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A knock on the door jolted her from sleep. Fumbling with her nightstand, Jax managed to light a candle, banishing the shadows of night. Tiptoeing to the door, she cracked it open a sliver.
George’s chocolate eyes shimmered in the dim light. “I’m sorry to wake you, Jax, but I knew you’d want to hear this.”
“What time is it?” she mumbled, rubbing sleep from her eyes as she waved him into the sitting room.
“Just past two. My spies have returned with some information regarding the Shadow Brethren’s presence in Saphire.”
Fully awake at the mention of the guild, she sat in her chair, inching forward. “And?”
“There appears to be a member of the Brethren on holiday here, renting a cottage down by the Saltrine.”
“On holiday?” she repeated. “You’ve got to be joking.”
“I guess even criminals need a break from the daily grind,” George answered with a wry smile. “But what’s more important is that this man has agreed to speak with me in exchange for immunity.”
“Speak to us, you mean,” Jax corrected, and before George could protest, she added, “I don’t like the idea of bargaining with thugs.”
“Neither do I.” He leaned forward in his seat and took her hands. “But I’m not sure we have much choice if we’re looking to resolve this matter quickly before something worse happens.”
“Something worse than our men being attacked, and Uma kidnapped?” Jax stared at the pile of charcoal in the unlit fireplace. “No, I guess we don’t,” she said simply, turning to meet her friend’s stare. “Can you arrange for a meeting?”
George nodded. “We can head out first thing in the morning, if you’d like?”
“Yes, the sooner the better.” She nodded, pleased at his efficient work. “I will have Perry greet guests on my behalf in case anyone arrives while we are away. I also need to speak to Jaquobie about our courtiers.”
Worry haunted George’s eyes. “Why? Are they not doing a good job?”
Jax stood and made her way to the doorway of her bedroom. “I know they are like shadows within the castle walls, but it seems they did not accompany Carriena, the Baron, and the Viscounts during their afternoon ride today.”
George’s bushy eyebrows rose. “You think they were up to something?”
Jax brought him up to speed on the intriguing information Vita had shared with her about the brothers’ history.
“That is troubling. It’s very plausible that they still have connections to the guild and its dirty work.” George paused, then thoughtfully stroked his chin. “You’ve never heard Perry mention any of this?”
“No. I can only assume that this all happened before they were acquaintances.” Seeing the Captain’s frown, she faltered for a beat. “What’s that look supposed to mean?”
George simply stared at her.
Realization hit Jax like a thunderbolt. “You think Perry is in on this?” It was all she could do to keep from shrieking.
“I think everyone is a suspect until cleared,” he slowly replied. “I just find it hard to believe that Perry doesn’t know about his friends’ pasts. He could very well be purposefully keeping the information from you.”
Jax stomped her foot. “Why in the name of the Virtues would Perry do that?”
“I don’t know, Your Grace.”
“Clearly, you have an idea.” She continued to press when he would not meet her fierce glare. “Go on, tell me.”
“It’s my job to think of all possible threats against the throne. It’s nothing personal, Jax.”
She folded her arms across her heaving chest. “It is personal when you accuse my fiancé of keeping secrets from me.”
George cleared his throat. “The idea did occur to me that Perry could be aware of the Viscounts’ connections to the Shadow Brethren and has been using that to his advantage.”
“How does kidnapping Uma work in his favor?” Jax asked, reeling from the allegations assaulting her ears.
“Well, if the Shadow Brethren ends up being implicated in her attack, resentment for the group would spread like wildfire. Your people adore Uma. They would want the guild hunted down and brought to justice. Only more so if something else were to happen…say, to their Duchess.” The words tumbled out of George’s mouth like bile. “If it came to that, Perry could very well slip into your vacant throne, promising retribution for your death.”
Jax sank to the floor, hardly believing what she was hearing from her friend. “You think that Perry’s ultimate goal is to have me killed and take the throne for himself?” Her lips parted in utter amazement. “Are you insane?”
“I know it sounds farfetched, Jax—”
“It sounds preposterous, George!” she roared, no longer bothering to control her temper. “This is Perry we’re talking about.”
“Would you have once said the same thing about Aranelda?” he challenged.
Jax was dangerously close to slapping him across the face for his insolence. “That was uncalled for, Captain,” she hissed, but his words had hit their target. Once, Aranelda had been like a sister to her, and Jax had trusted her above all else. Yet, she had been deceived and betrayed by the woman in the cruelest way.
George’s face was a well of regret. “I’m sorry, Jax, but you have to understand my concerns.”
“I’ll ask Perry about Emyr and Bran’s past and see what he says,” she decided, reeling in her anger. “I’ll meet you at the stables at dawn.” She didn’t bother saying good night. Her rage was still too near the surface to be entirely civil. How could George believe that her future husband could be behind something so sinister? She punched a pillow in anger.
Good luck getting any sleep now, Duchess, she thought irritably, looking out the window to her balcony. She scowled as the stars winked back.
