Beautiful Torture *Book Two of the Beautiful series*

9) The Twins

She moved forward, her legs shaking, to retrieve it, but the Sorceress held it back. "I presume he sent payment."

Lucy reached within her cloak pocket, wincing at the sharp needling pain it sent through her cut, and pulled out the bag of coin Lord Ossis had given her.

The bargain was set. Silver for blood. Both passed between them, along with a stoic look from the wisened sorceress.

"Be cautioned, young Luciana, for the twins do not get all their cunning from their mother."

Lucy had started to turn but paused midway, looking back at the beautiful outline, appraising her one last time. She could not help but ask, "what is it he holds over you? Why have you done his bidding?"

The sorceress laughed then, softly, the sound like tinkling bells. "Men have always feared powerful women and so they seek to restrain us with threats and conditions. But I did not do this for him, dear goddess." Her eyes hardened like amethysts. "A time may come when I need you. Do not forget the favor passed between us tonight."

Lucy nodded grimly.

She would not forget.

<><><>

As she followed two guards down the hall of the twin's home, Lucy could not help but feel like she was dragging her feet. Her entire body felt like it was made of stone, racked with exhaustion, not having slept all night. The sun had just started to rise as she returned to the town's entrance in the early morning hours. Austran had been waiting for her at the gate, where he guided her silently to the gate of the twin's manor, careful to stay out of sight as they approached. He had reminded her who she was and why she was there, as if she could forget the disguise meant to save not only her life, but that of Alexander's and their son.

Her stomach rumbled angrily seeing as she had not eaten anything since the night before, and it had not sat well with her. Now she felt like she could eat an entire feast herself, something she knew she had her little prince to thank for. Silently promising him she had eat the first thing she saw when she returned back to Hunter with Alexander safely in tow.

While they walked, she thought about how all the different signs pointed to the fact she was carrying her little miracle. Her change in appetite, her sleeping patterns were no longer consistent, and now that she really thought about it, she had not bled since before the attack on her at the capital. Part of her was irritated that she had not come to the conclusion herself.

The guards stopped, but she was not paying attention, making her nearly crash into one of them. He was holding open a door that had a short hall behind it, leading into a larger room. "Lord Quinn and Lady Lilith are waiting for you inside," the other one of the two men spoke from beneath their helmets, by the sound of him, he could not have been any older than she was. She could just make out two forms sitting inside being what looked to be a table. Muttering a thank you, she stepped through the doorway into what appeared to be a council chamber, where two teenagers sat behind a larger than normal desk.

Specially designed to fit the twin's needs, it took up nearly the entirety of the back wall, save for a decent size gap on one side. The walls were lined with shelves full of dusty old books and what appeared to be ancient artifacts that had not been touched in ages. Several candelabras were lit around the room, giving them plenty of light to see, since the sun had yet to rise high enough to provide it. The twins were nearly identical regardless of their different genders. Their round baby-like faces were littered with freckles, which stood out against their fair skin; two sets of big brown doe-like eyes looked at her from behind thick lashes. The only difference was Lilith's dark auburn hair was longer, pulled up into an artful-do that allowed bangs to cover her forehead. Quinn's was several shades lighter and cut short, spiked in every direction as if he had not fixed it since rising from his bed.

They were both watching her with strange expressions, completely different. Quinn looked as if he were fascinated by the woman standing before them, whereas his sister acted as if the sight of her alone was enough to enrage her. "Lady Margaery, was it?" When Lord Quinn spoke, she was relieved when it sounded nothing like his father or the sorceress. The echoing as they spoke unnerved her and she was already uncomfortable as it was. Lucy nodded once, having used the name of the kind girl who had led her and Flicker safely from the wooded thicket. "We were told you had an important message from Lady Mary." Unlike his sister who scoffed beside him, sitting in a high back chair on the left, he sat in a chair that looked to have two handles attached behind him.

Lucy swallowed looking between the two of them, trying to dampen her dry throat, "I...I do," she managed to get out. The vial that was hidden in the folds of her dress weighed heavy as her fingers brushed it through the fabric. She had no idea how she would uncork it and throw it at them before they could call the guards in.

When she opened her mouth to spill the lie their father had given her, Lilith raised a hand to silence her. "Do you think us fools, Lady Margaery?" The way she said the name, it was clear she knew it was not Lucy's true identity.

Before she could stammer out an answer, her brother groaned, turning to glance at his sister before his mischievous look returned to the girl standing in front of them. "I wanted to see how far she was really willing to go," his words chilled her to the bone. They knew?

"I...I..." She did not know what to do, backing away a couple of steps, her hand itching to grab the vial and at least try before they killed her, or had her ordered dead at the hands of their men who were just on the other side of the door at her back.

"You can not lie to someone with the sight," Lilith snapped, her tone full of loathing. Unlike her brother who did not seem to care that she had been sent to attack them. "You came here in an attempt to help our father, after we have so generously offered to aid your dragon king."

Offered to aid her dragon king? Had not Lord Ossis told her they had captured Alexander, not helped him. "I do not know what you are talking about," she finally managed, fisting the potion in her hand. He said they were liars who would try to trick her, but Seraphina had said it was not their mother they had gotten their cunningness from. But was she really willing to risk his life on the word of a sorceress? No. She would do anything if it meant saving her dragon.

Lilith scoffed again, but Quinn only smirked, reaching for a bell on the corner of the desk. He was calling the guard in, she was going to be arrested or worse. It was now or never. Raising the vial as the door opened behind her, she pulled the cork, ready to spray the contents across the room.

But a hand came from around her, the heat of him reaching her several seconds before his fingers closed around hers. Her breath caught in her lungs as Alexander kept her from spilling a single drop from the glass vial at the same time he pulled her back against him. That way when he pressed his lips close to her ear, she was the only one to hear his low rumble, "You are in so much trouble, my little goddess."