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“I don’t like to be one to say I told you so.”

Perri nudged her sister, as Alia stifled yet another yawn.

“But the two of us would have made dreadful nuns.”

The rough laughter that erupted from Alia made several heads at the luncheon turn in their direction. Alia making a point of meeting Regal’s gaze, gifting him a broad amused grin.

Her soon to be ex brother-in-law seated on the far side of the room between two heiresses, was having a hard time keeping a pleasant countenance. Not just because of the smirks Alia kept sending him, but because the ladies seated on either side of him were probably not what Regal had in mind, when he decided to pursue a suitable wealthy new bride.

The lady on his left dripped with diamonds, but had to be twice his age, and a little deaf. The lady to his right was dressed in head to toe mourning black and hadn’t stopped crying since entering the dining room. Occasionally lamenting rather loudly that Snowball had gone before his time, at the age of twenty-two, and that she wasn’t sure a cat owner was supposed to outlive their beloved pet.

Alia was positive that Regal would happily murder both his dining companions and move on to fresher fields, but even his proclivities had to bow to social convention. Gritting his teeth and eating as fast as he could appeared to be his plan.

Shooting Regal another deliberately mocking smile, Alia picked up her bread roll, nibbling upon it. After last night’s demanding activities, she should be starving. But she’d barely touched breakfast and her appetite appeared to have deserted her. Memories from her dalliance with Talac kept rearing up and causing little spot fires deep within her to reawaken. And it was all she could do to snuff them out with common sense… her and the Prince? Preposterous. And they dare not chance another encounter… dare they? No. No. Not in a Palace full of busy bodies and spying servants.

Talac had given her one last kiss and left her side to exit via the window and scale the Palace walls back to his rooms just before dawn. Not long after, Perri had slunk back to their suite. By the dim light of the rising sun, Alia had been able to observe that her sister’s dress was badly misbuttoned.

They hadn’t spoken of their adventures when they finally roused to pick at a late breakfast. Perri remaining surprisingly quiet as she helped Alia get dressed for the day in black trousers and a rich amber tightly fitted jacket with short tails. Though she had made a tsking sound at one point, fetching some soothing lotion to apply to several abrasions on Alia’s throat and décolletage. Tsk. Tsk. By the third tsk Alia could take no more. Dipping a finger in the pot, pointedly anointing several reddened marks on Perri’s pale flesh. Echoing her sister’s earlier tsk, tsk, tsk as she did so.

They’d shared a silent conversation. A question raised between them. Do you wish to speak of what you got up to last night… and with whom?

Both of their gazes skittering away. Instead, Perri had picked up the day’s schedule of listed events and they had discussed how they would stalk Regal.

The late morning’s crossbolt archery event had gone exactly as planned. Alia inserting herself into Regal’s group. Coughing or sneezing any time he took aim. Apologising again and again for her allergies… which for some strange reason only acted up every time Regal was at the mark. Then Alia proceeded to obliterate all of Regal’s shots. No matter where his bolts landed on the target, Alia’s next shot would split them right down the middle. Followed immediately of course by more insincere apologies on her part.

Regal had started off grim faced but as the event progressed his face had grown redder and redder. He loathed being made fun of. Twice he’d tried to bow out, but Alia had made taunting little oblique comments about his manhood and he’d had no choice but to stay to the bitter end.

Now here he was at the luncheon, trapped between two very wealthy, very available, but far from his ideal, heiresses. Which he also appeared to believe was somehow Alia and Perri’s fault. Given the looks of discreet promised retribution he kept sending their way. As if they had somehow convinced the major-domo to arrange the seating chart to their whims.

The only one Alia knew of with that kind of clout was Talac… no, don’t look his way. She’d been deliberately avoiding meeting his gaze all morning. Because if she did so, those heated memories would rear up. Internal bonfires immediately igniting, and she’d be squirming in her seat, suddenly all too aware of the strange little aches assailing her body because of the unfamiliar activities she had partaken in last night. Which would cause more memories to batter her. Talac’s hands on her body. Lips on lips. Tasting him. Touching him. Resting on her hands and knees at one point, him behind her… no, no. No thinking. No remembering. No looking his way.

In desperation, seeking a distraction, Alia struck up a conversation with the elderly man seated beside her. He was an avid hunter. What were the odds? No, no looking Talac’s way.

The main course was finally completed. Alia couldn’t tell you what it had consisted of. Dessert would be next. Nodding in thanks as a servant placed what looked like a flan of some kind before her. Ugh, pushing it away. Aware suddenly of Perri tensing up beside her. A small gasp escaping her sister’s lips, enough to make the dove grey scarf covering her face puff out ever so slightly.

