Shadows of Avarice - Book #1 (BxB)

Chapter 24

When Xia regained consciousness, he was lying on a hard floor. He didn't open his eyes, but he could feel that his feet and hands were bound up. His head was still pounding from the night before, from drinking and from being hit on the head. He could hear faint talking, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. He could make out that every voice he heard came from a male. There were four of them.

Xia finally opened his eyes to take in his surroundings. The room he was in was dark with a few candles dimly lighting the room. Three of the men sat at a small table, while one of them stayed standing. The standing man had his back turned to him, but Xia could tell that he was a noble. His attire was much different from the men sitting down.

One of the men noticed Xia was awake. The smile that he gave him made his skin crawl. The man stood up, but the nobleman held a hand out to stop him from reaching Xia.

"Not yet. I want to speak with her first before you do anything to her," the nobleman said, then turned to face Xia.

Xia felt his heart stop when he saw the nobleman's face. He recognized him as the noble Soraya was speaking to in a corner. Many different thoughts flashed through his mind. Was this a planned attack? Did Soraya have this nobleman kidnap him on purpose to get him out of the picture? He knew she didn't like him, but he didn't think that she would stoop this low.

"What do you want from me?" Xia tried to sit up. It was difficult with his hands bound behind his back, but he managed.

"I don't really want anything from you. I'm only doing this to get back at Osiris," the man admitted.

"Let me guess. You're angry at him for choosing me over your daughter?" Xia knew that many nobles were trying to get Osiris to change his mind and choose their daughters instead. Who wouldn't want their flesh and blood sitting on the throne?

But that wouldn't explain why Soraya was involved. She wouldn't work with a noble if it meant putting their daughter on the throne instead of her. She might have seen this as a good opportunity to eliminate Xia, but she would be in the same predicament. Soraya would be stuck on the sidelines while Osiris married someone else.

However, Xia saw a tinge of anger the moment he mentioned his daughter. The noble sneered at him. "If I had known back then, I never would have allowed my daughter to marry that monster. My daughter was the sultana of Rasea until that bastard murdered her."

Xia never would have guessed this turn of events. So this man was the father of Osiris' previous wife. The rumor regarding her death resurfaced once more. Xia wondered if it was actually true. If it was more than just a rumor, then why would the girls stay in the harem for this long? Why would anyone want to join Osiris after learning that he was the cause of his wife's death? Osiris didn't seem like the type who would murder someone, but Xia also knew about his curse now. It could have been an accident.

"For taking my daughter's life, I think it's only fair that I take something precious of his. Ever since she died, he did nothing to make amends for what he did, nor did he ever honor her death. Instead, he got himself a bunch of whores and now he plans to replace my daughter with you. Stealing you is the least that he deserves." The nobleman glared down at Xia, but for a brief moment, Xia thought he saw pity in his eyes.

Xia hoped he could use that to his advantage. In this man's eyes, he saw a woman who would most likely suffer the same fate if she stayed with Osiris. He was thinking about the daughter he lost as he looked down at Xia. He reminded him of her.

Xia kept the man's gaze. "I'm sorry for your loss, but stealing me isn't going to change anything. Your daughter wouldn't want you to do this. She would be upset by the path that you're spiraling down. I understand you want revenge, I would too if I were in your shoes, but think about your daughter. Don't disappoint her."