Chapter 55
Chapter Fifty-Five
JADEON
It was my hundredth attempt to break down the door. I franticly beat it with my fists, leaving bloody smudges and scraping the skin off my knuckles, furious with myself for ending up here.
Use sound judgment. Yeah, right.
Just when I had almost given up hope of leaving this dreary room, a key turned in the lock.
To my relief, Alex entered, closely followed by Orpheus.
I was so relieved to see Alex. I flew at him, wrapping my arms around him.
When he failed to return my hug, I pulled back and studied his expression.
Alex stared at the floor, refusing to make eye contact.
I tried to work out why he stood so quiet. “Alex?” I said.
Orpheus raised his hand, gesturing for me to keep my distance.
“Orpheus, what have you done to him?”
“Where would you like me to start?” he said.
I will kill you for what you have done.
“Empty threats, Jadeon.”
“Catherine, what did you do to make her so loyal to you . . .”
“Love me?” he teased.
“Alex, come on. We’re going home.”
Alex was quiet, occasionally glancing up.
“Alex, talk to me.” I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. “Orpheus, if you have harmed him in any way, I swear . . .”
“On the contrary, it was I who removed Alex from that awful police cell that you left him in, if that’s what you mean.”
“Alex, you know that I meant to return for you.”
“You left it too late,” Orpheus said.
I shook my head. “I placed the girl back on the stones to make them think the murderer was still out there. . .” It made me cringe even now.
“And you participated in her death?” Orpheus said.
“Don’t you dare!” I warned him.
“Dare to tell the truth for once?” he said.
“You have never been acquainted with truth.”
Orpheus smiled. “Insults are all you have.”
“Enough!” Alex said.
His outburst startled me. “Alex, his men captured me and locked me up.”
“I saved you.” Orpheus shook his head. “Had I not sent my men you would never have made it.”
“Alex, we’re going.” I reached for him.
Alex stepped back. “No! I don’t want to leave here. Not yet, anyway. I refuse to return to that dark castle, the one you left me in.”
“Alex! What has he said to you?” I asked.
“You’re planning to turn Ingrid!” Alex said.
“No. Why would you think that?”
Tears rolled down Alex’s cheek. “I waited for you outside Belshazzar’s, and you were with her . . .”
“You were late.”
“That’s right, blame your brother again,” Orpheus said.
“Alex, you know how manipulative he can be.”
“Or you can blame me again,” Orpheus said.
I stepped toward Alex. “Have you lost your mind?”
Somewhere far off a door slammed.
I wanted to share the private conversation I’d had with Catherine, yet I hesitated, protecting her and sensing that it would not sway him.
“Alex,” I said, “I don’t understand why you’d even consider staying here.”
“As always, Jadeon,” Orpheus said, “you choose not to understand.”
I sighed. “Alex, I’ll give you anything you want.”
“Too little too late.” Orpheus shook his head.
“Alex, you will not stay here. I will not allow it.”
“Alex, looks like you’ve been put in your place.” Orpheus smiled.
Alex peered up at me. “I just need some time to figure some things out . . .”
“I am not leaving without you!” I said.
“Deny that you have never drank from an innocent!” Alex said.
I glared at Orpheus. “You bastard, you—”
“All these years you forbade me to do it,” Alex said. “You made me drink from evildoers, and in doing so, I have taken their dark thoughts into me. Now I know that you had something to do with that girl they found at Stonehenge, which I was blamed for!”
“Orpheus put her there!” I snapped and then reluctantly added, “The first time.”
This unfolded like a dark comedy, a cruel play where no one emerged victorious.
The pain settled in my chest, relentless and raw, as if each breath reminded me of the loss of him, my beloved brother.
I was meant to shield him, yet I had failed.
A cold weight of guilt pressed against me, whispering that every misfortune, every pain, were born for my own hands.
Orpheus shrugged. “Do you want to hear more, Alex? Surely you have heard enough.”
I lunged for Orpheus.
Alex stepped in front of him, protecting Orpheus from me.
I drew back.
“Jadeon, get out,” Orpheus said.
“I cannot bear it. Jadeon, leave!” Alex said. “Let me stay here, I just need more time . . .”
“Staying is not an option.” I again tried to work out what had got into him.
“You cannot stop me,” Alex said.
“I believe that’s your cue to leave, Jadeon.” Orpheus opened the door and gestured for me to exit.
“No, not like this. Not without you, Alex.”
“Someone’s not listening,” Orpheus said.
“Alex, after everything we’ve been through, everything he’s put us through?”
“You slept?” Alex asked.
“What?”
“For the longest time,” Alex said, tears streaming. “You slept while I was alone at St. Michaels, fighting off pirates and other invaders . . .”
“I slept by day, yes, but never longer than that.”
“Too many lies, Jadeon,” Orpheus said.
“And you spoke with Catherine?”
“I just saw her now for the first time.”
“And yet you fail to tell me this?” Alex said, anguished.
I reeled. “I’m trying to get you out.”
“And leave her behind? No, none of this makes any sense. You’ve spent years searching for her and now you just walk out like she is of no consequence.”
“It’s complicated,” I said.
“I have a right to know.”
“He has a point,” Orpheus said.
“Then ask him.” I gestured toward Orpheus.
Silence.
“Leave with me, now!” I yelled.
“No, Jadeon.” Alex stepped toward me and we embraced. He pushed something into my hand and squeezed it tight. His glare indicated I was not to look down at the small round object.
“Reconsider,” I said.
His expression conveyed he was impossible to persuade.
“Then I will stay here with you.”
“I don’t want that,” Alex said.
I stared at Orpheus and back at my brother. “I will come back for you, Alex.”
“I’m sure that’s another empty promise,” Orpheus said.
I glared at Orpheus. “If you so much as harm him . . .”
“One thing’s for sure,” Orpheus said, “Alex is safer here than in one of Ingrid’s police cells.”
“You bastard.”
“Get out before my men drag you out,” he said.
I had no choice but to leave. I took one last glance at Alex. “Use caution,” I said.
Marcus’s words haunted me. I recalled when he’d trespassed into our castle, threatening us. He will take your Queen and then he will take your King. Apparently to Marcus, my struggle was nothing more than a game to Orpheus. Marcus had warned that Orpheus was after Alex.
Before exiting, I turned to take one more look at Alex, be sure that this was what he really wanted and that Orpheus had not trapped him.
Orpheus’s lips mouthed, “Checkmate!”
I pulled myself up to my full height. “Mene Mene Tekel Upharsin.”
Heavyhearted, I withdrew.