What? Regal was on the move. Was he leaving? No, she saw what had caused Perri to react, Regal’s trajectory had him on a collision course with Brandth De’Luca’s table. Oh, things were potentially about to get very interesting indeed.

* * *

Brandth nodded as Umbrey, Kenlodu and Lowdrey made their excuses from the table. Heading for the terrace, preferring tobacco over dessert. Brandth wasn’t a fan of flan but he was quite happy to remain seated. His leg ached abominably today. A price he would willing pay again if he could spend a night with Perri creating a little mayhem.

Idly he picked up a spoon, rearranging the flan on his plate but not partaking of it. All the while his mind whirling, the epicentre naturally being Perri and the very satisfying night they’d shared. A night that seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. Perri sneaking out just as the sun hit the horizon. One moment her bare flesh had been pressed against his, the next, she was gone. He’d been half drowsing. Heard the rustle of her dress. Registering distantly there had been no tearful goodbyes, no lingering last caresses. She’d just scooted off the chaise, dived into her gown and hauled her ripe butt for the exit.

It was a little… disconcerting.

Not to mention annoying. They’d made promises. One night only. Never to be spoken of again. Or referenced in any way, either by word or innuendo. And Brandth was a man of honour.

“You know, I don’t think I’d ever come across a more beautiful creature than Perri Gloomenthrall. She was a pretty child. But some time around fifteen she just blossomed, like a fire flower bursting into life.”

Brandth fought not to stiffen as Regal Soutner slid into the empty chair on his right.

“It wasn’t until after our marriage that I realised how… fragile she was in nature.”

Fragile? Perri? His waspish sweet harridan? “Oh?”

Neither agreeing or disagreeing, but it appeared enough of a response for Regal to carry on.

“Perhaps if she hadn’t had a child so young. Or if I hadn’t been so very busy. If only I’d been able to spend more time with her, reassure her, she would have…”

Regal petered off leadingly. Here was where Brandth was supposed to pick up the bait Regal was throwing out, but he wasn’t one so easily led.

“Hold on, weren’t you like sixth or eighth in line to inherit the barony? Living in a castle? Surrounded by fawning servants? What was keeping you so busy? Did you have some form of employment?”

“Of course not.”

Even the idea of it clearly appalled Regal.

“Then what was keeping you too busy to spend time with your young wife and your newly arrived child? I know many a lower heir on the rung who took themselves off to university to become educated, or struck out on their own to start a business and go on to master an empire. Were you one of those noble fellows?”

“No.”

Regal paused, taking a deep breath, realising he’d just backed himself into a corner and declared he wasn’t of noble valour. His smile flickering for a just a split second in annoyance before it was back twice as bright.

“The Soutners have always had vast business interests. I was busy observing my father manage them, so I might one day share some of the burden.”

“Okay, so you were very busy sitting around… watching your father, and meanwhile your young wife….?”

“Was sinking deeper and deeper into depression. Begging me each morning not to leave her side. To spend my day with her and the child instead.”

“Which unfortunately you couldn’t do, you had all that… watching to do.”

“We drifted apart… I blame myself…”

Regal paused for dramatic effect, and this was probably the moment a sympathetic lady listening to his story would disagree heartily and bolster his ego.

“Yes, I can see why you would.”

“Um… and as time went by, Perri only grew worse. Clingy. Using the child as a weapon to trap me into spending more time with her. I tried to help, but then she manufactured such a dramatic scene one day that her behaviour could no longer be over looked.”

“Are… are you referencing the day several of your brothers died or were grievously injured, along with your child?”

By the nine circles, was the man really going to twist the tale so baldly, or in Regal’s mind, was that how he’d rearranged things so he would be both the victim and the hero?

“The day the sun turned black and the ground beneath my feet became a river of blood.”

“The scene you fled at the first opportunity.”

“My priority was getting my son to safety. I intended to send help back.”

“And what of your wife? Lying there hurt and bleeding on the ground?”

“Gods, man. There was no way my horse could carry the boy and her. I had to make an impossible choice. And… the Deities forgive me, I thought her dead. I thought them all dead.”

“Did you search for her? Send a message to Gloomenthrall to enquire after her?”

“It was an extraordinarily busy time. One brother missing, one dead, several others teetering on the cusp. My heir hurt. I barely had time to pack, let alone track down a missing dead wife.”

“Pack?”

“My father. The incident brought home to him that life is extremely fragile and that he wouldn’t live forever. His legacy, his dynasty, it all came into sharp focus for him. So he tasked me with travelling the Realms, to seek out new business opportunities for the Soutner Empire.”

