Crimson Lace

Chapter 23

ALEC
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

King Keaton has to be out of his mind. He has lost it. This fascination with Elle is growing out of hand. I never noticed it before, how much he truly obsesses over her. However, it is becoming more apparently obvious. He took her in as an infant, forced her to speak for him, to live in his palace, to undergo these experiments, and now this.

I am losing my mind. My sense of what is crazy from right is slipping through the cracks. Seeing Elle like that, freezing and nothing but skin and bone, frightened me. No. It killed me.

"Son, listen." Father has his hand around my forearm, preventing me from moving forward down the long, marble hall. It takes all my concentration to keep myself from sinking my lightning's teeth into his skin. I have to bite my tongue to give me something to think about other than my electric fury. "Look at me when I say this, Tyrus."

Tyrus. When he uses my full name that means he is angry. I meet his eyes, allowing myself to fall victim to the pain I remember at the sight of the deep blue. He hurt me in more ways than one, more times than one.

"You are not going to watch." He keeps his tone steady and low. There is a hint of concern in his voice.

I rip my arm away. "I have to go," I say strongly.

He carries a look of disappointment as I barrel down the hall, but lets me make my own decision. He knows what I feel for Elle. I'm sure he can sense it, yet I haven't received punishment. But I know it won't be long before he finds a way to take her from me and punish me for ever loving anyone other than my crown.

But he calls after me, one sentence that sends a twinge of terror through my skull, "the son I raised is gone."

I bristle, halting momentarily in my tracks. He's right. That son is gone, because this
version of myself will do the right thing. I'll be what I need to be for myself, for her, but not for him.

**********

Keaton has gathered a herd of the best Noble scientists in an indoor arena. There are hundreds of people here, all dressed in white lab coats. I have never seen this room before. It is much different from the small arena in the palace training center. This one has white sand instead of mats to coat the floor, and rows upon rows of seats surrounding the entirety of the vast circle. There is a large stone wall, elevating the seats from the sand and enclosing the arena.

This place is meant for serious battles. There is a clear, bulletproof glass in front of each of the rows and heavy iron gates to man the entrances and exits. Whatever the king has planned, needed a room like this to accomplish it. I am more afraid for Elle than I was when they took her into that cell.

I take a seat in the front row. No matter where I sit, I am surrounded by chatting doctors and scientists. I don't know what they possibly could be so happy about, but they each carry an obnoxious look of wonderment on their faces.

Thankfully, I can't hear their conversation, and I am glad that I can't. I'd rather not hear details of Elle's "strange" condition. The fact that she has to live as this different being wounds me. I don't know what I am allowed to feel for her anymore. Before it was obvious. Serfs and Nobles were forbidden to be together, but now that she is both Serf and Noble things have lost their clarity.

"Alec?"

I spin around to find Josie approaching me. She tries not to stumble over her long ball gown as she makes her way to the seat next to mine. There is something about the look on her face. Something that makes me nervous.

"What is it?" I ask, rising from my chair.
She doesn't speak. Her eyes are wide with an emotion I can't place, but she leans in, throwing her arms around me for an embrace. I return the gesture. She is breathing rapidly. I fight the urge to use my lightning to sooth the fast pulse in her heart.

"I just lost a friend," she murmurs into my shoulder.

My heart sinks. Losing friends isn't very uncommon, but that doesn't stop it from being excruciating. I clear my throat before I speak. "I'm so sorry, Josie. I'm so sorry."

"She was my maid," she says, drawing out of our embrace and taking a seat next to me. "How did you know, Alec? That you felt something for a Serf."

My face flushes cold. "Keep your voice down. You could get us killed."

"I think I feel something for my maid, her name is Saskia."

A sharp twinge of sympathy echoes in my chest. "I'm so sorry for your loss." I can't imagine what she must be feeling. Losing Elle wouldn't be something I could ever survive. I don't know how Josie has managed to function, breathe, walk, or speak.

"No, no, Gods no. She isn't dead thank the lords," she says, putting a hand to her chest. "I had to send her away. The guards were after her, so I helped her escape on my . . . I forget what she called it. A large bird with black feathers."

"Ostrich?" I ask. "The bird with the long legs?"

"Yes, Ostrich," she smiles, but the lightness in her expression fades rather quickly. "You still haven't answered my question. How did you know that you loved Elle?" She watches me with such purpose in her glittering brown eyes.

I inhale, not entirely sure what to say. Love? Is this really love that I am feeling? It feels more like pain and I had no idea it was supposed to hurt this much. What I feel for Elle has left me feeling deathly afraid.

Before I can answer, the lights go out. And not because of me this time. Bloody hell. Whatever this is . . . it's starting.