much. It's the price I pay to keep him company."
?"You're not married?"
?"No. After what my grandfather did to Lowri and Riley, my dad is adamant that we pick our own spouses. He doesn't want that mistake to happen again."
?The horse turned its interest back to Mererid, reciprocating her affection.
?"I'm sorry about your brother," Alex said.
?Mererid's ocean eyes misted over, like fog.
"I miss him," she admitted. "I appreciate your words.
I want to believe that he's still alive, somewhere.
.. But I know I'm deluding myself. If he were still here, he would've found us by now.
He wouldn't have left us to all worry like this.
Riley, especially. He wouldn't have done that to Riley. "
?Alex's fists clenched around the top of the gate.
It was beyond cruel what the duke had done to his children and family.
Mererid had lost her brother, someone she'd cared for deeply.
She'd mourned for him, believing him dead.
How could the duke have sat back, watching them sob over an empty grave, and not told them everything?
He'd knowingly let his own children suffer for nothing.
?"Riley has been doing okay," Alex assured her.
?Although they antagonised each other like enemies, Alex got the sense the cousins' relationship was deeper than it seemed. His suspicion was proved correct when she smiled through the wavering hurt.
?"I'm relieved to hear that. I worried for him when he suddenly left Maurice's side. He was never an impulsive man, so it was concerning. I don't know you very well, Alexander, but I think I'm glad you're his superior. He's cheered up."
?Guilt took hold. Riley's good mood wasn't his doing. Llwyd was alive, that was why. Alex wanted to tell her, genuinely, but he reckoned it might've been better to leave the issue in peace. He'd only risk digging up all those old wounds again, having no proof of his claim.
?Mererid took a deep breath and brushed the hair out of her face. She squared her narrow shoulders, forcing herself to regain composure.
?"Let me introduce you to the others," she said, gathering her strength.
?Alex smiled encouragingly. It would probably do Mererid some good to distract herself.
?She walked along, naming each animal from the top of her head, describing to Alex their personalities, their quirks, their stories.
Some of them would be racing later, others were tired and overworked horses that she had rescued from the knights.
It was an understatement to call her enthusiastic.
There were over twenty in the duke's possession.
?She paused at one stall in particular. "Ah, this one is a very special mare. Beautiful and blonde. She belongs to Queen Marigold."
?Alex's body jolted, recoiling as if he'd been struck. "King Fabian's wife?"
?Mererid hadn't noticed his tone. She nodded, smiling with endless love for the animal, reaching into its pen. "We didn't make this place fancy just for the horses, you know? We have the biggest stable in the area, so we look after other nobles' and royals' horses, too."
?"Queen Marigold is here? At the shows?"
?Mererid's brows furrowed, gazing upon him strangely.
She must've recognised his shock. "Well, yes.
She's here every year. She reached out to me shortly after we lost Llwyd, sending her condolences.
Llwyd had been a friend of King Fabian, you see.
So, Queen Marigold had also known him since her youth.
She was just as upset as we were. We struck up a friendship shortly after. "
?Alex could now understand why the duke hadn't told her the truth about her brother.
?If Queen Marigold had known Llwyd and King Fabian in her youth, it was likely she'd known James, too. Perhaps James had known he'd encounter people from his past who would recognise him and he'd fled at this precise time for that reason.
?"I see," Alex stated, calming himself. James wasn't around anymore, he didn't have to worry so much. It didn't matter if James' sister-in-law was present. It was irrelevant.
?Alex swallowed roughly. "And, King Fabian... is he here?"
?Mererid snorted. "Nope. His Majesty never cares for these things, apparently. He doesn't show his face often."
?Alex found it difficult to feel relieved.
?"Ah, and then these two here," Mererid continued. "They belong to my friend, Lady Nora. This one on the right was an engagement gift from Maurice."
?Alex startled as the doors suddenly flung open, banging and rattling, the sunlight entering and flooding them up to their knees. The horses complained, spooked by the intruder. Thomas rushed in, his breath laboured.
