Chapter seventeen

Lewis

  I walked up to the man buckling up his horse, Silent and adjusting the hood covering my face.

"What do you want?" The man demanded before

I even got to him.

"I want to talk," I muttered, rubbing my palms together to cope with the anxiety.

The man stopped what he was doing and faced me.

"What help can you people render this time?"

The tone he used indicated he hardly cared about what I had to say. He continued to saddle up the horse.

I coughed, trying to find the perfect conversation starter.

"You wanted to know how Tatia died, "I informed.

The man stopped and grabbed me by the shoulders roughly.

"Is this to taunt me!" He roared, his red bulgy eyes laced with rage.

"No...No..." I stammered, cowering in his domineering aura.

"I just want to help."

"Spill." He urged not letting go of me.

It was odd when I felt a twitch in my pants. An awkward moment for a boner. I brushed my quick attraction for the man and spilled what the secret I had.

"Tatia was murdered by the Prince himself."

The man gave me an ominous stare then said,

"Who? Eric?"

"Yes. Your daughter was engaged to Eric."

"Wait, What!" The man pulled me closer and we were literally touching. My Peter threatened to tear out if caution wasn't taken.

"Eric and Tatia were a thing?"

"Yes!" I mumbled.

"Tell me more."

"Y—es they were engaged and a night to their wedding, She died. They said it was suicide but I know better."

He released his grip on me and paced disturbingly in circles.

"He deceived us... I bet Tatia doesn't even know." I heard him mumble to himself.

I stood there awkwardly as he continued his aside.

"How do you know this?" He inquired.

"I—used to work in the palace."

A comfortable lie, Conrad owed me big time for this. Lying to a hottie was so not in my groove.

I watched him brush his hair with his finger as he sighed, I could sense the desperation in his voice.

God, I could read him like a book.

"If what you're saying is true, then Maisy isn't safe. I can't leave her here."

I guessed this was what Conrad wanted, To get him to stay but why?

"But why are you telling me this?"

He just had to ask that. I wasn't prepared for this manipulative game Conrad forced me to play. I glanced at him briefly at  Conrad who was hiding behind a rosebush and making hand signals at me.

I read what he was trying to say.

"As a human, I just thought you should know."

Apparently, it worked.

"Wow, Thanks. It's nice to see people with some humanity left in them in these parts. Thank you."

He left soon after and Conrad exited his hiding place.

"Good job Lewis."

"It didn't feel good. I wonder why you didn't just do it yourself."

"Come on Lewis, you are more believable. I'm the one who looks like a devil remember."

He was so right. He had this 'evil' grin that had normalized with him from childhood. It was what made him notorious as a child, even know that grin just made people tremble.

"And I noticed the way you acted around him, Do you like him?" Conrad joked, winking and poking me.

I was so not going to admit. Sure, Spencer was hot but I could tell he was straight and even at that, There was the age difference. Up till now, I'd never had the jitters for a mature.

"Come on, He's way beyond my league. I always have the stable boys at my beck and call." I defended.

"But you can still try."

I shrugged. Conrad had the habit of insisting on something until I was forced to give it a try so it was a good thing I knew his weakness.

"Can we just forget about me? Which reminds me, Why do you want him for?"

"Maths, Lewis. If he stays, he'll find out what Eric really married Maisy for and from what I've seen, Maisy is naive and can be easily manipulated. Her father would surely force her to back down from whatever deal they have made."

"And?"

"Must I explain everything!" He groaned in frustration, "I'll tell you. If Eric doesn't pay up the dues he owes. Edward, The King of Elyria will surely wage war and then I'll come to my people's rescue."

"And what if your plan fails?" I inquired. I knew he was going to fume but Plan B's were a necessity.

"Sometimes I wonder why I keep you around but I assure you, Lewis, this plan is foolproof, I'll make sure of that."

Conrad was a confident being, one that stood head high even in hard times. Left to me, He was better than his brothers. They all worked in their father's shadow. His rejection was what gave him strength and that was his greatest virtue.

***

Eric

The guards came in with information about Maisy's father being at the gate.

Being naked, I slipped into my robes and raced outside with a dozen guards tagging along.

It gladdened my heart that Maisy and I didn't share the same room anymore, I now had my own space and could go back to having restful nights.

"Is the princess aware?" I quizzed a guard.

"No sire, We only informed you."

I got to the gates in minutes.

"You beast! Where is my daughter, Where is Maisy?" The man yelled, banging the gates and threatening to break them down.

Luckily, the gates were lengthy, so there was no way he could climb his way inside. Conrad had really gotten him good. For the first time in a long time, My brother's manipulative nature had made things turn out the way I wanted them.

"I need you to calm down Spencer." I cooed. It felt like taming a wild horse, looked easy but dangerous.

"Calm down? You killed one of my daughters!" He accused.

Conrad even added lies, Impressive!

More than half of the Kingdom we're in the dark about how Tatia died. If Conrad had his way, he would speed what he knew out but he was sworn to secrecy and it was for 'our' good.

The commotion outside had woken Anthony and Emilia. Maisy came down a little later.

"Open the gates." She commanded, immediately she reached the gates.

The guards hesitated but with my approval, the gates were opened. He hugged Maisy as soon as the gates disappeared.

"We have to get out of here Maisy. It's not safe." I heard him say.

"It's okay."Maisy placated, over-joyous by the fact that he came back.

She stole looks at me and If I could read her mind, it would be searching for answers as to how I had done it.

"It's not okay Maisy. You don't know these people. They killed Tatia." He said perplexed.

"I know father."

I gave her a look that told her she was being stupid. She immediately reversed what she said.

"I mean— I just knew... But I can't go. I'm trapped."

Spencer broke the hug and peered into her eyes, wondering why the hell she would say that.

"What do you mean? Listen to me Maisy. We'll leave this place tonight and nothing can stop me."

That was my cue.

"Actually, you can't go anywhere."

Spencer shot me darts with his eyes. He took a step forward threatening to ram me down but I stood my ground. My guards could strike him down if he made the wrong move but I doubted if that would be necessary.

"What do you mean!" He demanded, taking his steps faster. He stopped when he was inches say from me. Security had taken a stance and we're ready to spill blood if necessary. Spencer saw this and chilled down, drawing his fists.

"Let us out if here and we won't be of any trouble."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible Spencer. Just to juggle your memory a bit, Remember I'm married to Maisy and technically I own her so I say where she goes and where she doesn't."

Spencer was enraged by what I said but Frankly, he knew there was nothing he could do. He had no powers here, No one so now he was basically my pawn.

Royalty could be a dick sometimes.