Chapter 29
Theo
“You’re a blundering fool.” A stern voice cut through the grogginess of the cudweed.
Theo rolled his head, his vision coming into focus as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
“What do you want?” he groaned.
Luther sat beside him wearing an all-black ensemble and a short red vest. He plucked a stray hair from the turquoise chair. Theo still hadn’t a clue how the chairs had gotten up here. It would’ve been a struggle for Amaris to carry them up the steps.
“I’ve come to make sure you don’t do anything rash,” Luther muttered, eyeing the tower with his dark eyes and a grimace. He sat on the edge of the chair, his legs spread as he leaned forward. “You nearly destroyed your life.”
“I did what I thought was right,” Theo snapped, the extra emphasis in his tone shifting the muscles of his back. The pain had significantly improved, but he had yet to attempt to move beyond the tower.
“If it wasn’t for Esaias acting a buffoon, Father likely wouldn’t have stepped in.”
“And where were you?” Theo asked.
“You asked for Miss Carter’s punishment. You brought this burden upon yourself.” Luther played with the sapphire ring upon his hand. It’d been passed down throughout their family, given to the next heir of Luana since the declaration of the province.
“She didn’t deserve that, to be made a mockery and brutally flogged, or have you forgotten she’s the mystique. She’s the only person for one hundred miles with her abilities.”
Luther extended his hand, picking at a speck of dirt under his nail. “And soon she will be the most capable person in Elric.”
Theo’s breath halted. “Luther, Amaris didn’t kill Freville. It’s a mistake to send her there.”
“Perhaps she should’ve considered that before she attempted to sneak away in the night.”
“We’ve already paid for that.” Theo’s back would always bear the scars from the actions of that night, but he would gladly wear them. He’d driven her to escape.
“It would seem Father contemplated that. It took him some convincing on Bennet’s part, but her fate is decided. Lord Freville’s family is calling for blood, and they’ll have it.”
“He can’t be serious. She ran to protect herself.”
Luther ceased his grooming and inclined a thin brow. There was no denying the resemblance between him and their father. The dominant traits of the Fastrada line ran deep within his veins, and the pretentiousness he flaunted could only have been birthed by their father.
“Do tell, brother.” He grinned. “Where was dear Miss Carter running from?”
After she’d shared about her wretched betrothed, Theo couldn’t pry further. That was all he’d wanted to hear, not that he’d wished for her to endure it, but for her to be honest. He’d seen the signs, but he needed to hear the truth for himself. Maybe their father would understand and be merciful.
“She was running from her abusive betrothed.”
“Abusive?”
“He hits her.”
“That’s convenient.” Luther reclined back, his sneer sending Theo’s blood to curdle as he studied a stain on the armrest.
“Convenient? She’s lived with this man while he berates her, and when she finally got the courage to run, we automatically deem her a murderer.
There’s no evidence to suggest she killed that man.
Father has asked me to get to know her, to learn her truth, and I have.
Why doesn’t he trust me? Is it because he’s blinded by his arrogance? ”
Luther prodded at the inside of his mouth with his tongue, bulging his cheek.
“You of all people should know when he has his mind set that he rarely falters. You should consider yourself lucky he isn’t sending you along with her.
I suggest you take what the gods have offered you and move on with your life. ”
“I won’t stand for this,” Theo snapped. “Amaris is innocent!”
Luther jumped from his chair, crouching before Theo. “It looks to me like you can hardly stand at all, let alone protect her.”
There was no arguing with him or their father. Their minds were made up, and they’d send her to a prison that sucked every bit of a person’s existence and turned them hollow and cold. He’d suffered for years with numbness in his heart. Amaris didn’t deserve that.
“When?” Theo asked, his hand tugging at the hem of his shirt, assuring it covered his back.
“After the Conjugation. Lord Godfrey is to accept her as a prisoner and deliver her to Elric.”
Theo had to put a stop to it. “Why tell me?”
He smirked. “Because there’s nothing you can do. She’ll be gone soon, and we’ll all forget about her. Father has even begun preparations for a new mystique to be sent from Lockwood.”
Lockwood was a fortress of learning and knowledge. Many stayed within its walls, honing their skills and building their wealth of knowledge. Most mystiques serving a province had come from their teachings.
