Delusions of Loyalty (The Braykith Series Book 2)

by Jennifer R. Kenny

  Baxter backed up off Darius, offering him his hand to pull the boy into a standing position. There were barely a few years between the two, but Darius was missing the steel that Baxter had. As far as Baxter was concerned, Darius was weak, but they were still allies. Now it appeared he would be their rescue mission after all. “Darius, you will take my mount and flee towards Braykith. Ride as far as you can and wait there for us.”

  Darius shook his head, taking a self-conscious step away from the horses nearby. “I cannot.” Their size was enough to make a brave man nervous. Darius did not like the way the animals regarded him now with curious eyes.

  “And what do you suppose you will do here?” Baxter demanded, shoving Darius in the chest with an open palm to force him to move. “You have no weapon.” Baxter pushed him again, and Darius stumbled backwards from the force. “I have to judge by the look on your face now Darius, that this is not a usual argument between father and son.” Darius shook his head. “Then run away as you planned, and take one of the fastest things known to man to make it out of your own sanctuary.” Baxter shoved him again, but this time, Darius had to admit defeat.

  All Baxter spoke was true, and arguing on the matter would only take time from them. Darius backed away from the Braykith men, only turning when he got to the horses. Still, he felt the group staring at him as Darius went to the closest one. The horse was taller than he could remember them. This seemed more curious and less likely to buck him off or run him into a tree. Both scenarios did not seem too farfetched. There was a definite arrogance streak that reminded Darius of Baxter in the horse. They even shared the same red streak to their hair.

  Pushing those thoughts aside Darius gripped the saddle, and he dragged himself up. Someone chuckled behind him, but when Darius looked back, he couldn’t tell where it came from.

  “Which way?” Darius asked shyly. This time, he knew the laughter came from Baxter himself. He pointed off towards the path. Darius nodded and turned the horse away from the group. He didn’t look back, but he did hope that he did see them all again.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Glais looked down at his own hands, remaining calm and yet never quite feeling settled as he did his best not to seem hostile. “You met her in the market?” he asked Evangeline again, looking up to see her nod. “You did not think that perhaps it was unwise to befriend the girl who seemed to naturally attract hostility?”

  Evangeline did not like his tone, but she ignored it as best she could. “It was because she was alone in the city that I felt a kinship with her.” Evangeline doubted she could ever explain it to Glais, so she did not even try. “You should trust me more.”

  “You are not from this part of the world, and cannot understand how it works.” Glais knew he had said the wrong thing as soon as the words left his mouth. He sighed, mostly frustrated with himself. “You are young Evangeline.” He spoke softly to try and take away some of the judgement in his voice.

  “And yet old enough to be married off. Strange.” She crossed her arms under her bust, rubbing her hands over her forearms. “Sable is a good person, and your people have strong ideas about how a woman is supposed to act. Since I got here Glais, there has been more talk about my wifely duties than any other topic. You cannot understand that kind of pressure.”

  Glais did not agree with her. Discussions were being had about his own role in getting the Braykith heir they were so desperate to welcome into the world. “How often do you see her?”

  Evangeline shrugged, glad for the change of topic. “Whenever I happen to see her. We do not keep schedules.”

  Glais wanted to believe it was just a friendship, natural bonding between two women, but with so much not being answered for he needed to probe this possibility before it too became more questions than answers. “How long do you suspect she will stay?” Evangeline pressed her lips together and couldn’t look at Glais for a moment. There was a strange expression on her face, one that Glais had not seen before, and yet it did not make him feel good about what she planned to say next. “What is it?” he prompted her.

  “I was thinking of asking Sable to be my lady in waiting,” Evangeline said.

  Glais rose his eyebrow to her statement and congratulated himself on his self-control. “Excuse me?” he asked. Evangeline opened her mouth, but he shook his head. She stayed silent, and he was glad for it. “You think it would be wise to invite a stranger into our home?” Glais could not believe she had suggested such a careless thing.