?"Alex, I need to talk to you."
?Alex opened his mouth, then closed it again. He grimaced, and then tried again. "Did you find him?"
?It was stupid he even asked. Thomas' lips thinned into a straight line and Alex immediately knew he hadn't.
?"I'm sorry, Alex. It was a lost cause. But, this is important."
?Alex shook his head, his mood hardening, any suffocating sensations cooling under his icy will. Something was wrong.
?"What?"
?Thomas' gaze darted to Mererid but he continued regardless. "I found out the people due to attend. Prince Maurice is expected to be present."
?The list of attendees was growing dire. Thomas was right to be concerned, even without James, the reality of the danger was beginning to sink in.
?"Prince Maurice, himself?" Alex ensured. "Not just his fiancée?"
?"That's right. We need to get Riley out of here. He's erratic, unpredictable; he snapped at the duke, there's nothing to say he won't snap at the prince, also. We absolutely cannot have them meet."
?Alex brought his hand up to his mouth, thinking, nervously. He started to chew on his nails.
?Mererid took a step forward, tentatively. "Sorry, what's the problem? Riley and Maurice are friends."
?Alex ignored her. "Is the duke aware?"
?Thomas' brows furrowed even further. "I have no idea. His Grace said he wasn't on Prince Maurice's 'side' but I can't help but worry he'd still considered them aligned. He may try to sneak out a message of distress."
?Alex pointed at him. "Go to him. Do not leave his side, under any circumstance. We cannot allow him to open the Royal Hitchleigh. We will use every excuse under the sun to keep him here. Maim him if you have to."
?They were fucked. They were fatally understaffed, considering the size of their problem. They'd ideally need to put the whole villa on lockdown, taking over the guard, controlling who came and went through the gate. But they just didn't have enough people.
?Thomas was already toeing away, the severity of the situation rushing him. "And what do we do about Riley?"
?"We'll have to tell him," Alex decided. "Go. I'll handle Riley, you handle the duke."
?They'd have to hold out on their own until Harrison and his men arrived. But the timing was tight.
?Thomas rushed away, the barn door swinging behind him. Mererid seized Alex's arm before he could follow.
?"What's going on?" she asked, concerned. "What are you doing to my dad? To Riley?"
?"You're going to have to come with me," he told her, measuredly propelling her forward by her shoulders. She tried to resist but, even as a particularly tall and strong woman, she had no weight to throw compared to Alex.
?"Let me go!" she hissed, clawing at his wrists. "I'll scream!"
?"If you stay silent I'll take you to your father immediately," he promised her. "We're trying to save his life."
?"I don't believe you," she spat. "From whom? My cousin? "
?"When was the last time you saw Princes Edric and Wulfwynn, out of interest?" he calmly asked her.
?Her body stilled.
?"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Alex reckoned. "I wonder if it has any connection to why Riley left so suddenly."
?She narrowed her eyes, scrutinising him. "What's going on?" she asked again, her tone lower, calmer.
?Alex slowly released her. Mererid was a sharp woman, he could see that much.
?"Silently walk to your father's study and he can tell you himself," he stated. "I can escort you."
?After another moment of deliberation, she curtly nodded.
?"Touch me and I'll scream," she warned him.
?"If that's what would make you comfortable," Alex replied. He was willing to let her believe she had control in this situation.
?They were going to need luck on their side to clinch out of this mess. It was a risk to keep the duke from opening the jousting, people were expecting him, they knew he was here. It was riskier still to let him do so. There would be too many people around. They needed to keep him isolated.
?Mererid was headstrong, but she wasn't as desperate as her father. If they were smart about what they told her, they could force her to take her father's place as the representative of the Straton duchy at the event.
?Alex's thoughts snapped to a place he wished it wouldn't; James could've easily convinced her if he'd been here. He could've done it with ease. They wouldn't have had to worry.
He scolded his mind by biting down on the inside of his cheek. It bled. Metallic.
James was gone.