Choosing Love Over Honor [Agents of the Crown #2]

Chapter 14

Despite Charlotte trying her best to get into the headquarters of the Agents after Lindsay had brought her to the location he had found, she was refused on every turn even when she tried to sneak her way in (Charlotte may be well versed at sneaking around, but even she was no match for the headquarters). In the end, she was left with restless nights and growing worried for a week as she fussed whilst remaining at home. Elle tried her best to distract her with Elizabeth, but while the young infant did take Charlotte's mind away from the worry at hand, it was only for brief moments. Charlotte found herself constantly worrying, and when she hadn't heard after a week, she finally lost her patience.

"Where is he?"

Fabian looked up with eyes wide as saucer plates when Charlotte crashed in one evening, not even bothering to preface her question with something else. It only took one look at his youngest sister's face however to know that Charlotte wasn't up to beating around the bush. 

"W-what do you mean?" Fabian tried anyway, only to wince when Charlotte glared at him. "Oh, Leo?"

Charlotte leveled a glare.

"Ah, well you see..."

"Spit it out, Fabian."

"We just didn't want you to worry-"

"Spit. It. Out."

"I..." the elder Rothesay murmured, and then sighed as he gave her a look. "Look, we really didn't want you to worry okay. Leo was getting better, but... he developed a fever about a day or so ago. The physician thinks that he got an infection - but he's working on it, and he should be fine in-"

"Bring me to him."

"But-"

"Bring me, or I'll get there myself."

For the longest time, it felt like an ongoing staring contest with Charlotte staring at her brother defiantly, and Fabian meeting her gaze with a tired one of his own. But having been her brother for practically her whole life, Fabian was the first one who knew how stubborn his youngest sister could be when she set her mind to it. So what little choice did he have? And - why was she suddenly so concerned with Leo anyway? 

"Wh-"

"I love him."

It took a moment for Fabian to process the words, but when he finally did, all thoughts of Lionel currently in a bed with an infection-brought-fever and multiple injuries completely flew out of his head, and instead he only thought of the many ways he wanted to threaten his best friend. "What?"

"Yes. And if you harm a hair on his head because of it, I'll make sure you never see me again."

"Lottie, that's-"

"Now, Fabian. I'm not repeating myself."

Her elder brother took a minute to silently glare at her. It was clear to anyone with eyes that Fabian was completely outraged by Charlotte's admission, yet at the same time with Lionel deep in feverish throes and physicians concerned if he'll be able to pull through the infection, it didn't seem right to want to rail into his best friend in such a state. But his sister? With Lionel? The man has slept through half of London, Fabian couldn't imagine why Charlotte (his sister?!) would want anything to do with the philandering man.

Of course, he didn't seem to see fit that he had joined Lionel for half of those carousing adventures as young men.

It was a drawn out, pregnant pause in Fabian's study as the two siblings stared each other down, before the elder brother finally sighed and pushed a hand through hair and glared at his stubborn sister. "Fine. But only for a short visit. He hasn't been awake since yesterday, we better not get in the physician's way."