LXXXI
Days passed. The deliberation stretched on.
The longer the senators took, the edgier everyone became.
Permission became less and less likely to be granted and, as confident and well-assured as King William's people had been until that point, even they began to fear.
It was a nail-knawing wait inside their dark prison.
If the verdict came back negative, King Fabian would hear of it immediately and King William's hands would be tied. Blood would be shed and no one would be able to do a thing about it.
Thankfully, James started eating, but he remained holed up in his room, reading random paperbacks Alex had fetched from the Curia's library. Every single time, without hesitation, James ignored the storybooks to favour anything informative.
"Do you not like reading stories?" Alex asked him.
He recalled James' fascination with the stars, the tales woven into the sky.
"No," James replied, his voice tight.
A knock rapped at the door and Alex glanced around to ensure the room was presentable. He'd already passed all the broken furniture and rubbish onto the servants some days prior but the gaping dark holes where the windows had been were irrecoverable.
James didn't stir, propped up against the headboard, reading, as if he hadn't heard.
Alex recoiled after opening the door, suddenly slapped in the face by the presence of King William, Duke Chamberlain, Duke Straton and Harrison.
"Y -Your Majesty and Your Graces."
They clearly hadn't expected Alex to have been the one to answer. Whilst his father glared at him, Duke Straton stepped back to view the corridor and ensure they had the right room. Harrison, though, smiled politely.
"Lord Alexander, is Prince Julian inside? His Majesty wishes to speak with him."
"Of course," Alex rushed, opening the door widely for them.
Even with the intrusion of company, James didn't glance up from his book.
He read it with a bored air and crossed a leg over his bent knee.
That confidently indifferent gaze and the languid casualness as he lay there on his back, on the messy covers, book propped in one hand, stirred something up in Alex.
He became entranced, those thick flexed calves strong enough for Alex to sink his teeth in, the sudden desire to crawl between them becoming intrusive.
It wasn't fair.
"Prince Julian, my boy," King William greeted.
Harrison's gaze did a sweep of the room, not hiding his interest. He was a scarily perceptive man, only Adeia could know what he saw; Alex worried it would be more than just the broken windows and missing furniture.
"Lord Alexander, would you excuse us?" Harrison asked.
"Of course."
James' book snapped shut, interrupting Alex's easy agreement.
"Is that necessary?" he asked Harrison. "Alex has already been involved every step of the way."
Alex quickly but subtly shook his head at James. He stopped the moment his father's piercing gaze snapped his way. This was not the time for James to brew conflict with their own side.
"Indeed," Duke Chamberlain lowly agreed, eyeing his son from the side. "He has done more than enough."
Alex didn't give him the satisfaction of a reaction, staring down the disdain in its venomous and ageing face. He remembered what Thomas had told him; Duke Chamberlain wanted his head for real this time.
Harrison lightly chuckled. "There's no need for that. It would be appreciated if you would humour us for the time being, Your Royal Highness. Who knows where your mind would be after our discussion."
"We don't want plans to be given out recklessly," the king added.
"You tried to assassinate Fabian illegally," James reminded him. "Was that not a plan deliberately given to Alex?"
An insincere smile cut wrinkles into King William's face. "And you had been our client, dear assassin," he returned.
"James," Alex risked saying, trying to convey his protest.
James shifted his gaze to stare at him and a beat passed, the other man blankly considering his next action. Then, he relented with a nod.
"I'll be on my way." Alex bowed, thankful for the escape.
If Alex needed to know the contents of their conversation, James would tell him later. That was his lover's call to make.
He breathed in the stuffy dusty air of the corridor, wishing a breeze would pass by. He couldn't help but wonder what was taking the senators so long to decide.
Having something so detrimental beyond his control was grating, like trying to grab fog with his bare hands. Despite knowing better than to needlessly fret, the human heart wasn't so convenient like that.
Even if they attempted to flee the country, even if they got past the front doors of this place, even if everything was in their favour— it would all be hopeless. If the senators declined, both he and James would be as good as dead.
Stop thinking about it.
A woman cleared her throat.
"Do you fucking live in this corridor?" Alex snapped, whipping around to confront Ino. "Try to intimidate me again and I'm going to stop being so bloody nice."
Ino remained unimpressed. "I followed King William and waited here for you, actually."
