The Spoils of Allsveil: Dark Heart Heroes #2 (4 page)

Aighta bore a dark glance and said,
“Yes. And it takes a quiet mind to recognize it.”

I frowned. The statement burned. She’d said, in fewer words, that I noticed too late and having chosen
Brie, I’d made my bed. I grabbed her waist and threw her on the table. Pinning her wrists to the wood I slid in between her legs.

Aighta did not scream, did not fight. Instead her eyes drew in all the heat of the room. She said, “You should wait for your wife.”

“It’s not about sex,” I said, reaching for my blade. “It’s about control.”

“You don’t have that either.”
A wall of apathy filled her eyes. “For such a smart man, you haven’t a clue. You want to know why my people still fight you?”

Her comment had me pulling back.

“We taught them how to fly without ever leaving the ground.”

Aighta had always been strange but had she lost her mind?

“Bridgette never taught you to fly.” Her statement seemed to make her realize something I didn’t.

She unnerved me. I narrowed my eyes. “What are you talking about?”

“She never taught you to fly,” she repeated—like women had the power to do such an incredible feat.

“Tell me what the hell you’re talking about, woman, or you’re not going to live through tonight.”
I stepped away from her, fearing her madness was a disease.

Aighta straightened. “Is
Bridgette happy?”

“What?” Enraged, I wanted to hit something, hurt someone. This woman was a witch. She stirred my focus in a soup of distress.

She compressed her lips and spoke slowly, “Is your wife, Bridgette, the one you promised health and prosperity to, happy?”

I glared at Aighta.
She was not sick or mad. She was a master at word games. I had to tread carefully. “What does that have to do with anything?”

Her face dropped in disappointment. “The answer is no, I take it. Why?”

If I could have physically thrown my words at her they would have been fists. “Why what?”

“Why is she unhappy?”
Aighta asked me again.

“I don’t...” But flashes of memory stopped me. I knew why.
Aighta’s dark eyes remained indifferent, while I recalled my indiscretions. A lesser man might see the former queen of Allsveil accepting of her fate, but I knew better. This was the Aighta that could take hold of your mind and twist. If I cried mercy she would win. If you waited for her pity, you’d wait your entire life. 

Aighta turned
and walked towards the king’s chair. She stopped and bowed her head. “The last time Fieron told me he loved me was this morning. I never tired of hearing it.”

She threw a very pointed look my way.
I glowered back. Bringing her hands to her temples she said, “And when was the last time you told Bridgette you loved her?”

I scoffed. “What does that have to do with flying?”

“Everything.”

I sunk in the chair behind me. “Go.” I waved a hand. “You exhaust me.”

“No.” Aighta faced me. “You wanted to know how to fly, but...” She tilted her chin. “Resistance will make it harder to learn how.”

“Paul!” I scrubbed my face
with a war-roughened hand. My man entered and bowed. “Take Lady Aighta to her room.”

Paul bowed and waited for Aighta, but my childhood-friend-turned-enemy didn’t move. “It should be me who bonds with your son.”

“No. It will be her and that is my final offer.”

“My daughter—”

“Paul!” I rose from my chair. “Escort Lady Tyilasuir out now!”

My man-at-arms understood that if he didn’t take care of this situation, there would be blood. Before he could grab her, Aighta whirled around. “Don’t touch me,” she said.
The train of her skirts floated behind her. She could run, but I would see her again. Sooner than she might think.

3 - Alexia

My stomach churned in tight sailor knots. Repetition, formality, and all my training as a royal kept me walking. Mind numb, heart numb, and now soul numb, I followed. I looked at that orphan-maker beside me. I should have eaten. That way I would have been able to throw up the food on his brown leather pants and fine red velvet coat.

He looked at me and quirked the side of his mouth. He could not even give me a full smile. My fingers stiffened into spikes. Before I knew it, my arms reached up to claw out his eyes. If I’d been thinking straight
, I might have reached for a dagger, a sword, a vase to throw. He caught my wrath by the wrists and spun me around, using my own arms to trap me.

“I know you’re angry,” he whispered in my ear. “I’m not happy about it either, but we’re nobles; this is what we do.”