“The sooner you accept this, the easier it’ll be to continue with your life. Think about your future and your people’s future. Don’t throw it all away for a common servant.”
Theo couldn’t snap back at him. If he was to formulate a plan, he needed his brother to believe he’d gotten through to him.
Their father would’ve seen right through it, but Luther was still young.
Even though he’d been by their father’s side for over a decade studying and learning his role, he was naive.
“Has Genevieve spoken of the Conjugation?” Maybe if he were to bring someone his stepmother approved of, he could show a semblance of normalcy.
“That she has,” he said, standing and lacing his hands behind his back. He walked about the tower, studying the various books and herbs Amaris had left out on the worktable. “She said you haven’t returned her list of suitors.”
Theo needed someone who’d be on his side and play the part without asking any questions, and he knew one woman who’d be in attendance and owed him an incredibly huge favor.
“I’ve selected someone, and I’ll send word to intercept her travels immediately.”
“Might I ask who you plan to escort to the Conjugation?” Luther asked, flipping through a book on the worktable, pulling out a piece of parchment.
“Helen Canon.”
He balked. “You intend to escort the Duchess of Ebonmaw? She’s hardly in the realm of suitors Mother has selected for you. It isn’t appropriate.”
“Helen fought valiantly during the war. We are two sides to a piece of silver.”
Helen had left her home to fight in the war, disguising herself for her first few seasons.
She’d revealed her identity sometime during Theo’s imprisonment.
As she was an incredible fighter, her officers couldn’t risk sending her back.
She was the only child of the late Duke of Ebonmaw.
She’d only finally been pulled from the fight when her parents had perished in a dreadful fire.
They’d been on holiday, and the cottage had gone up in smoke before they could get out.
“Mother won’t be happy.”
“She’ll learn to live with it,” Theo said.
“At least you’re willing to try. I hear Esaias will be escorting a common merchant’s daughter. He still portrays his wealth and class, but he’s now no more than a simple soldier. Who would ever step from their birthright and renounce their heritage?”
“He doesn’t care what you or the other members of nobility think. As far as he’s concerned, he would say class and society can burn in After.”
“Class and society are what keep this kingdom in check,” Luther sneered, his face twisting in disgust. “It’s what reminds the lowers of where they belong.
We cannot be associating ourselves with someone far below our class.
It’s likely why he gave his life away in the first place, so he can be free to fuck whomever he wants. ”
Luther eyed Theo’s hands clenching, and a smirk crossed his face. He was lucky Theo wasn’t at his full strength, or he’d make sure Luther was the one upon the bed, unable to get up.
“Once I’m to be wed to Petra Godfrey, Mother will wish to spend her time moving on to her next child. She selected a fine match for me. I presume she’s already started spreading your bachelor status among the other nobles of Godwin.”
“I won’t marry someone just because they’re of noble blood,” Theo said, lowering his voice. “I don’t care what she does. I won’t allow her to make decisions about my life.”
What Amaris said the other night had stayed with him. She’d asked if people married for love. Every day, people met at the temples across Godwin and said their vows. Why should he be any different?
“Do you forget you don’t have a choice in the matter?”
“We all have a choice.” Theo attempted to sit up.
“That is a fantasy. You don’t have a choice in who you marry, you didn’t have a choice that you became a soldier, and you didn’t have a choice when you went off to war.”
Theo stopped his shifting, his hands gripping the edge of the bed.
How dare he! While Theo had been living a life of misery for three years, shut up in a prison for two seasons and tortured, Luther had been home.
He’d gotten to see Adelaide become a woman and Jeremiah race around the manor.
He’d learned about political structure and how best to send his troops to die.
“Don’t speak of the war to me,” Theo seethed, refusing to face his brother, to give him the satisfaction of seeing the anger in his eyes.
“There’s no need for dramatics. You lost a few good soldiers. There will always be more to follow you. You even brought Esaias and your friends Gris and Sephardi home. There’s no need to go on acting sour.”
Acting? He gritted his teeth against his flinching muscles screaming to attack, to lunge at him and pummel his face into oblivion.
That Fastrada face. Theo didn’t feel he deserved his last name.
He and Adelaide were far more Burchards than Fastradas.
They acted and looked the part of their mother’s bloodline, unlike Luther.
“You don’t get to speak to me about who or what I lost. You have no idea what it was like.”