Heart of Darkness

by Jaide Fox

  In her haughtiest voice, she remarked, “I apologize if my years of fleeing the Milesians have dampened my levels of etiquette, but one must do what one can to survive!” She clamped down her jaw and then relented enough to say, “Wed?”

  “Yes. That is the condition I have for Wolfe's safety. Something I note, that he did not offer you.”

  “He did not need to offer that to me.”

  “I realize that. I suppose I should punish you for not coming to me pure, but I find that I do not care, Isabeau. Your beauty more than makes up for your whore-like ways and once we're wed, I shall keep you far too satiated to brood upon past lovers!”

  “I suppose it boosts your ego to talk in that manner! You will release him if we wed?”

  “Yes.”

  Isabeau closed her eyes and knew that she could do naught but accept. It killed something inside her soul to realize that, but what could she do? Little. At this moment, her hands were tied and the last thing she wanted was for Wolfe to be injured! If Jaegar released him, then Wolfe could return and perhaps rescue her.

  The thought made her hiss, for she had disposed of the damsel in distress routine four years ago, when she had acted upon her parents' deaths rather than waited for the ax to fall. But in this case, she had little choice.

  Another thought had her stomach muscles clenching spasmodically, as she realized that it was highly likely Wolfe would abandon her to her fate if she wedded herself to the pig beside her.

  She seethed inwardly and kept her head turned to the side. The passing of scenery did little to hold her attention and in what felt like hardly any time at all, they swept down a long and winding driveway to another property. The size of which she did not truly know for although the moon shone, it was not sufficient to glow upon Jaegar's home. Or, hide-out.

  Realizing that this property had to be very close to Wolfe's, she commented, “Have you been lying here in wait, then? Or do you live here?”

  “This is my home and yes, I've been awaiting my move. You made it very easy for me,” he replied, apparently satisfied at the error in judgment on both her and Wolfe's part.

  Isabeau had to physically withhold herself from retorting with an angry outburst, but instead she placed her ill temper on simmer and sucked in a deep, but quiet breath. “Why live here?” she asked, her voice deeper than normal, for the act of quelling her temper was enough to add a husky note to her usually even tenor. “Tis rather close to your old home, no?”

  Rather than see him shrug, she heard the rustle of his clothing and felt the movement of his shoulders. “Where better to lie in wait?”

  “I would say that that rather depends upon the time you have wasted residing in the past, when the future requires much more of your attention.”

  His anger at her response was evident, not in the tone of his voice, but she literally felt it hover in the air and surround her like a clinging blanket. “You know not of the circumstances of my childhood, or you would not make such a foolish comment.” He paused and sucked in a breath. “I inherited this place from my maternal grandmother. Which considering the illicit nature of my past was rather a godsend, considering my father appeared not to give a damn about my future.”

  “I apologize,” she conceded, for while he was kidnapping her and this in a fortnight of abductions, his father's behavior had been abominable. As relatively innocent as she was, even Isabeau knew that many a man was cuckolded, yet rarely did he seek the acrimonious stench of the divorce courts to resolve his marital problems!

  “Ah, so the lady can bend,” he retorted with a snap, and she knew that he was still angered by her earlier comment.

  It was strange, but again and even though she had riled him to temper, she found herself not fearing him. Foolhardy more than strange, mayhap, but it was how she felt. Whilst he obviously sought to do Wolfe harm, she sensed that he would not harm her. Unless one considered having one's heart being broken being harmed or being forced to wed or into the marriage bed...On second thoughts, she realized that he did wish to harm her but not in a violent way.

  She found herself merely hovering, waiting until they reached Jaegar's home, for she was entirely uncertain of her options. To her mind, she had very few but if she discussed them with Wolfe, then perhaps it would clear her mind? She but her lip and confused, she waited until the carriage rocked to a halt and then pressed her hand to the door.

  It was quickly captured by Jaegar, who murmured, “Where do you think you're going?”

  “I want to see Wolfe.”

  “Naturally. But equally as obvious is the fact that I will never let that happen.”

  “You wish to marry me, yes? If so, then let me meet with Wolfe and I shall give you my answer.”

  “What makes you think I wish for a willing wife?”

  Confused, she frowned up at him. “One cannot wed if one of the partners is not compliant.”

  Even in the dark, she could see his malevolent grin. “Ah, but we are in the depths of heathen land, my dear. Compliance is not an issue. As I told you before. I need not be a gentleman here, milady. It would do you well to remember that.”