I struggled to break free, but the bastard held me fast. “You killed my father!”

He went still and twirled me into one of the guards
, ready to drag me to the chains. “Who told you that?” Darrin seemed angry.

“I saw your blade…” Tears pricked my eyes.

His face paled. “You watched the battle?”

I pulled away from the guard and glared at Darrin.
The orphan-maker closed his eyes. When he opened them there was a depth of pain I’d thought an arrogant bastard such as he would never be capable of. “I’m not going to give you some trite apology. The fact is, it was my father or yours. I’m sure you would have done the same. Still, I deeply regret you had to witness that.”

I stood there, his words turning on me and stabbing me like I was some poor maiden to pity.
No one moved. No one spoke. Not for an eternity. Darrin turned and the guards pushed me to follow. When we got to my room I was allowed privacy, but my chambers were stripped bare. No weapons, no heavy objects. All that was left was a bed with sheets, a chest of drawers, and my table and chairs. My chess set remained as well. They’d made a mistake thinking the pieces innocuous. Each one held a hidden compartment. Some empty, some not.

I grabbed the black rook and carefully peeled the cork piece from the bottom. The smallest glass vial slipped out and the most deadly poison in Allsveil sat in the palm of my hand.
The prince of Dreshall would soon be dead.

4
- Goththor

Aighta’s riddle circled my exhausted brain that night and throughout the day. I’d even found myself looking out the windows expecting to see the people of Allsveil floating through air.
Gods-be-damned woman. To hell with her.

“Paul!” I sat up from my chair. Papers scattered over the fine wood table, lifted by the breeze coming in through the window at my back. I slammed another one of the reports I’d been too distracted to read back on the table.

Before my man-at-arms could walk the length of the long dining table fit for an army I said, “Bring Lady Aighta Tyilasuir, her daughter, and my son.”

He bowed, turned
, and set off. A runner, dead set on getting to me, passed by my man-at-arms. He approached, knelt, and waited for my release.

“Up with you. What news do you have?”

The boy looked my son’s age. “Queen Goththor approaches.”

I bolted
upright before I could school my reaction. “What?”

“She’ll be here any moment
. Her carriage passes the portcullis as we speak.”

Furious worms writhed in my stomach.
She’d left our palace before I gave word it was safe to come. “This is no place for a lady; we haven’t fortified the gates. She should not be here.” Why had she given me no notice of her arrival? Why did she come at all?

“Guards!” I pointed to Stiagwor, the man in charge of security. “Tend to the
queen, make sure she arrives safely.”

Stiagwor signaled to six of my twenty guards and pointed at the door.

“You as well, Stiagwor, tend to her.”

My security head gave me a steely glare. “I don’t feel comfortable leaving you without S
ir Cartell.”

“Damn it
, Stiagwor, Paul will be right back, go.”

“She has her own guard, they are more than—”

I pounded my fist on the table. “If harm comes to her, I will run my sword through your gut.”

Stiagwor stood his ground for another second, then turned and accompanied his assigned men.
Paul led our guests and my son into the hall. Gods-be-damned Bridgette’s timing. Aighta walked between Darrin and her daughter. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was a nervous hen separating the two from each other. Darrin’s mouth was a grim line and his unhappiness seemed directed at me.

“Please sit.” I gestured at the chairs. “Paul, join us.” I needed every pinch of wit on my side against Aighta. “I’ve drawn up a contract that binds our two houses.” I passed Aighta a scroll and she took it. While she read, I observed her daughter. The filly showed no concern over the details and looked at my son with open hostility.

Darrin, on the other hand, was intent on me. A leather squeak brought my attention to his leather-gloved hands. He tightened his fists as a signal that he wanted to speak but was too proud to interrupt me. He should know better. I’d made my decision. I pointedly looked at his hands, looked into his eyes, and turned my gaze to Aighta. The filly quietly snickered.

More crackling leather. The boy was probably wringing my neck in his mind. It didn’t matter. Soon, the lands of Allsveil would be his. My gift to a deserving son. The filly would extend his lineage.
Brie would have her grandchildren.