Chapter Ten
“A bit early for breakfast, my love,” Perry murmured after opening the door to his private suite. His curls were a tangled mess, indicating her knocking had summoned him from his pillow.
“I’m not here for breakfast.” She marched into the room, her mind a battlefield of guilt and doubt. “Perry, I must ask you something.”
“Go on,” he said slowly, his eyebrows arched in confusion at her curt tone.
“When did you befriend Emyr and Bran?”
Whatever tension had been building inside him seemed to dissipate. “What a random question, Jax. You had me worried there for a moment.” He stroked the stubble on his chin. “I guess Father arranged for the introduction a few years ago.”
Jax forced herself to continue. “Why?”
“Well, I think Father wanted the Marquess to start paying more in taxes, and he thought a friendship between their sons might soften him up.”
“Why would the Marquess agree to such a thing?”
“Please, Jax.” Perry gave her an annoyed frown. “Despite my being the youngest in House Pettraud, I still am a member of the royal family, and it would be considered an honor to be in my confidence.”
“That was the only benefit to the Marquess?” Jax pressed.
“Well…” Perry said, scratching his head, “I guess I do remember my mother being the one to tell me that the Marquess was hoping I could be a good influence on his sons. I guess they were quite wild as teens, and…well, I was not.”
He can’t possibly be this good at appearing clueless, can he? Jax asked herself as her resolve began to waiver. “Do you know what was meant by ‘wild’?”
“Where is all this going, Jax?”
“Just answer the question, Perry.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “Please.”
Clearly troubled by her reaction, he searched for an answer. “Well, I don’t know. It never came up. They seemed like gentlemen to me by the time we were finally introduced. A bit boisterous at times, but nothing that ever gravely concerned me.”
Was that truth in his eyes? She hated herself for doubting the man before her.
“Jax, something is
wrong.” Perry stepped closer until he was at her side. “What is it?”
“Oh, Perry.” She couldn’t hold the tears of fear back any long and buried her head into his nightshirt. “I’m so sorry. I’m an awful person.”
“What? What’s this about? Has something happened to Uma?” Perry gripped her by the arms. “Jax, tell me.”
“Please don’t be mad,” she whispered as she tasted salt on her lips. “It’s just that…we’ve learned some unsavory information about your friends…”
“Such as?”
Jax swallowed her emotions. “Apparently, in their youth, Emyr and Bran fell into business with the Shadow Brethren.”
Perry’s eyes looked like they might pop out of his head. “What! Where did you hear such a thing?”
“It doesn’t matter where I heard it,” Jax said, wishing to protect Vita. “What matters is that two of our royal guests have connections to the assassin’s guild—”
“And you think they might have something to do with Uma’s disappearance,” Perry finished. He paced the length of his room as he processed the news. “I can’t imagine either of them being involved. They’re loons, mind you, but it’s all in good fun.”
“We can’t be certain until we know more about their ties to the Brethren.”
Perry stopped in his tracks. “Why were you so nervous to tell me this? They are my friends, yes, but surely you know you can talk to me about anything.”
Jax’s cheeks flushed as she broke away from his gaze. “I know that…”
He crumbled before her eyes. “You thought I already knew?” He sank into a nearby chair, burying his face in his hands.
“I’m so sorry, Perry.”
The catch in her throat revealed more than she planned to. He looked up at her again, heartbreak written all over his features. “Did you think I was using them? That I was behind Uma’s disappearance?”
“No!” Jax said, rushing forward. She fell to her knees before him. “No! I-I knew deep down that you couldn’t do something so cruel to me, to our duchy.”
“But the thought entered your mind, didn’t it?” Perry snarled as he stood up and walked away, as if her touch disgusted him.
“No,” she stammered again, “no, I couldn’t believe it.” She tried to rein in her gasping breath. “But Arnie…”
“I am not Aranelda.” Perry’s voice boomed, the windows shuddering at his thunder. His chest heaving, he came back to where she sobbed on the floor and knelt beside her. “I could never hurt you, Jax, and it pains me that you don’t believe in our love enough to see that.” He took both of her hands in his, her fingers covered in tears. “I know you’ve been through a great deal, but we can’t go into our marriage not trusting each other.”
She felt a rise of panic in her heart. “What are you saying?”
He hung his head. “I don’t know. I love you so much, Jax. I sometimes wonder if that love has blinded me.”
“Perry, please. I made a mistake. I got caught up in worrying about Uma, and then after speaking to George…”
“George? So it’s the Captain of the Ducal Guard who has you thinking I’m some sort of criminal mastermind?” Perry abruptly dropped her hands.
“No, no. It’s just that we were considering all angles.” Jax felt like she was unraveling at her core. “I mean, Carriena is on my list of suspects, for Virtues sake.”
If she had hoped that would help her argument, it didn’t. “Carriena? Goodness, Jax, what do people have to do in order for you to actually trust them? I’d love to know. What’s George done for you that none of us can seem to hold a candle to?”