  “I need this Glais. And so does she.” Evangeline was quick to add. “I cannot allow her to return home with a clear conscience.”

  Evangeline paused by the window when Glais stopped in his actions suddenly. She was consistently aware of how he moved and the slightest change to what she had come to expect from him made her stop and watch him more intently. Privately, Glais started to call it her rabbit instincts, but no matter how he tried to tease her gently about it, clearly this was an unwelcome habit. Evangeline couldn’t help herself, and she was frozen for a second before she seemed to feel at ease again.

  “I will ask you this only once Evangeline, please reconsider this friendly extension to Sable.” Glais had been thinking about it all night, and he could not say that he was in favour for this plan.

  “She cannot return home, and I cannot allow her to leave Braykith. She is my only friend.” Evangeline tugged on her sleeves, even though the gesture was useless. The dress fitted her perfectly and the fabric cut off elegantly at the wrist just as it had been designed. “You cannot understand how lonely I am here Glais.” She pushed her hair behind her ear, only to automatically pull it forward again to hide her neck.

  “You think I am popular?” Glais asked her with a frown that she wished did not look so pained. “I am feared, misunderstood and hated for things that I cannot control.” He gave her a pointed look, hoping she realised just how lonely he was and she herself had effused to look past these things in an effort to know who he could be. “Lonely does not begin to cover how I feel.”

  Evangeline looked down, embarrassed by her choice of words. She had never considered it before, but now it seemed impossible to ignore that Glais was quite alone. Before she could be drawn further into his self-pity, Evangeline reminded herself what kind of man he was. Monsters deserved to be alone “I am sorry you feel this way Glais, but this is not the same thing. People have a right to fear you.” She shivered as the breeze came in through the window but she wouldn’t move to stop it. The fresh air was welcomed, but it did nothing to stifle her mood.

  Glais remembered what his father had said about controlling Evangeline, but still after hearing her say those hurtful words he could not bring himself to do it by force. The last time he had attempted any kind of management of her behaviour, Glais had ruined anything that could have been. Remarks like the one she just made always caused Glais to question himself and if they could ever be more then this tension. “I apologise.” He said, and watched as Evangeline nodded and prepared to leave. “This is not about you Evangeline. I care for the safety of everyone inside the castle and to our borders.”

  Evangeline turned to him suddenly. “A monster who drinks the blood of the living has concerns for the citizens of Braykith?” she mocked him. “You care for nothing but yourself. You care for your meal, in the same way, a person cares for cattle. Healthy stock ensures a better feed.” She accused him.

  He blinked, stood a little straighter and had nothing to say in response to her verbal attack. He had never thought she could think such things about him now. “Evangeline, I figured we were moving forward together?”

  Evangeline matched his gaze, looking back at him with a stolen confidence borrowed from her mother’s memory. “Glais, you are my husband, and I support what that means. I am your wife, and it is my duty to bring in the future Braykith heir, but I do not know how many times I can say I do not love you, and for you to understand that will never change.”

  Glais’ mouth went into a thin line, and Eva
ngeline waited for the backlash. Her body tensed, ready to receive the physical or mental lashing Glais was sure to cast upon her. Instead, after a moment of pause, he nodded. “I am sorry that I misunderstood.” His breath was shaky, and it hurt Evangeline to hear that uncertainty in it, but she knew better than to fall for his tricks.

  “Is there anything else?” Evangeline asked.

  Glais looked at her and did not answer immediately. He had always found her alluring. He knew that she didn’t believe it and that Evangeline was obsessed on the features she thought Glais wanted in a wife, but they did not suit his aesthetic. All of her clothing and accessories had been designed to fight against the natural shape of her body in an effort to produce curves and an outline that just did not exist but was expected of a woman.

  Getting to see her sleep and sharing a bed with Evangeline had allowed him to see her without all the pretences. She stole his breath then, and now she did it again but for wholly different reasons. “Is Thomas…?”

