ALL US VILLAINS

Chapter Twenty-Two

Liam should wash the blood off of his body. He has spent the past few hours occupying his time by cleaning his sword, slowly wiping off the blood that covers its surface. At this point, he is no longer wiping the blade out of necessity and is only doing it to keep his mind clear.

Surprisingly enough, his brother's ghost has not come to haunt him since the incident in the hall. If Liam had to take a guess, he'd assume that Andrew is following around his best friend to see whether the man will live or die.

It has been progressively getting easier to ignore Andrew. He can spend days pretending as though he cannot see Andrew lurking in almost every corner. Liam never realized how much he preferred the silence of his brother's corpse. How when he spoke to Andrew's grave, it never spoke back to him.

Luckily, Andrew had been disgracing other places with his presence the day that Diana broke down in her room. He hadn't seen the bruises that marked her body or the pain that had shone in her eyes. He hadn't seen the moment that Diana and Liam had shared with one another or the bond that strengthened between the two of them.

If he had, Liam is certain that Andrew would have talked Liam out of his decision.

Andrew had always been the more rational prince. Every action that he took had been well thought out and executed precisely. As the heir, Andrew could never afford to make rash decisions.

As if summoned by the very thought of him, Andrew lurks in the darkest corner of Liam's room. He stares at Liam with a wild gaze that makes his sunken eyes look even crazier. Shadows twist while Andrew steps into the light, as if they are manipulated by his energy.

Sheathing his sword, Liam does not acknowledge the ghost's presence. He stands from his bed to place his sword in its rightful place over his fireplace. It's supposed to be a ceremonial sword that one of his ancestors had carried. Many years ago, someone had named the blade Bone Breaker.

Despite its years of disuse, the sword was still extremely sharp. Thus, Liam felt as though it was right to use it.

"Do you wish to explain to me what occurred a few hours ago?" Andrew questions. "Or are you going to continue to ignore me?"

Already impatient, the prince shakes his head. "I feel as though the situation is rather self explanatory," he answers. He places the sword onto its hooks. "Darren Samara attacked Diana and I took care of the problem."

When he turns to face his brother's ghost, Liam finds himself looking into a face full of disappointment. "Are you certain that your decision was wise?" Andrew stares at the wall of swords hanging above Liam's fireplace. "Does the punishment truly fit the crime in this instance?"

Liam can feel his eye twitch in irritation. He does not need his brother whispering in his ear questioning his every decision. Now that he is heir, Liam is allowed to punish people as he sees fit. "If the healers do their jobs, Darren will be fine." He begins to shrug off his jacket. "Your best friend is only lucky that I did not harm him in the same way that he harmed Diana."

Andrew arches a brow. "Which is?"

Fiddling with the buttons of his shirt, Liam keeps silent. After a minute of silence, Andrew sighs from across the room. "Fine. Keep your secrets. If this is the way that you wish to rule, then that is your decision."

Irritation sparks inside of Liam at his brother's words. Throughout his life, Andrew only viewed women as some sort of conquest. He never would have protected a woman in the way that Liam had. Andrew would have simply thrown the guard into a cell for a week as punishment for his actions.

What Liam had done taught a lesson to not only the perpetrator, but also all of the other guards. It sets a behavior and an expectation. Diana will no longer have to worry about guards trying to hurt her when she leaves the palace grounds.