If she didn’t know better, Jax would have thought Perry was jealous. “I do trust her. I do trust you, Perry! That’s why I’m here.”
“What, I should be comforted by the fact my future wife is not afraid to speak to me without an envoy to protect her?” His temper once again boiled to the surface.
Jax buried her face in her palms. “No, that’s not what I meant. I do trust you, Perry. I defended you to George. I couldn’t believe he suggested that you might be behind this. That’s why I’m here talking to you, my love, trying to figure all this out. I’m just so desperate to find Uma. Please…” she trailed off, her sobs overtaking her ability to speak.
She felt his strong arms encircle her as she sat there on the stone floor, crying like a frightened child.
“Shhh, shhh, it’s all right.” His warm breath caressed her ear, his lips barely touching her skin. “It’s all right, Jax.”
She pulled away to look at his face and her whimpering subsided.
“I forget sometimes that you and I are not ordinary people. While I know I am in your heart, I do have to contend with that of your duchy.” Perry inhaled, closing his eyes briefly in contemplation. “There are moments when I wish you and I could live a simple life, without a care in the world.” He raised his hand to stroke her face, pushing away strands of hair so that he could see her amethyst eyes. “But you are the Duchess of Saphire. It’s who you were born to be, and I love you for who you are. And it will be my role as your husband to accept that there will be times when your love for the duchy comes before your love for me. And I will find a way to live with that, because I would do anything just to have a sliver of your heart be mine.”
Touched by his humbling confession, she embraced him with fierce strength. “As Duchess, you may be right,” she murmured into his curls, “but as Jax, you do have all my heart.” She sealed her pledge with a kiss.
Chapter Eleven
“I’m still not a fan of this idea of you riding out to meet a criminal.”
She wriggled out from Perry’s tight grasp. “I’ll be fine. I just need you to promise to keep up the ruse while we are gone.”
Jax, Perry, George, and Hendrie had gathered outside the stables, watching the sun peek over the distant hills as they waited for the horses to be brought out by the stable master.
“I have my orders,” Perry said in mock salute.
Jax folded her arms as she tapped her foot impatiently, staring at the bustling stalls. She wanted this little jaunt to be over and done with. “I’ve given Jaquobie his orders as well. Our guests won’t have a minute of their day to themselves going forward.”
“We shouldn’t be gone long,” George stated, giving Perry a sheepish look. Jax had asked him to apologize to Perry, and the Captain had obliged during their walk down through the gardens.
Perry had, of course, been a good sport about it, but she sensed the tension lingering in the air. All was not quite forgiven, yet.
“Keep her safe,” he said now, directing a stern look at the Captain.
George raised a fist to his heart. “On my life.”
The stable master arrived with Jax and George’s horses, assisting the Duchess as she climbed into the saddle.
“If anyone asks where I am—” she began.
“I’ll tell them you’re enjoying some well-deserved pampering,” Perry said, rolling his eyes. They’d only discussed this seven or eight times in the last hour. “I plan to keep everyone entertained with some outdoor lawn games. Your presence won’t even be missed,” he teased.
Kicking her horse into a canter, Jax stuck her tongue out in his direction as she and George rode away. They opted to take the woodland trail, rather than the road, to ensure their mission was kept secret. With the earthy terrain uneven and littered with gnarled roots, they kept their horses’ speeds at a brisk trot as they traveled through the forest.
“Where exactly are we meeting this man?” Jax asked as she bounced up and down on Mortimer’s back.
“There’s a small clearing just north of the east Saltrine bathhouse,” George explained.
Jax remembered stopping at the bathhouse during her childhood after a long day of playing and swimming in the lake. “That doesn’t seem very private.”
“It’s early enough in the season that there won’t be many people around,” George called back to her as his mount led the way
. “Besides, I wanted it to be outside so my men can have better visibility.”
“Men?” Jax whipped her head around, not seeing anyone.
“I have a squadron of fifteen soldiers shadowing us, in case things do not go according to plan,” he stated in a rather lighthearted manner that contrasted with the topic at hand.
“I thought we were supposed to come alone.”
“If you think for a moment that I’m going to lead the Duchess of Saphire into a clearing to meet a criminal with only one man for protection, you better check your corset,” he said with a devious snort. “I’d say it’s too tight and cutting off the blood flow to your brain.”
“Very funny,” Jax drawled, nevertheless smiling at his crass joke. “Do you know anything about this fellow we’re riding off to meet?”
“I’m afraid the name he used to rent the cottage was an alias, so I do not know his true identity.”
“Then how do we know we’re speaking to a member of the Brethren?”
“He has its seal branded into his skin. My spies saw it on his arm while he was drinking at the lakeside pub.”
Jax shivered, recalling the threatening mark shaped like an X. “What if that means he’s been targeted by the organization?” In her previous encounter with the Shadow Brethren, she didn’t remember the rogue having a tattoo.
Throne of Threats (Ducal Detective Mysteries Book 5) Page 10
