Warlord's Ward

Disguises

"Who is she?" I asked him the moment he walked back through the door. I was sitting in the chair near the open shutters. Watching out the side of the castle.

Refusing to watch the rest of the interactions in the Training Gardens.

"Her name is Tanya."

"I didn't ask her name." I said a bit waspishly. Looking at him sideways.

He took off his long-tailed overcoat. Setting it atop the table. He paused there, his hands till on it as he sent me a quizzical look. "Am I missing something?"

"Such as what?" I turned on him fully.

"Such as whatever is causing that note in your voice."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I dismissed. "Are you going to answer my question?"

His hand dropped to his side and his stance levelled as he eyed me. "I had two sisters and a mother. I know what it means when a woman's tone drops like that. You're accusing me of something. Though I can't imagine what."

"What is Tanya to you?"

"Ah." He patted his coat and took a seat.

I gave him a dark look. Watching him taking off his boots and growing more impatient by the moment.

"'Ah', what?"

"I see what this is." He dismissed. Removing one boot then the other.

"Care to enlighten me?" I crossed my arms over my chest.

"You're asking if I've toyed with her."

I gave a grudging head tilt. Not bothering to deny it.

"You're wasting your emotions on that. Though I'm complimented by the sentiment, there's no need for it."

"Why's that?" I eyed him askance. Recalling she'd appeared quite beautiful from what I could see of her.

"Because she's most likely my enemy."

"Oh?"

"Oh." He confirmed. Straightening and staring across the table at me. "Don't go thinking the wrong thing. The King picked her as the new Second. I'm merely training her."

I instantly recalled the seething hatred I'd seen on her face. My arms fell from my defensive posture. "You may be right. She looks at you with contempt."

"I noticed that." He sighed. "She'll likely try to kill me."

"Why?"

"So, she can be Commander."

"What will you do?"

"Same thing I did with the others." He stood and collected his coat to hang over the chair. "Teach her who's Alpha of our little pack."

***

I shot him a stunned look. Hearing him refer to himself as an Alpha seemed odd. I'd never thought of him as being wolf.

Because we're all so passionate and he's so carefully controlled.

Other than when I'd mentioned his family before. Thinking of that made me wince.

I had been thinking most of the morning and now I thought it was time to broach the subject I knew he wouldn't approve of.

"I want to try and steal the spellbook."

Warlord's head shot up. "Absolutely not. I'm not letting you enter his chambers."

"What if I had the guise of a maid?"

I could dress like one. Look demure and try to go unnoticed. Who pays attention to a simple maid?

Warlord scoffed. "Every maid in this castle with a cell of sense in her head knows not to go anywhere near that chamber."

"What would he do with a simple maid? Kick her out at best."

"Hardly." Warlord looked pained. "He'll fuck you blind, Sweetheart. Stay the hell away from him."

I frowned at him. Hating how he said that.

"Trust me on this one, Jade."

"What if I were to disguise myself. Dress badly and let my hair be filthy, like it was when you first found me."

"I saw through that guise." He said softly.

"Did you?" My eyes narrowed on him. I suspected that perhaps it was something else that had driven him to claim me.

"I did. In more ways than one." He said as if grudgingly giving some ground. "I don't think it'd fool him. So best to not try."

"I'm going to do it, Warlord." I gave him my most stern look.

"Don't call me that."

"Killian." I quickly corrected. "You'll forget the door. Like you did before and I'm going to get it. With or without your help."

He stood suddenly. Tilting his head in warning. His blue eyes hardening. "No, you won't. He may very well kill you if he finds out what you're about. And even if he doesn't, you may find yourself wishing he had. He's not known for his kindness. Especially toward wolves and mages."

***

I gave him a quizzical look.

"I've never seen one man who hated both so much." He added. "He's cruel to his core. He makes me look like a saint."

"Are you?"

"A saint?" He gave me a startled look. "Hardly. Why would you ever think so?"

"You saved me. In a way..."

"For myself." He reminded. Looking away.

"You helped others escape."

"To find someone for me." His brow furrowed and he levelled that bright blue gaze on me. "You must not confuse how things are. I have motive for everything I do. Don't go think me something I'm not. You're trying to justify being here. Trying to give yourself a reason to have surrendered to me. You trying to imagine that you saw something in me. But the reality is that it is simply not there. Let's be clear, you take me as I am and envision nothing beyond that."

"I think you're wrong."

"You're mistaken."

"You can't tell me I'm wrong in my perception."

"You are."

"My perception is mine alone. You're trying to tell me what I do or don't see. No one can tell someone else that. I have a right to view things in my own way."

"Not when it's inaccurate."

"It can't be inaccurate when it's my perception. I didn't claim it to be fact but my belief."

"You're arguing semantics."

"I'm arguing the value of perception. Primarily mine."

He tipped up his head and eyed me. "You are a clever girl."

"I'm not clever, merely have common sense."

"Common is surprisingly uncommon, My Dear." The expression on his face cloaked and I knew he was thinking something he wasn't yet willing to share with me.

But my curiosity spurred me to ask anyway. "What? You're considering something. What is it?"