Dark Clouds Over Stonehaven Estate
"That's not hope, it's a death sentence!" Ronan Redgrave's eyes were shot with panic. He jerked away and slammed his fist into a stone pillar. "Genevieve, you're a daughter of House Redgrave. How can you even think about becoming some lord's mistress? I can't let you face that kind of disgrace!"
With that, he spun around and bolted for the door.
"Ronan, where are you going?" Genevieve cried, chasing after him.
"I'm going to ring the Justice Drum!" His back was ramrod straight, a clear show of defiance against the rage and injustice burning him up inside.
"Ronan!" The Marchioness of Stonehaven heard him and scrambled after them in a panic. "The courtyard is crawling with the Imperial Guard. Don't do anything reckless!"
Just then, the dowager marchioness, who had been recovering from an illness, hurried over, drawn by the commotion. Seeing her grandson about to charge into the lion's den, she felt her breath catch in her chest.
"Ronan! Stop right there!"
But the young man was blind with righteous anger, his mind fixed on one thing only: reaching the palace.
The shouts faded behind him, unheard. He just wanted to stand before the Emperor on his Dragon Throne and ask him to his face: How could this be happening?
The Redgraves of Stonehaven had served the crown with honor for a hundred years.
His grandfather and eldest brother had died on the battlefield.
His own father had guarded the border for a decade.
They had been worthy of the Emperor, and they had been worthy of the people.
So why? Why were they being framed for treason?
Ronan kicked open the side door to the inner courtyard. He'd barely taken a step before a brutal kick sent him flying back inside. He landed with a heavy, sickening thud on the flagstones, a dull ache blooming in his chest as the metallic taste of blood filled his throat.
As he struggled to push himself up, a boot pressed down hard on his chest, pinning him to the ground.
Garrett Hollis stood over him, arms crossed, a mocking smile playing on his lips as he looked down at the young lord writhing in pain.
"Well, well. In such a hurry, were we, Lord Redgrave?"
The soldiers flanking him erupted in laughter, their insults pelting Ronan like stones.
"What 'Lord Redgrave'? He's just the son of a prisoner now!"
"Hahaha, you think you can still go wherever you please?"
"Or maybe you were rushing out to pass a message to your father's spy network?"
The dowager marchioness arrived just in time to see her grandson pinned helplessly under Garrett Hollis's boot.
"Ronan!"
She stumbled forward, her eyes blazing with fury as she glared up at Garrett.
"You ungrateful beast! When your father died and you and your mother were left begging on the streets, you would have starved if the Marquis hadn't taken you in. And now you raise a hand against his grandson? Have you no conscience?"
Garrett sneered, lifting his foot off Ronan's back only to nudge a smear of blood on the stone with the tip of his boot.
"Times have changed, old woman. I act on His Majesty's orders. I follow imperial commands, not old favors. Your grandson tried to force his way out. That's defying a royal decree, and my punishing him is perfectly justified."
The old woman trembled with rage, her cane thumping against the ground. "Beast! If the Marquis hadn't personally taught you military strategy, if he hadn't promoted you as if you were his own nephew, do you really think you'd be a Captain today?"
At that, Garrett's expression darkened. He hated it, absolutely hated it, when people suggested he owed his success to anyone but himself.
"Heh. A little favor like that is nothing compared to the humiliation your family put me through."
His eyes narrowed. "Do you remember when my mother and I brought gifts to your estate to propose a marriage to Lady Genevieve? Your husband claimed, 'My daughter is unwilling, I can't force her,' but we all knew the truth. He looked down on us. A poor,
low-ranking officer wasn't worthy of his precious daughter."
His gaze slid past the old woman to Genevieve, who had rushed to her brother's side. He sized her up with an oily, reptilian stare that made her skin crawl.
"You looked down on me then, Lady Genevieve. How about now? You stick with this ruined family, and you'll be buried with it."
He patted his own chest with a crude laugh.
"Why don't you beg me instead? I'm sure my house could still find room for a mistress. It's better than starving and freezing here, isn't it? What do you say?"
The words were like poisoned daggers, twisting in the hearts of every member of the Redgrave family. The marchioness clutched her chest, trembling with rage.
"You, you monster! How dare you humiliate my daughter!" She lunged at Garrett, but the guards seized her before she could take two steps, pinning her to the ground.
The dowager's vision swam, and she would have collapsed if a maid hadn't caught her.
Lying on the floor, Ronan heard the insult and struggled to rise. "You're asking for it! How dare you talk to my sister like that!"
Seeing him struggle, Garrett raised his foot and delivered another vicious kick to his side. Ronan groaned, a mouthful of blood spilling from his lips.
"Ronan!" Genevieve felt her own blood boil. As Garrett drew back his leg to kick her brother again, she ripped the golden hairpin from her hair and pressed its sharp point to her own throat.
"Captain Hollis," she said, her voice dangerously steady. "You seem to enjoy humiliating my family. I'd like to see if this is truly the Emperor's will, or if you're just amusing yourself with a little torture."
Her threat didn't faze him. In fact, he laughed, a crude, ugly sound, and took a slow step toward her.
"Threatening to kill yourself? Do you really think that changes anything? Let me tell you the truth. Your father's case was handed over to Prince Ashworth and Princess Solana yesterday. The Emperor has washed his hands of him. Your father isn't going to survive this. Your family has no future."
As he spoke, his hand shot out and clamped around her wrist. With a violent twist, he forced her to drop the hairpin, which clattered on the stone. Lust filled his eyes as he reached out to pull her into his arms.
"Captain Hollis!" Vice-Captain Bradford, who had been watching from the side, could no longer stand it. He hurried forward and grabbed Garrett's arm. "His Majesty only ordered us to guard the estate, sir. He gave no order to harm anyone. This is inappropriate!"
"Inappropriate?" Garrett snarled, whirling and kicking Bradford hard in the chest. The vice-captain stumbled back and fell to the ground. "A mere vice-captain dares to lecture me? Don't forget who's in command here. Say another word, and I'll have you disciplined under military law!"
Bradford lay on the ground, clutching his chest, forced to watch as Garrett's disgusting hand reached for Genevieve again. The dowager marchioness, leaning on her cane, tried to put herself between her granddaughter and the captain, but Garrett shoved her to the ground without a second thought.
Cries and curses filled the air, a symphony of despair before the sealed gates of Stonehaven.
Just as Garrett Hollis's fingers were about to close around the collar of Genevieve's dress...
*Whoosh.*
A feathered arrow sliced through the air and pinned his hand clean through.