The doors to the great room opened
. My wife stormed down the length of the hall with her queen’s guard and the seven I had sent to receive her hustling in her wake. My heart plummeted in nervous anticipation and my cock leapt in attention. Months had passed since I’d last seen her and those luscious lips, upturned button-nose, high cheekbones, and sky-blue eyes never failed to entice me no matter if she was being sweet or a harpy. Lately, she’d only been keen on freezing my interest out.

I stood as did everyone else.
Keeping an eye on Aighta, I wondered if the two would be delighted to see each other, and band against me.

I
should order everyone out.
I glanced at Stiagwor.

My security chief glowered back and his look was all the communication we’d have about
him and his men leaving.

Being king doesn’t mean you get to order everyone around, actually it means you belong to the people who follow you. St
iagwor’s look was one built over twenty-two years, saying, yes she’ll yell at you. No, we don’t care. No, we’re not leaving our king in a strange room with strangers so he can save face. Security first. These people are not polite company. We’ve seen you fight with your wife a thousand times. You will live through a tongue-lashing but not an arrow in the heart or an ax to the head. We are staying. 

Her anger was barely contained with a glare
piercing me soul deep. Her stride a force of its own, barreling towards me. When she got closer I could tell she’d locked on to me and would see no other. I nodded to her. “Good tidings, my lady.”

Bridgette
’s skirts swirled when she stopped. Her arms pinned to her sides. “Good tidings indeed. How could you?”

My body and mind shut down. “Ah. I see you’ve traveled two hundred miles for another yelling match. What I have I done this time?”

“What have you done?” Bridgette’s eyes widened. “What have you done! Where is she?”

“Who?” I said.
Her anger was indomitable. It made me want to run across the land and face another army rather than be here.

“Aighta! Where is Lady Aighta!”

“Lady Goththor,” Aighta said. “I am here.”

Bridgette
whirled, stared at Aighta then flew to Lady Tyilasuir and grabbed her in a fierce hug. “I came as soon as I heard about the attack,” Bridgette sobbed. “I’ve been getting reports by bird during my journey. They told me he killed you.”

That rumor was quite unsettling. I had no desire to hurt Aighta. In fact, I was careful not to put her in a position where I had to execute her. Aighta hugged my wife back. Her smile was genuine and she looked much like the young girl I’d known in my youth.

Bridgette pushed her childhood friend to arm’s length. “Has he hurt you? Or have I reached you in time?” My wife scowled at me.

Aighta smiled tightly. “I’m fine.”
She did not mention the death of her husband.

Bridgette
turned her scowl to her friend. “Don’t lie to me.”

“Really, I’ve been treated well. I stay in my own room.”

“He’s not the same man you knew,” Bridgette said. “He’s a fiend, and worse.”

Aighta looked aghast but
Bridgette didn’t notice.

“Why have you done this?”
my wife said to me.

Anger flushed my face. Opening my mouth to speak, I was rudely cut off.

“No.” Bridgette shoved a hand to halt any explanation I might have given. “Don’t tell me, I know why, you greedy bastard. You have no mercy whatsoever. You just take what you want.”

My jaw clenched. My palms began to sweat. “Paul. Lady Goththor is exhausted from her travels. See she gets rest.”

Paul bowed low and stood by Bridgette’s side.

“Were you ever coming back?”
Bridgette said.

All my self-control went into holding myself back. “This again.”

“Mother!” Darrin stepped forward. My brave son trying to step into the fray and protect us from each other.

Bridgette
looked at him like he was a squashed bug. “Yes. Good tidings to you, my dear. Having fun roaming the countryside and following in your father’s adulterous footsteps?”

Darrin stopped in his tracks. The hurt in his eyes made my anger boil over. Maybe I deserved her ire, but the boy? Never. “Leave my son alone, you black-tongued harpy.”

Bridgette acted as if she didn’t hear me. “Did you think I wouldn’t find out what you were doing? Do you think I’m going to let you get away with this?”

Her insolence burned the blood running through my veins. “Why should I come home to a smack-lipped cow such as yourself?”

Bridgette pulled back but recovered. “You bastard.”

“Oh, you’re allowed to call me every disparaging name your hen head can think of but I’m granted no defense?”

“You don’t need a defense, savage, you need manners and a good beating.”