  The question had died before it began when Evangeline held up her hand and silenced him. “This isn’t about Thomas. This is about what you are and who I am.” Glais hung his head, and Evangeline stayed for a moment before she felt that it was safe to leave. She managed to keep her composure until the door closed firmly behind her and she was in the hallway.

  Walking away, Evangeline replayed the scene in her mind and flinched at her own words. She struggled to believe that she had been so blunt with him, but she had been, and a part of her knew it was for the best. Evangeline could never be the beloved wife Kyleigh was to Quintus. She struggled to understand how anyone could just accept the men of Braykith. Quintus and Glais were absolute monsters, and Baxter had a personality that made her stomach turn.

  With those thoughts still on her mind, she walked to the room where Sable had been left. She supposed that she should speak with Quintus on this decision, but Evangeline hardly thought it was any of his business. Apparently, he did not think much of her welfare since Quintus had appointed her a single person to care for her. Evangeline knew Wick needed the help, and Evangeline needed someone who would speak back to her questions. She supposed she would need to answer to him at some stage, but Evangeline was confident on her reasoning

  She knocked gently on the door, and it was answered almost immediately. Sable had her hair piled on top of her head in a simple but elegant twist. Her hair was so golden that it made Evangeline ache for Teagan. But she pushed the emotion away and greeted Sable with a smile. “I am glad that you found something suitable to wear.”

  Sable smiled and spun on the spot as the skirt spread out around her. “I had never seen anything quite so lovely in all of my days.” Sable giggled and stepped out into the hall. She had been practising all morning on how Evangeline would expect the girl she thought Sable was to react in these circumstances. High energy was the emotion she had decided on.

  “Before we go anywhere.” Evangeline reached out and brought Sable’s hair down and used her fingers to loosen the strands, so they fell gently around her face. “I am afraid there are some rules on being in the castle. You might notice how everyone has their hair down. It is on request of the King, and it would be foolish to ignore his decree.” Sable nodded, pushing her hair back from her shoulder. Evangeline let it stay where it fell.

  “How did you sleep?” Sable asked Evangeline, but Evangeline just shook her head.

  “Not here. Come with me.” She started walking, and Sable fell into step beside her.

  “Is there something wrong with speaking inside the castle?” she asked, looking around nervously now, and Evangeline noticed how Sable struggled to make eye contact with the guards they crossed paths with. “I thought this place was secure.”

  “Once I am sure it was. However, it is becoming less predictable on who we can trust.” Evangeline was thinking of Barret, but her hand went self-consciously to her neck. “Come, the horses of Braykith are breathtaking, and my Tempest is quite fetching.”

  The walk to the stables was a silent one with Evangeline leading the way. She did not give much thought to Sable as her mind was busy with so much already. Evangeline glanced up to the skies and could not help but feel disappointed. She wished to see a sign that Baxter had returned word on Crimah but still all they received here in Braykith was silence. The lack of news seemed to make her more uneasy than it did to the rest of the Kingdom, and she was preoccupied as to why. Evangeline supposed it was because she did not have the same upbringing, as Glais reminded her often. The suspicion was that Baxter had sent word, yet no one had informed her of the details.

  It seemed more plausible with every passing day. How long could Quintus wait for Baxter’s answer was a question Evangeline had no experience in solving. She pushed the barn door open and led Sable over to Tempest, smiling gently as she looked over at her horse.

  Already she was looking better and quickly regaining her muscles after the days of neglect and then the rough ride to Braykith. People had been amazed to know she had made this far with no help but Evangeline was not surprised. Tempest had always been able to surpass her expectations. “She was my first gift from Braykith.” Evangeline looked down at her ring, the gold and onyx she never could quite take off even after all the doubt she held in Glais sat on her finger. “Well, the second I suppose. Glais gave me this when I first arrived.”

