Kingsley's Bride

Chapter 21: The Big Revelation

The feel of Lord Darius' lips on my cheek lingered long after he pulled away, leaving me in a state of shock. I could still feel the warmth of his touch, the gentleness that contrasted starkly with the stern demeanor I had come to expect from him. My heart raced, my mind whirling with confusion and a strange, unfamiliar fluttering that made my cheeks burn.

I stood frozen, the wind rustling the leaves around us, amplifying the silence that hung in the air. The cool breeze was a stark contrast to the heat rising in my face. I tried to process what had just happened, why he had kissed me, and what it meant. The unexpected tenderness of the moment was so at odds with everything I knew about him, and it left me feeling restless and uncertain.

Minutes passed, though it felt like an eternity, and still neither of us spoke. I dared not meet his eyes, afraid of what I might see there—or worse, what he might see in mine. My thoughts were a jumbled mess, and I couldn't seem to settle on any one emotion.

Was it embarrassment? Confusion? A flicker of something warmer that I didn't dare name?

The silence stretched, only the sound of the wind filling the space between us. Finally, Lord Darius was the one to break it. His voice was quiet, almost gentle, as he said, "Forgive me, my dear Scarlett."

His words only deepened my confusion.

Forgive me? For what? For kissing me?

I looked up at him, my eyes searching his face for answers, but his expression was inscrutable.

"I... I don't understand," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. "Why are you apologizing?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, a gesture that spoke of frustration—or perhaps, hesitation. "For putting you in danger," he said, his tone heavy with guilt. "I should have been more careful, more protective. I should have realized."

He paused, then continued, "I shouldn't have forced you to return with me. It was because of me that you made this rash decision. You went through all of this because of me."

He trailed off, and for the first time, I saw a vulnerability in him that I hadn't expected. It made my heart ache, though I wasn't sure why. "It wasn't your fault," I replied, finding my voice. "I chose to leave on my own. You couldn't have known what would happen."

Suddenly, Darius stepped forward and pulled me into a tight embrace, his arms wrapping around me with a surprising urgency. I gasped, the sudden contact catching me off guard. His head rested on my shoulder, and I felt the tremble of his breath against my neck.

"I can't ever forgive myself if something happened to you," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "It's time you know the truth we've kept hidden from you."

I pulled back slightly, looking up at him with wide eyes. "The truth?" I whispered, my heart pounding.

He nodded, his expression somber. "That man with Meredith, Nikolai, is an assassin from another country. He came here with the mission to eliminate my entire family line, so that none of us could claim the title of Duke. I was eighth in line for the hierarchy. But in just one night, my whole family was assassinated. I was the only one left."

I stared at him, horrified. The weight of his words crashed over me, the enormity of the tragedy sinking in. The room seemed to close in around us, the air thick with grief and tension. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a painful reminder of the loss he had endured.

"Is this why you were declared the next Duke all of a sudden?" I asked, my voice trembling. The question felt heavy, laden with the fear and confusion that swirled within me. "But doesn't no one know about this assassination?"

"How did you survive?" I whispered, still unable to fully grasp the horror of his story.

Darius looked away, his jaw clenched tight, as if holding back a flood of emotions. "I missed the attack by chance. I was away, investigating some estate matters. When I returned, it was too late." His voice faltered, and I saw the deep, raw pain in his eyes. The anguish of a survivor, a witness to unimaginable loss. "Through investigation, I found Nikolai and deliberately let him go because I wanted to find the real culprit who hired him. He was a mere pawn in this conspiracy."

His words hung in the air, a bitter truth that seemed to echo endlessly. I could feel the turmoil within him, the relentless drive for justice that fueled his every move. The revelation that my sister was somehow involved felt like a knife twisting in my heart.

He paused, his gaze distant as if reliving the agony of his discovery. "I discovered that your sister, Meredith, had met Nikolai four years ago. It means he's been in our country since then, planning this assassination. I suspect Meredith might have helped him because she was in love with him."

The shock of his words hit me like a tidal wave. I could hardly breathe, the betrayal cutting deep. Meredith, my sister, aiding in such a heinous plot? The thought was almost too much to bear. The room spun, and I clutched the table for support, trying to steady myself.

"But why?" I asked, my voice cracking with emotion. "Why would she do such a thing?"

Darius shook his head, his expression one of sorrow and resignation. "Love can make people do unimaginable things. But we can't be certain of her motives yet. All we know is that Nikolai was not acting alone, and there are more players in this deadly game."

I felt as if the ground had been pulled from under me. My sister, involved with an assassin? It was unthinkable. "Meredith...?" I whispered, struggling to comprehend. "But why? Why would she...?"

Darius sighed. "Meredith ran away on the day she was supposed to marry me because she realized I knew about her involvement with Nikolai. She knew I suspected she was marrying me to help Nikolai get close enough to kill me. So, she ran. But I'm still not sure if Meredith was truly involved or if she was just trying to help him out of love, without understanding the full extent of his plans."

He looked at me, his gaze filled with a mixture of sorrow and resolve. "Your family knew about this. They chose not to tell you because of your bond with Meredith. They wanted to protect you from the truth."

I felt a wave of betrayal and confusion wash over me. My own family had kept this from me? "So... Meredith is in danger now," I murmured, more to myself than to him.

Darius nodded. "Yes. Nikolai is a wanted criminal. If Meredith escapes the country with him, she will be regarded as a criminal by the monarchy as well. We must find her before it's too late."

The gravity of the situation settled over me like a heavy cloak. My sister was caught up in a dangerous game, one that could cost her everything. And I had been oblivious to it all.

Tears pricked at my eyes, but I held them back. There was no time for tears. I needed to be strong, to help find Meredith and understand what had happened. I looked up at Darius, seeing the determination in his eyes.

"I know my sister. She can never do this. She is just blinded by Nikolai," I couldn't control my emotions any longer and the tears fell down from my eyes. A part of me was believing Lord Darius's words as the image of last night came into my mind. Meredith was ready to kill me. Her own sister.

Did she really change for Nikolai?

Or was she like that from the beginning?

"We'll find her," he told me, his voice firm and soothing. "We'll find her and bring her back safely."

He squeezed my hand, a small but reassuring gesture. "Thank you, Scarlett," he said softly. "I know this is a lot to take in, but you're not alone in this. We'll face it together."

I nodded, feeling a newfound resolve. Whatever the truth was, whatever challenges lay ahead, I would face them head-on. For Meredith, for my family, and for myself.

I can not let Meredith turn into a criminal. I can not let her escape the country.

As the wind continued to whisper around us, I felt a strange sense of calm settle over me. It was time to face the truth and uncover the secrets that had been hidden for too long. The path ahead would be difficult, but I knew I wasn't alone. And that gave me the strength I needed to move forward.