THE RECKONING

The sun was setting over Evermere, casting long golden shadows across the cobbled streets. The town bustled as villagers closed their stalls and hurried home, unaware or perhaps willfully ignorant of the storm about to break over them.

Xander stood near the stables, tightening the straps on his horse's saddle. His jaw was clenched, his mind replaying Edmund's message over and over. Tonight. The bastard had finally stopped lurking in the shadows, demanding a meeting on his own terms.

But he didn't know Xander had already decided to flip the board.

Ella stood behind him, her arms crossed. She hadn't spoken much since the encounter with Edmund's men. Not out of fear, Ella wasn't one to be easily shaken but because she was thinking. Perhaps planning.

Finally, she spoke. "You can't go alone."

Xander didn't look at her. "I won't."

She took a step closer. "Then take me with you."

That made him turn, his gaze sharp. "Absolutely not."

Ella met his glare without flinching. "You said Edmund would use me to get to you. If that's true, then keeping me locked away won't stop him. It'll only make me more of a target."

Xander exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over his face. Damn her logic.

"I'm not letting you put yourself in danger."

Ella reached out, her fingers brushing his. "I'm already in danger. The only way I can protect myself is by knowing what's coming."

Xander's chest tightened. She was right. It made him furious.

Before he could argue further, Luca approached, leading his own horse. "If we're doing this, we should leave now. The meeting place isn't far, but we don't want to walk into anything blind."

Xander hesitated for only a moment before turning to Ella. "You stay close to me. No heroics."

A slow smile curved her lips. "I promise nothing."

He cursed under his breath and swung into the saddle.

They rode in tense silence, the road stretching long and winding ahead of them. The deeper they went into the outskirts of Evermere, the thicker the air became, heavy with the scent of damp earth and distant rain.

Xander's grip tightened on the reins. This was it. He had built his fortune, sharpened his mind and skills, prepared himself for the day he would finally stand before Edmund as an equal. But he had never expected to have something to lose.

He glanced sideways at Ella. She rode with quiet confidence, her gaze sharp, her posture unyielding. She wasn't just some woman caught in the middle of his war.

She had become his war. That realization was dangerous.

He was dangerous.

They arrived at an old stone manor on the outskirts of town, a forgotten relic from another time. Xander recognized it instantly. It had once belonged to his father.

The sight of it sent a deep ache through his chest, but he swallowed it down. He had no room for sentimentality.

Torches lined the pathway, flickering in the growing darkness. A few of Edmund's men stood by the entrance, their hands resting lazily on their swords but Xander knew better than to believe them unprepared.

Luca dismounted first, scanning the area before giving a slight nod. "Looks like he's expecting you."

Xander slid off his horse and turned to Ella. "Stay behind me. No matter what happens."

She didn't argue, but the fire in her eyes told him she wasn't going to be a passive spectator.

He turned toward the entrance and walked forward with purpose. The doors creaked open before he could reach them.

And there he was.

Standing in the center of the grand hall, dressed in dark velvet, a smirk playing at his lips. The flickering candlelight cast sharp shadows across his face, making him look every bit the serpent Xander had always known him to be.

"Brother," Edmund drawled, spreading his arms as if greeting an old friend. "You're late."

Xander didn't slow his stride. "You should be grateful I came at all."

Edmund chuckled. "Oh, I am. I've been waiting for this moment for quite some time." His eyes flickered past Xander, landing on Ella. His smirk widened.

"She's lovely," he mused. "I can see why you'd risk everything for her."

Xander's muscles coiled like a predator ready to strike. "You so much as look at her the wrong way, and I will put you in the ground."

Edmund let out an exaggerated sigh. "Such hostility. Is that any way to treat family?"

"You are not my family."

Edmund clapped his hands together. "Ah, but that's where you're wrong. You see, dear brother, the world recognizes me as the rightful heir. The title, the fortune, the power, it's all mine. And you? You're just a ghost of a past long forgotten."

Xander took another step forward, his voice low and sharp. "We'll see about that."

Edmund's smirk never faded, but his eyes darkened. "Tell me, Xander… what exactly do you think is going to happen here tonight? That you'll storm in, challenge me, and somehow walk away with everything that belongs to me?"

Xander tilted his head. "I don't need to take anything from you, Edmund. I already have more than you ever will."

He glanced back at Ella, just for a fraction of a second. Edmund saw it and for the first time, his smirk wavered.

Edmund exhaled, shaking his head. "How disappointing. I thought you had ambition. But it seems you've been distracted."

He turned his gaze fully on Ella now. "Tell me, darling, does he whisper his revenge plans to you at night? Or does he only tell you what you want to hear?"

Ella stepped forward before Xander could stop her. Her voice was steady, unshaken. "He tells me the truth. Something you wouldn't recognize if it was staring you in the face."

Edmund chuckled. "Fiery. I can see why you like her, brother."

Xander was done playing.

"You wanted me here, Edmund. What do you really want?"

Edmund sighed dramatically. "Isn't it obvious? I want you to leave Evermere. Permanently. You've built quite the little fortune, but make no mistake, you will never take what is mine. Walk away now, and I may be generous enough to let you keep what you've earned."

Xander smirked. "Are you worried."

Edmund's eyes flashed with something dark. "I don't worry about ghosts."

Xander stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Then why do I haunt you?"

Silence fell. For the first time, Edmund looked unsure. Xander felt the shift, the tiniest crack in Edmund's armor. And he knew then. This wasn't just about power. This wasn't just about revenge. This was personal.

Edmund wasn't afraid of losing his title.

He was afraid of losing to Xander.