Hah, the man had certainly devised an interesting spin on being banished. The former Baron had probably realised his - and his immediate remaining heirs - days were numbered if he kept Regal close. And perhaps Regal had done Perri a favour by never following up and allowing her to cut all ties to the Soutners. But still, Brandth had to ask.

“And your wife?”

“Until a few days ago, I thought her dead.”

No, Regal had just hoped she was or hadn’t cared. Out of mind, out of sight, Brandth presumed.

“You have to understand.”

Regal’s expression was one of deep sincerity with just a touch of shame. Seriously, the man belonged on the stage.

“That day… so much blood… half her face was gone… just gone. My beautiful, beautiful Perri… I don’t know how she survived.”

There was the slightest shift in Regal’s expression.

“Beautiful no more of course. You appear to be a good friend to her. I’m assuming you’ve seen under the veil. Is she horribly disfigured?”

“A man would have to be low of birth to make comments about a woman’s appearance.”

Brandth rose to his feet. He was tired of this conversation. Unable to stomach being in Regal Soutner’s company a moment longer. His death could not come quickly enough for Brandth’s liking.

And what was the point in wasting any breath on essentially a dead man?

But damn, Brandth wanted this man to hurt… Hhmmm. Sliding his chair under the table he looked at Regal and smiled.

“Though I would impart one observation I have made before I take my leave. Beauty such as Perri Gloomenthrall has, is only comparable to the sun. A mere glimpse of it will fire a man’s soul, and cleave his heart in two. And he can only pray, on bloodied knees, that a Goddess such as Perri, who walks this earth, will accept such a paltry gift of half his heart.”

Leaning down, he hissed forcefully into Regal’s ear.

“And you, prancing dolt that you are, you threw her away, and are too stupid to even realise your error.”

“You think yourself so far above me? What if all here were to discover you were dallying with another man’s wife?”

“Women are allowed very few laws in this land. But one they can claim is abandonment, and you were gone ten long years. She has a very good case. Besides, if you speak up, tell everyone what she is to you, how will all those fair maidens and their wealthy parents feel about you misrepresenting your intentions? It won’t just be the Gloomenthralls baying for your blood then.”

For just a moment Regal’s mask fell, the man’s true self shining through unfiltered, and it was twisted, dark, and so very ugly. Brandth prayed as he walked away that Perri and Alia were not underestimating him. Pure evil lurked under that angelic fa?ade.

Determinedly Brandth pushed away the interaction. Regal had sought him out to deliberately sow seeds of dissent and perhaps do a little fact gathering. Perri’s mere existence clearly aggravating him. And not knowing what she planned to do or say next, must be making Regal grind his teeth in frustration. And people who irritated or got in Regal’s way, historically tended not to last long. Even now Baron Soutner was plotting and planning something. Brandth could sense it.

Likewise, the Gloomenthrall women were no doubt doing a lot of plotting and planning themselves. It wasn’t so much a question of whether Regal would be the recipient of their vengeance, but how soon the final act would take place. And once their goal was achieved, there would be no reason for them to linger any longer at the Palace.

Cruddy Hell. Brandth knew he’d said he’d be satisfied with just one night… but he’d been lying. One night had only kicked the smouldering need for Perri into a raging blaze of want and desire. And not just for her lush body. He craved to hear her voice take on that delightfully waspish tone when she was peeved or fed-up with him.

He didn’t know what was under the scarf, or behind the mask, but Brandth knew Perri, from the tips of her dainty feet to her bonfire cascade of hair. And he wanted her, no, more than that, he loved her.

But he’d promised to back off after their shared night… hold on, no he hadn’t. All he’d promised to do was neither speak of it outright or via innuendo. Which left him… oh, yes, a plan forming. It was going to irritate Perri beyond measure. She’d be hissing mad when she discovered his loophole, and she wouldn’t hesitate to scold Brandth and express exactly what she thought of him.

The idea of Perri scolding him getting Brandth a little hot and bothered. He wondered how long it would take for her to come to the realisation that him getting under her skin caused the same reaction in her?

* * *

Perri, seated across the cavernous dining hall, held her breath as Brandth walked away from Regal. Heavens. What had Regal said to him? Had Brandth believed any of his poisonous lies? Nerves quivering low in her tummy as she realised Brandth was walking towards her. Not because it would be her first time interacting with him following their recent intimacies. Last night was in the past. Behind her. Never to be spoken of again. No, these feelings of trepidation currently plaguing Perri were because she knew what a very good liar Regal was. A small part of her fearing that Brandth had fallen under her soon to be dead husband’s spell, and was coming this way to revile her.

