A Beast's Tale

Chapter 39

"You and I need ta talk. What the—"

I had the tip of my sword at Luke's throat before the fog of sleep had lifted. He stood beside my bed, frozen, as I propped myself up on my left elbow while holding my blade steady.

"Get out."

"Put that thing away."

"Get out," I repeated, emphasizing each word. My exhaustion had prompted me to go to bed early, and I was in no mood to humor him, whatever his reasons for bursting into my room this evening. Especially since I knew his reason.

He scowled at me and took a step back. "Not until ya tell me what ya have going on with Ivetta."

I lowered my sword onto the bed and flopped down, rolling onto my side and turning my back to him. "She works for me. Leave."

"Look at me when I'm—"

He grabbed my shoulder as he spoke. In an instant, I'd lunged at him and grabbed my sword again, pinning him against the wall with cold steel at his neck.

"Get this through your head. She works for me. She's too kind for her own good. That is all. I am not coercing her into doing anything untoward. If she had seen you return in such a state, she would have treated you the same. Do you understand?"

His narrowed eyes told me I hadn't convinced him. "I understand what you're sayin'. Doesn't mean I believe it."

I pressed my blade into his skin. A thin line of red trickled down his neck. "Your mother was a maid here, correct?"

He clenched his jaw. "How do ya—"

"The king raped her. She wasn't the first, and she wasn't the last, but the court covered it up every time. Were it up to me, he would have answered for his crimes. He's dead now. I am not him. I will not and have not hurt the little dove. Is that clear?"

"If ya know that much, ya know I hate royalty, and I don't trust ya. Ya got her alone with ya way too much."

"So do you."

His brow furrowed even more, and the outer corners of his eyes tightened as he studied me. In the dim lighting, the leaf-green had darkened to forest green. "Ya were the one who set that up."

It was about time something got through his thick skull.

"Assigning you to accompany her during her daily commute was preferable to leaving her safety in the hands of a coachman." I withdrew my blade and wiped the blood on his shirt. "And it reduces the time you have to incite the anti-monarchy faction to action."

He sucked in a breath, his eyes widening. "Ya know about that, too?"

I flicked him in the forehead. "Family or not, if you betray this kingdom, I will kill you. Now, get out."

"I don't get it. If ya know all that, then why—"

"I will not and have not hurt the little dove," I repeated. His eyes widened further in realization. Pairing him with her was a mercy to him. If I had to dispose of him, it would upset her, a consequence I wanted to avoid. "But if I must tell you to leave one more time—"

Then the door flew open, revealing Clavis in his spotless white pajama pants and shirt. "Ah, Luke, my favorite little brother. And Chev." His golden eyes slid to the sword in my hand. "What have I told you about playing nicely?"

"I'm gettin' outta here 'fore this creep does somethin' weird to me. We'll finish this later, yeah?"

I sighed. There was nothing more to say unless he crossed the line with the anti-monarchy faction, but if he still harbored concerns about Ivetta's welfare in my hands, there would be no avoiding a repeat of this conversation. For now, I restored my sword to its place next to my pillow as he fled and Clavis strolled into the room. "What do you want?"