The Spoils of Allsveil: Dark Heart Heroes #2 (5 page)

“I now understand that your wife has frozen your heart and that you are closed to anything anyone has to offer you. But your patience is needed for understanding this.”

I pulled back. “Continue.”

Aighta cleared her throat. “She wanted you so badly. I knew you had designs on both of us, but she wanted you so much. I truly didn’t care if it was me or her so I helped her gain your eye.”

At least I’d chosen the one that gave a damn. “So everything she did to get me to choose her was really you?”

Aighta shook her head. “She gained you fairly in any contest.”

“But it was all a lie.”

“No.” Aighta reached for my hand, even though it was too far away to touch. “No. All of it was her doing. I just gave her the formula.”

“Her telling me that she wouldn’t respect me in the morning if she bed
ded me too soon,” I said. “That was brilliance. Had me taking her seriously.”

Aighta smiled. “That was
Brie. Nothing to do with me.”

“Her feigning drowning to get me to save her?”

“I told her that might backfire, but it was her idea.”

I started thinking about all the little things
Brie did to catch my eye. All those gestures of love. Tender touches. How I missed her touch. I opened my mouth to ask another question.

Aighta said, “Stop speaking while you’re ahead. Everything was
Brie. I only gave her the confidence to help her in her goal.”

“What about the time my father died and she—”

“Her.” Aighta held a hand up. “I don’t know what she said or did then, but it was Brie. By then I wished her love and luck and she was married to you a month later.”

“But she never taught me to fly.”

She went solemn. “Apparently not.”

“What does that mean?”

“You would know if you experienced it.”

I thought about that. “Can I make
Brie fly?”

“You did
years ago.” Aighta gave me a sad smile. “I don’t know about now.”

That made me both happy and sad. Happy that I’d done something that seemed to be a good thing, and sad that I hadn’t been
doing it any longer.

“Flying is a good thing, right?”

Aighta laughed. “Yes, Aiden, yes.”

It felt good for her to say my birth name. But I didn’t delude myself into believing we would be friends again. “Aighta, why…” I narrowed my eyes.

She finished my thought. “Why am I helping you? Why am I being agreeable?”

I gave a half-smile and nodded.

“My husband was a good man, but I have to think about my daughter now. Tell me, fighting you, would it be prudent? Or would mine and my people’s suffering end once the treaty was signed?”

“Ever-gracious Aighta.
” I smirked. “How is it that you stand strong even alone?” Aighta would see the underlying question…
is there penance for what I’ve done to you?

“Aiden, I loved my husband, but he refused my coun
sel on this matter and he paid the price for it. He was as stubborn and righteous as you.”

We stayed silent in our own thoughts for a while, until I had inspiration. “Aighta?”

“Hmmm?”

“Do you think you could teach me what you taught
Brie?”

Aighta gave me a wicked smile. “I might have to if you’re to survive, I think.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Just don’t poison me yet.”

The humor in her smile faded.
“I might have to prevent your wife from doing that.”

I laughed and then thought about it. Hell’s breath, had we come to that? There were ways to find out.
“So, when do we start?”

5 - Alexia

“Nice family you have.” I sneered at Darrin.

That display of King and Queen Goththor shocked me. The violence in that family made chills run down my spine. Darrin kept walking straight ahead
, pretending he didn’t hear me, but I could see his eye twitch. “Is that the kind of excitement I can look forward to?” I bubbled with glee at his pain. Anything that made him miserable would be a boon.

“They weren’t always like that,” Darrin murmured.

“Well, if you’re wondering, I’m not going to care if you’re an adulterer; you can do whatever it is you want elsewhere.”

Darrin pulled me to a stop and the guards around us clattered to a halt.
“First, I was not raised that way. Second, I’m not my father. Third, I’d rather work this out. Do you really want to be like them?”

I yanked my arm out from his grasp. “I don’t care how you were raised, I don’t care who you are, and we’re not going to be like them because I don’t plan on speaking to you much.”

“So you want no say in the treatment of your people?”

That caused me to pause. “I didn’t say that.”

“Then we’re going to have to work together.”

“Never.”

Darrin stared at me with pity in those soft brown eyes. “I comprehend. I really do. You need more time.” He started walking and the guards followed, pushing me along.

“You think time is going to change you from being a murdering son of a faithless, callous father?”

“Such a beautiful lady debasing herself in the lowest form of witlessness. What would your mother think?”

I fumed but kept my mouth closed. I noticed servants working with
brisk efficiency. Emvery passed by. I caught her eye and she nodded with a jerk of her head. Good, she’d gotten my message to Nanna. If my plans didn’t work, I’d have another way to get rid of Darrin.

“Alexia…” Prince Goththor said.

“Lady Tyilasuir to you, Prince Goththor.”

Darrin sighed. “Princess Tyilasuir, I didn’t expect a love match, but can we try to be civil to each other?”

“Were you civil to my father?” We walked the rest of the way in silence. Being nice to the bastard was going to be hell, but it would further my plan.

When we got to my wing I’d thought out everything I’d say. My retorts, my explanations
, and everything in between.

“There is one
point of contention I need to speak to you about.” I turned to him.

“Do tell.” Darrin quirked that sideways smile. He didn’t trick me—the devil was in that smile.

“Our arrangement.”

The smile faded and soulful eyes replaced the curious boy. “Yes, well, now that Mother is here I’m sure every thing’s been taken care of.”

“Does your mother control your life?” I quipped. “Will she be instructing you in our marriage bed as well?” I wanted to slap myself for that last bit. I shuddered for thinking it.

Darrin crossed his arms and scrutinized me. “You want something.”