Alex took a deep breath, his lungs expanding, trying to calm the edge of his stress away. He regarded Ino again, this time calmer.
"Why did you want to see me?"
She held up her hands, splaying her fingers. "I checked him."
"And?"
"They're a lot less damaged than they used to be."
Alex's foot flinched back a step in surprise. "That doesn't—"
"Make any sense?" she finished. "Did you not notice before now?"
James spoke with his hands sometimes but, for the most part, his palms were kept more private. Alex would only catch a glimpse or two. Most of the time he'd feel it on his skin, but it had felt as rough as always.
"But, I've seen James," Alex stressed. "He's devastated. This doesn't make any sense..."
With everything that was collapsing around him, James should've needed Eris' intervention more now than any other. Then, it clicked.
"Is that why he's so...?" he asked, his mouth dry.
She nodded and it felt like a little bit more of James' ruins had spread to Alex, also. His chest felt heavy, the air thick, the rubble building up.
In James' greatest time of emotional need, Eris was doing less?
She had diligently protected him for almost sixteen years without thanks or gratitude, sheltering his heart from his past. Even as James had gradually lost everything else dear to him, her protection had been the sole consistent thing to grace his life.
So, why?
"You said you knew what was going to happen," Alex slowly recalled. The conservation sat in his head like a lump. "You predicted this, didn't you? You knew this was happening before you even looked!" His hand covered his mouth, his mind whirling. He glared at her. "Tell me what this means."
She was silent.
"Ino!" he bellowed, deep and loud, marching closer. "I'm not fucking playing, right now. Tell me!"
"You actually care about him," she noted with surprise, her eyes widening.
"Ino, please."
His body was strung and tense, his fists clenched, but just as quickly as his rage had come, a pleading had replaced it, soaking into his body and voice. He was begging her.
"I've said before that Eris has been written about a lot, haven't I?
" she said, at last. Then, she smiled, sadly.
It was the most genuine look of remorse Alex had ever witnessed on this saintess of death's face— this woman who followed Moira and treated grief with such flippancy— her gaze was downcast.
Finally, she lifted her head, the emotion in her eyes stolen by black shadows. She gave Alex the answer he hadn't wanted to hear.
"With Eris' boys; both now and a hundred years ago; not a single one has, nor will, ever live a happy life."
***
"An assassination?" Duke Straton inquired. "Actually, do I want to know?"
"Probably best not," Harrison said mildly. "Assassinations are against the law, Your Grace. There's nothing to say. Our meeting with Prince Julian was unexpected, that's all."
Duke Straton warily eyed the advisor. "Where did something like you appear from?"
"We need to be aware of the risks ahead," King William told James, paying no attention to the other men's chatter.
"With this inquest, we were always fighting an uphill battle.
As you probably know, King Fabian and the temple both have senators under their thumb here who will make it their life's mission to block this motion.
Even if we came here confidently, flashing paper and testimonial evidence, the odds had never been in our favour. "
James nodded. He'd guessed that much. Fabian had gotten away with too many sins scot-free and had obtained every unreasonable desire he'd coveted. He had men and women planted everywhere— the Senate was no exception.
"I know what you're worried about," James replied. "But it's too late for me to turn back now. Even if this motion is rejected, I will remain. We will just have to find another way."
"I'm happy to hear that."
"We do already have some ideas," Duke Chamberlain was saying. "Though, I must ask why you seem so concerned with that dog of all people?"
"That man is good with his hands," James said with a straight face, before adding: "He's an excellent swordsman and loyal to no end."
Which was why, as long as Harrison kept his end of their deal, Alex would become one of his. James already knew exactly where he wanted to place Alex and he'd be forever delighted by how infuriated Duke Chamberlain would become after finding out his 'dog' would then be considered his equal.
"Phillip," King William warned. "Relevancy?"
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty."
Harrison's smirk was smug.
Pounding shook and shuddered the door. James flinched, Eris in his hands. The two dukes jerked to investigate immediately, weaponless.
"Your Majesty!" a desperate voice called. Numerous men spilt through the moment the door opened, their breathlessness stealing all air from the room.
King William was quick to react. "What is it?"
"The senators!" one of the men heaved. "The results are back!"
James stopped breathing just as the others did, the next word about to make or break everything. This one decision— everything was balancing on this one single decision.
"They've voted in favour of the motion," the man cried. "We are now at war!"