Chapter 6
Six
Dante kicked Autumn’s bed chamber door clear in, smashing the steel against the wall across the room.
Emblem and Allegoria ducked, shielding their mops and buckets of water from spilling all over the floor and walls that they had just cleaned. Mr. Hiss hid under the bed with his large glistening eyes. His hot-pink striped tail puffed, and he released a long, deep hiss.
“You two never cease to amaze me,” he crossed his arms. “You work slower than one servant on their first day of duty. You’re useless.” His mouth twisted to the side.
“Forgive us, we’re working as fast as we can.” Emblem swished the mop in the bucket, suds sloshing all over the floor.
Allegoria nodded. “Yes, we’ve already cleaned the windows and?—”
Dante watched them, assessing. They were a nonsensical duo. “I think you know why I’m really here.”
“I—” Allegoria stuttered.
Dante continued. “My wife is missing?—”
“She promised us each a satchel of rubies in exchange for a name.” Emblem blurted out, then cupped her mouth with her hands. She’d given him the information he’d hoped for. Of course they were somehow involved , it tempted him to roll his eyes.
“A name? Whose name?” His eyes widened.
Emblem stuttered, then hesitated.
“Tell me at once. You’re holding up my investigation,” he demanded, folding his arms.
When Emblem failed to answer, he sauntered over, reached out, and massaged her temples cyclically with the tips of his fingers. She trembled and her frail body fell into his arms as she drifted into a trance.
Dante’s eyes fluttered closed. He saw the transaction that’d taken place. Autumn promised them each a satchel of rubies like she claimed in exchange for the name: Treble Spriggs .
“Treble Spriggs,” he willed himself to remember the name. A long address followed. Treble resided at the far end of the city of Giarldinia—all the way out near the fields of Zym where his soldiers searched for Autumn.
He opened his eyes and cast a lazy blink at the twin maids. He laid Emblem across Autumn’s bed. She’d wake up soon enough, then she could resume her duties.
“Please don’t send us to Varz,” Allegoria pressed her palms together, quivering. “We only did what she asked of us.”
“Thank you for your cooperation,” his mouth curved, and he turned on his heel, his mother following him in silence, shaking her head.
Allegoria scrambled back to her station, no further questions asked. He had an inkling of Autumn’s whereabouts, but he needed to see for himself. He needed to speak with this Treble Spriggs .
On his way out of the room, he stopped one of the guards.
He folded his arms and his spine snapped as straight as a rod. “And where were you yesterday? You were tasked with keeping my empress safe.”
The guard stuttered before saying, “She relieved us for the day. We had her permission.”
He sighed, that’s right .
He recalled Autumn mentioning something to that effect. If he could go back in time, he would’ve insisted her guards remained with her at all times, or he would’ve accompanied her himself.
He’d failed her yet again.
He cracked his knuckles. “I see, well nonetheless, I’m displeased.”
The energy in the room grew hot and static and vengeful. He struggled to remain calm under the circumstances. This was absurd.
“No, wait, please,” the guard begged. “I have valuable information that could lead to her whereabouts.”
Dante cocked his head to the side. “Well, why didn’t you say so earlier? Speak, I’m listening.”
“I last saw her with Prince Armienti. Yesterday morning he came to visit her in her chambers despite your instructions and when she left, well, I shouldn’t say—” The guard glanced away beneath his onyx helmet.
He clenched his fists and his mind went wild. “Tell me this instant what happened between them.”
The guard’s teeth chattered in his mouth. “He ran his hand along her back and adjusted her bodysuit zipper.”
“He touched her?”
The guard nodded. “Yes, sire, he did.”
Dante was going to kill him. He was going to murder Armienti when he found him. He’d tear him apart limb from limb for putting his hands on his wife after he’d warned him to stay away.
“Thank you, you’ve been most useful.” He continued through the hall, allowing the guard to live. His third good deed for the day.