“Yes. I want to discuss the details of this arrangement, and trust me, it will be the longest conversation we have. After we’ve come to an understanding, we won’t be seeing much of each other.” Because you’ll be dead.

“I don’t think you’re ready
for marriage or speaking about it.”

“I don’t need to be ready
. I’m not ready, but it seems we’ll be married soon.” Unless you’re a corpse.

“We have some time.”

I stomped my foot and groaned. “Prince Goththor, won’t you please come in for refreshment and a discussion?”

Darrin’s smirk returned. “Why
, Princess Tyilasuir, I will if you prove to me you can actually have a discussion without it being a lesson on who can insult whom more.”

I pulled back. “Prove it? What manner of proof do you need? I said please.”

“Kiss me.”

I gaped at him. Reining back the urge to strike him, I stammered, “What?”

He turned his head and tapped his cheek. “Right there.”

Was he insane? Kiss him? I wanted nothing of the sort. But I needed to get him inside to complete my plan. “I’m scandalized you’d request such a thing.”

Darrin pulled back. “My lady, if you can kiss me it means you’re not completely disgusted by my presence. If you have an inkling of like for me it means I can have a reasonable conversation with you. If that’s possible, I’ll join you.”

As I listened, I realized Darrin was not the dumb brute I’d figured him to be. I crossed my arms. “Turn your head.”

He presented his cheek and kept wary eyes on me. At least he wasn’t asking me to kiss him on the lips. I stepped in and his eyes tracked me. He didn’t trust me. He shouldn’t but his wariness didn’t suit my plan. My lips brushed against his sun-blessed skin. He was warm. It was just a peck but he felt rough, male. A thrill twinged down my sternum.

Darrin didn’t recover right away. He blinked and his look was confused. But then he smiled. The beauty of him crashed through and I saw him as the dashing prince Mother warned me about. A bloody sword through a sparkling back plate filled my memory. I turned to the door and went in.
Darrin closed the door behind him and leaned his back against the wall. I couldn’t tell if he was barring my way out or holding onto his only escape. I poured wine for two and offered him a glass. He took it and surprised me with intensity in those soft brown eyes. “You wanted to talk.”

“Yes. King Goththor mentioned you being the governing body of Allsveil.” I sipped my wine.

A knowing smile spread across Darrin’s face. “I’ll tell Father your spy network is faster than he thought.”

I frowned. Definitely not the dumb brute. Maybe this wouldn’t work. “For one who claims he doesn’t bury grievances, you sure do know how to hide secrets.”

“I’m a prince, not a scallywag.” He eyed me suspiciously and rolled the wine around in its glass.

Damn him. Drink already. “What are your plans for Allsveil?”

“Father’s terms were clear. Trade, commerce, and travel.”

“Your plan is to follow his orders?” I challenged.

“Yes.” Darrin brought the glass to his lips. He watched me as he sipped.

I kept my face smooth as a calm lake, but inside I was the victor, cheering my enemy’s defeat. The poison of Allsveil worked quickly; I’d get to see him writhe in pain and then die.
“You always do what your father says?”

He stepped up to the chess set and picked up the bishop. “Do you play?”

I gave a huff. “That would be the reason I have a set in my room.”

He examined the piece, turning it around in his hand. Any moment now the poison would take effect.

“We’ll have to have a match.” He shook the bishop next to his ear and set the piece down. Then he drained his entire wineglass. Good, no doubt, he’d be dead. We’d already had our match and he’d lost. The shine in his eyes and that smirk infuriated me, but I kept cool knowing I’d see that face contorting in pain.

“What do you like?” he said. “Besides swinging swords and mouthing off at kings.”

“Mouthing off?” I gripped my chalice, ready to throw it.

Darrin smiled and then his eyes turned cold. “You would have let Paul die.”

I stood waiting. He hadn’t exactly asked a question and my silence was enough of an answer. Yes, I would have watched Paul die after blowing the horn and being exposed to Allsveil’s poison; which should have affected Darrin by now.

“Just as you’d hoped to see me die.” He set the glass down on the chess set.

I froze. He knew. Worse, the poison wasn’t working. He should be lying on the ground by now.

“I was hoping we could settle our differences, or that I could mend your heart, or…” Darrin sighed and turned around.
Wait, wait…

When he got to the door he placed a hand on the clasp and stopped. “Lady Alexia,” Darrin’s mood and manner changed to that of a prince addressing a lesser. A lesser that couldn’t even be addressed face-to-face. “You disappoint me. I’d thought you to be intelligent, but if you do have a mind left, it’s buried in the haze of revenge.”

Nothing he said was untrue, but it burned all the more. I
n an act of vengeance for his words and disrespect, I threw my glass at the back of his head. In one smooth move Darrin turned, drew his dirk, and struck the glass. He seemed the only thing in the room immune to the shards spraying everywhere.

“Think, Lady Alexia. In case you weren’t paying attention, your mother and mine are the best of friends. The best of friends keep no secrets from each other. Not even a poison that can be overcome if given sparingly
over long periods of time.”

My heart sunk. If what he was saying was true, he was immune like I was to the poison of Allsveil.

“Next time, don’t ruin a good bottle of Bordeaux. Allsveil poison isn’t that tasteless.”

He sheathed his dirk, opened the door
, and closed it ever so gentleman-like. If I had more than chess pieces to throw behind him, I would have. When I heard the lock turn in the door, I went to the chess set and picked up the white knight. I removed the bottom, dug out the small parchment, and unrolled it. “It shall be done,” it read. Good. I wasn’t as stupid as he thought. In a few days, my vengeance would be wrought.