  Sable looked at the ring quickly since she had seen it before, but it was the dapple-grey mare that really had her attention. “And you ride her?” she marvelled, Evangeline laughing at her reaction. “I have never seen the horses quite this close before. I never imagined them so intimidating.”

  “Oh, I have always found them intimidating. Even now, Tempest continues to keep me on my toes around her.” Evangeline smiled though, reaching her hand out for the horse. Tempest looked at the outstretched hand and made a wide turn to ensure that Sable did not think of touching her. She laid her lips into Evangeline’s palm and Evangeline scratched her chin. “I have something crucial to ask you, Sable.”

  “Oh?” Sable tried to follow Evangeline’s lead and attempted to touch Tempest. The horse pulled her head back sharply, pulling away from Sable and Evangeline both. Evangeline did not seem to notice the mood in her horse as odd, and so Sable did not linger on it much either. “I hope I did not cause you trouble by showing up in the middle of the night.”

  “Oh no.” Evangeline shook her head for emphasis. “That was quite alright. I know what it is like sometimes to need a friend and not find any close by. It is actually what I wish to speak to you about.” Evangeline cleared her throat gently. “I am not sure if you are aware, but many women in my station have other women who tend to them. Back home I had two such ladies, and they were my closest friends. Since coming to Braykith, I have lost that and struggle to retain some kind of friendship within the castle.”

  Sable nodded. “Yes, I know all of these things, Evangeline.” Evangeline had quickly lost her guard with Sable. It had taken very little to have Evangeline start telling Sable her life story. It had taken a bit longer to be trusted with the bigger stories, but Sable knew those would soon be told to her as well. Evangeline had no clue who she was speaking with, and Sable felt confident that she did not think to censor herself once the decision to intervene was made.

  “For now, I have a single woman who helps me, but she is mute. I would be very much humbled if you would stay here as one of my ladies in waiting.” Evangeline finished in a rush. It was a hard thing to ask because she knew how much Glais was against the idea. It was one thing to go against Quintus, but to do so without Glais’ support was near madness. Yet Evangeline was going to do it regardless. She needed to be a little selfish sometimes, just like her mother had been. “Please say yes.”

  “Of course yes,” Sable said before grabbing Evangeline’s tense hands and felt them relax under gentle pressure. “I never imagined such a thing would be possible for a girl with my standing in the world.” She giggled, trying to give Evangeline the im
pression she would have been expecting. Sable did not want to give her reason to have doubts about her now.

  “You might be surprised to find what things come to be here at Braykith.” Evangeline smiled, happy with Sable’s acceptance of the offer, but concerned that she may have started the actions that would lead to her death. Evangeline would always feel slightly responsible for the death of Viviana and Teagan. She did not want more blood on her hands, but it was because of the secrets she was forced to keep that had driven Evangeline to look for outside companionship.

  “There will be some small things to tend to first. Setting you up with the proper clothing and explain the particulars of my regular schedule, but Wick will show you how it all works.” Evangeline finally managed to smile. “You can learn quickly.” She tried to convince herself because it seemed that Sable was not feeling intimated by the station. “It could be hard for someone who wasn’t accustomed to the particulars at first.”

  “Of course.” Sable beamed. “And thank you, Eva. It really does mean a lot to me that you trust me this much.” She paused. “Am I still allowed to call you Eva?”

  Evangeline nodded. “Perhaps not when we are in extraordinary company.” She chuckled, wondering what Quintus would think of her new addition. “Come along, Tempest needs her rest still from her hard ride here from Crimah, and we have much to discuss.” Evangeline reached for her horse, but this time, Tempest ignored the gesture.

  It stopped Evangeline in her tracks, a frown crossing her features as she studied her animal friend. They had always been connected on a level that seemed to scare some and entice others. Tempest had Evangeline’s best interests always, but her sudden reaction seemed so out of character.

  “Are you alright?” Sable asked, and Tempest stomped her hoof into the ground of her box, shaking her head but still ignoring Evangeline completely.