  Instantly, her belief that he would not harm her disappeared and she sucked in a breath, as she paused, panicked and sought through the words they had shared. Isabeau was certain that while there was a threat of being forced into marriage, something had given her the belief that he wanted her willing.

  Almost as though God were on her side, Wolfe's narration of the legend that had spurred him into taking her for his captive immediately leapt to mind. The legend required love to function.

  “You wish to live the life the legend recounts, then forcing me into wedding you will merely make me hate you. If you do not let me see him, then I shall hate you all the more.” She paused for a second and considered her words, then murmured, “Earlier, before my mind could process how key my heart is to this entire legend that both you and Wolfe seem to set store by, I conceded that you could do anything with me so long as you did not hurt Wolfe. But now, I know that I have the power. You shall let me see Wolfe and alone.”

  “You're forgetting that Wolfe does not hold your heart either and I would be a fool to let you see him! I am not a fool, Isabeau,” he stated calmly, almost as though they were debating some trivial household matter. It instantly annoyed her.

  “This is where one must know all of the facts before making a sweeping judgment, Jaegar. For Wolfe does indeed hold my heart.”

  “Then it would be even more idiotic of me to permit you to see him.”

  “Perhaps, but you shall let me. I'm not a girl to be led about. I'm a woman. I can and do make my own decisions.”

  “Then why do you need to meet with Wolfe?” he asked jeeringly.

  “To see if I can trust you at all,” she retorted swiftly. “If he is injured then I know your words mean little!”

  “I can only control my men so far, Isabeau.”

  “Do not lie to me as though I were some idiotic simpleton, who has just left the schoolroom!”

  He paused for a moment and she wondered at the thoughts that were running through his mind, when he murmured, “If you hand me your ring, I will allow you to see Wolfe.”

  Instantly, she said, “Hold out your hand.” Isabeau quickly loosened the ring from her finger and clasped it tightly.

  She reached for his out held hand and tested her theory that a touch of the ring caused him pain, by letting it fall into his palm then closing his fingers tightly about it. When he yelled out, she smiled and said, “Perhaps we should leave it upon the seat, seeing as you cannot touch it?”

  He hissed and shoved the ring away from him and dropped it on to the seat they shared.

  “You have five minutes. But the ring stays with me.”

  She nodded and jumped out of the carriage, content to leave the ring on the carriage's seat for he could not touch it and neither could the rest of his staff. He could try, but it would cause him pain even if he were to cover his hand with his h
andkerchief.

  Almost as though her thoughts conjured it up, she heard a cry of pain then, “Surround them at a distance. If one of them escapes, you'll lose not only your position here but your hand too!”

  Before Wolfe, every man and woman who had come into contact with the metal had experienced pain at its touch. She wondered why Wolfe was different, why he did not react to the feel of the gold against his skin, but her thoughts disbanded as Isabeau watched the men begin to separate from the tight circle they had formed around Wolfe and let her enter the unseen ring, before they spread out and guarded them from a distance.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Have they touched you?” Isabeau asked as she ran towards him. Her hands immediately cupped his face and dragged his head forcibly upwards so that she could look at him properly.

  “No.” He shrugged off her touch and she had to withhold a gasp, as a physical pain washed through her at his rejection. Now wasn't the time for emotional displays, but her touch had been more concerned than anything else. “What has he said?” Wolfe demanded and shifted from his uncomfortable position on the cart. He was partially kneeling and partially slumped. She wanted to help him but feared that he would again dismiss her touch.

  “He wants to marry me,” she uttered calmly and was both pleased and concerned at the flash of fury on Wolfe's face.

  “Have you agreed?” he spat.

  “No! Of course, I haven't. But I may have no choice. He says that he will let you go if I marry him. Your safety is compromised, Wolfe. I can't not marry him and have him torture you!”

  “If you marry that bastard it will be over my dead body!”

  “That is exactly what I do not want to happen! Be rational. Be logical! Think! If you are freed, then you can save me.” Her eyes dropped to his lip, which had started to weep and a droplet of blood had begun its slow roll down the curve of his chin.

  “He will not free me!” Wolfe scoffed.

  “I think he may. I-I...” She licked her suddenly dry lips and murmured, “...I told him that I love you and that if he harms you, I will hate him.”

  He did not react as she had hoped, with a declaration of love but another scoffing sound. “And he believed that?”

  “Why not? Tis the truth!” she retorted, stung. “He believes in the legend, just as you do, Wolfe. At least, I think he does. I told him that if he wants it to come true, if he wants the light again and sets store by the legend then it will not happen if I hate him from the very depths of my soul! I think he believed that.”