I stepped forward. “You want a beating, woman?”

“Stop it!” Aighta’s voice pierced through the haze of anger. “Stop it!” Her small frame vibrated, her expression firm. “Stop it!”

I
was dumbfounded. My wife brought me to anger before, but I’d never lost control. Never even thought of striking her.

“See what you’ve done!”
Bridgette went to put her arm around the former queen of Allsveil.

“No!” Aighta pulled away and faced my wife. “You’re as much to blame.”

That shocked Bridgette. She raised her hand to her throat.

“What happened to the both of you?” She looked for answers in our faces. “You were in love. You respected each other. You were the perfect couple, married in perfect union.”

Silence.

“Why doesn’t he know how to fly?” Aighta looked at
Bridgette and pointed at me.

My wife looked down. She’d been shamed. She knew what Aighta meant and that made me shake in anger. Something had been withheld from the one person I loved the most. It hurt. It shoved another frosted iceberg into my heart.

“I told you to never stop.” Aighta’s eyes flashed in anger. “Did you not continue with everything I taught you?”

That perked my ears.
Bridgette looked up. “I’m not enough for him.”

Aighta closed her eyes and shook her head. “My methods are foolproof,
Brie, foolproof.”

“He never listens to me!”
Brie trembled.

I’d been betrayed. Slighted. Tricked. I knew it. “Everyone out!”

Darrin shot out of the room like a whipped horse. I would counsel him later, see if I could undo the damage of his mother’s harsh words. The filly was not far behind him, and Paul turned to go. Aighta stood, her face looking up at me with an authority she no longer had. Brie took Aighta’s hand and started to pull her friend away.

“Not Lady Aighta
,” I roared.

Bridgette
turned and stood in front of Aighta, ever ready to battle till our tongues were bloodied. “She goes with me.”

“Take Paul instead, he can show you to a big bed where he can fuck the insolence out of you.” The admittance of my secret suspicion came as a relief and I feared its truth. If she confirmed it, I feared I’d go mad.

Brie stepped up to me and slapped my face. “I’ve always been faithful.”

Elation at the truth allowed her the hit. But truth brought self-loathing for my own deceit. Thank all that she’d not sought revenge on me with another man as I had with another woman.
Many women. Truth be told, they’d all confess that I’d screamed her name at my weakest point. “Nonetheless.” I stood straight. “Lady Aighta and I have much to discuss.”

Bridgette
’s eyes widened and her nose flared. Her pale skin flushed, starting from her neck and traveling up. “No.”

She did not trust me with the woman.
Bridgette thought me an animal to take Lady Aighta, and before I might have, but now anger pushed me to prove her wrong. In my heart, even I hadn’t forgiven myself for my weakness of the flesh. I was a man and a man needed his woman. But when she denied me, was I to be a eunuch forever? My jaw clenched. “I will not touch her. I will not breathe on her. By the gods-be-damned light I will stay ten feet away from her at all times. But I need to speak with her, in private.”

“Your word is no—”

“Stop!” I pointed at her. “Reconsider your words, my lady, because once you say
that
there is nothing left between us.”

Brie
shut her open mouth in a grim line. “Don’t hurt her or there
will
be nothing for us.”

I swallowed. “I will sit on one side, she the other.”
My wife examined the dining table. Its width was eight feet. She turned to Lady Aighta, searching her friend’s face for guidance.

“It’s obvious you two need an arbiter,” Aighta whispered. “Who better?”
The air held its breath as each stared at the other, and the moment passed. Brie hugged her friend in a fierce embrace and whooshed out of the room with Paul running to keep up with her. I pulled up a chair and sat, gesturing for Aighta to do the same. The cool breeze lifted my hair and I breathed to regain my composure. I’d nearly raised a hand to my wife. I would hate myself more if I’d let that happen. We could not go on like this. I wanted desperately to turn time back to our courtship, our engagement, or the first years of our marriage. Those were the days. The man I was then would draw a sword on the man I was now and slit my throat for looking at Brie the wrong way.

Aighta and I were alone when I made light of my question. “So, what did you teach her?”

Aighta gave me a little smile. “She wanted you so badly.”

I leaned forward and repeated, “What did you teach her?”