  “You cannot trust him, Isabeau! His malevolence is well known in these parts!”

  “I told him that I would freely go with him if he did not harm you again and you say that his men have not touched you since we left your grounds?” At his reluctant nod, she shrugged. “That is all I can trust. He has kept his word.”

  “His word?” Wolfe spat. “The man can't be relied upon at cards, never mind in such a matter as this. If you do this, you place your life in his hands, Isabeau. I cannot stress enough that to do so is a foolhardy thing!”

  “And what other choice do I have?” she hissed, making her voice a screech. “Either way, he will not let me go. But the only difference will be your life or your death. At least if I comply for the moment, he will let you live and free you. Whether you return to help me or not, your safety is of paramount importance to me.”

  “Do not talk like that!” he replied between gritted teeth.

  “Like what? As though I speak the truth? I'm not scared about what happens to me, Wolfe. I truly am not. These past years have hardly been a picnic for me. But holding your safety within my will is not something that settles well with me. I want you safe and if I have to wed him to ensure that, then I have to wed him,” she murmured, her tone of voice both resigned and fatalistic.

  “I don't want your sacrifice, damn it!”

  Hurt, she instantly recoiled and took a step away from him.

  “Don't take it like that, Isabeau. I don't want your sacrifice for you should not have to sacrifice a damned thing for me. I've put you in this position. Tis I, who was stupid enough to lead you into this!”

  “This is no time for blame, Wolfe. Tis a time for action. You have to see that the only way to forge ahead is for me to accede to his wishes.”

  Her eyes washed over him and she instantly noticed the tensing of his jaw and knew that he was not happy about her statement. “The man's a cad, Isabeau. You can't trust him to hold his word. I don't want you to be my Alcestis!”

  “And I don't want you to be Admetus! I'm not intending to die for you, Wolfe, as she did. Only give you the opportunity to save us both! He's been very fair so far,” she contested. “And he has offered to wed me, Wolfe. Tis more than you offered me.”

  A dull flush spread along his cheeks and clicking her tongue impatiently, she said, “La! I say that not to embarrass you, but to make you understand!”

  “He always was bullheaded, Isabeau. It seems that time has not changed you one whit, Wolfe!” Jaegar's words were an unwelcome intrusion and she realized that she and Wolfe must have been talking for their allotted five minutes.

  Stung, she hissed, “Tis rude to eavesdrop, Jaegar!”

  “So it is, but then I hold all the cards, Isabeau. I can make the rules. It would be wise of you to remember that!”

  Wolfe shot her a pointed look and she realized, unknowingly, that he'd set two medium sized orbs of light hovering between them. It would seem that she'd grown so accustomed to their presence that she did not even see them when they suddenly appeared.

  “I'm not bullheaded, Jaegar! I only speak sense. Isabeau would be a fool to trust you. Look how you turned on me after we escaped the Milesians!”

  “United we stand, divided we fall, as Aesop once said, Wolfe. Twas convenient to be on the same side as you.”

  “Ruthless, more like.”

  “Ruthless?” Jaegar spat. “For nigh on ten years I coddled and helped you! Protected you from those bastards! You, who had everything that should have been mine! I would call that selfless...”

  “Selfless?” Wolfe sneered. “Opportunistic!”

  “Spit insults at me for as long as you wish, Wolfe, for I have agreed with the lady that I shall do you no harm if she accedes to my will. And will you, milady? Marry me, that is?”

  With the attention suddenly thrust upon her, Isabeau stalled and nonsensically stuttered, “I-I...”

  “Of course, she does not want to wed you, you fool! Would any woman who has the proverbial pistol held to her head wish to be forced into marrying a man she does not even know, and that which she does know of him, is all bad?”

  “The lady has already declared that she can think for herself and needs not be led around by her nanny's apron strings! So let her speak, Wolfe! Let her speak...”

  “I-I will marry you, Jaegar, but on two conditions.” Her voice rose as she attempted to cover Wolfe's angry cry. “One that you let me heal Wolfe and that you then allow him to leave, without doing him any bodily harm.”

  “I need him no longer if you will be my wife, Isabeau. I agree to those conditions.”

  “Are you mad? You cannot marry him, Isabeau! To be his wife is akin to being the spouse of the devil.”

  “Surely not,” Jaegar retorted mildly.

  “Wolfe!” Isabeau shouted as he glared hotly at Jaegar and began to awkwardly move as though he wished he could attack Jaegar, yet he uttered pained grunts as though the slight movements he was making caused him great pain.