Annoyingly, Brandth looked rather marvellous today. His fitted jacket of dusky blue bringing out the honey flecks in his brown eyes. Stopping beside the sisters he formally bowed.

“Lord Brandth De’Luca.”

Um, what? Luckily her sister’s tongue wasn’t stuck to the roof of her mouth in confusion.

“Lady Alia Gloomenthrall, and this is my sister, Lady Perri.”

“Delighted. I was wondering, Lady Perri, if I might escort you to this afternoon’s high tea party being held down by the river? It’s a rather lovely scenic walk.”

What? What? Perri stared at the crooked arm he’d extended in her direction.

“I’m sure my sister would be honoured.”

Alia grabbing Perri’s hand, placing it upon Brandth’s arm, before giving Perri a discreet pinch on the thigh.

Ouch. Shooting abruptly to her feet, she was gifted by a flashing smile from Brandth.

“Wonderful, you appear just as eager as I to get out and enjoy some fresh air. Lady Alia.”

Brandth nodded a goodbye, and began escorting Perri towards the nearest terrace doors.

“Beautiful day for a walk, isn’t it?”

“Yes…?”

Perri acknowledged as they descended the stairs to a gravelled walkway, Brandth steering them to the left.

“Do you visit the Golden Palace often, Lady Perri?”

“Why are you acting like this?”

She looked around, no one was nearby, and in a few short steps they would be granted even more privacy, as the path would be surrounded on both sides by a sparse forest populated by elms underpinned by fields of yellow and white wildflowers.

“This is how a gentleman, in this particular case, me, gets to know a lady, that would be you, with the prospect of amusing conversation in the future, along with a little flirting, and perhaps, if he plays his cards right, a thank you kiss might be his reward for acting as an escort.”

“Brandth-”

“Oh, we’re on a first name basis out of the gate. I too must admit I felt an immediate connection with you… Perri.”

“What is this game you’re playing at?”

“Game? Yes, I suppose it is one, but one that’s as old as time. Perhaps you’re a little rusty. Normally I wouldn’t be so blunt. But you strike me as a woman who appreciates the facts. I speak of courting. Of seduction. Of wooing.”

He batted his lush eyelashes her way.

“You promised never to speak of last night?”

“Last night? Oh, the ball. Yes, it was rather entertaining. Did you attend? I would have liked to have seen your costume.”

“You… you are so… irritating.”

And confusing. Why was he doing this, speaking of courting, seduction and wooing.

“We had an agreement. You promised.”

“Do you have any hobbies? I myself am fond of riding, fencing, reading poetry, and vastly enjoy escorting beautiful women through lovely but thankfully deserted woods. That way I can pledge my troth in private and steal kisses with no witnesses nearby to scandalise.”

Brandth leaned over, planting a quick kiss against the scarf covering Perri’s cheek.

“Troth? Does madness run in your family?”

And how was her cheek heating? his lips hadn’t even touched her bare skin. At least he wasn’t using last night against her with all his blathering… oh. That sly dog. But it left her twice as confused. What could he want of her now? She had given him everything a woman had to give last night. There was no reason, none, for Brandth’s current behaviour.

Taking a deep breath, she pondered her options. Badger him until he confessed what he was up to. Or table that and question him about what she really wanted to know.

“What did Regal have to say to you?”

“Threats. Lies. Rumours. All done with the sincerity of a priest on the pulpit. He really is quite masterful. I think his trick is to actually half believe everything he says is true.”

“He threatened you?”

“No, he threatened you. He really didn’t like it when I threatened him right back. I don’t think he’s used to anyone seeing past his mask. I must warn you, his kind aren’t used to being on the back foot. He’ll strike out. Probably from afar… at first. He’ll be looking for weaknesses in order to capitalise on them.”

“I’m aware things might get… nasty.”

“He brought up your face covering. Mentioned… scars.”

“I would have been surprised if he didn’t. It’s an obvious route.”

Perri took a quick, tight breath.

“What about you?”

“Me?”

“Aren’t you curious? About what I have hidden beneath the veil? You know of the incident ten years ago, you must have put it all together. You’ve seen Alia’s scar, you must have surmised what it is I’m hiding.”

“You have extraordinarily lovely eyes.”

What?

“They remind me of the colour of the deep seas off the southern coast of the Middle Isles. I had been wondering for a few weeks why I kept thinking about a day I spent swimming there, and then you wore the mask last night. And I realised I must have seen your eyes before. During my convalescence from that fever I’m guessing. A man could fall happily into those eyes of yours and spend his life drowning in their beauty.”

“There’s more to me than just my eyes.”

“If I hadn’t agreed not to talk about last night I would happily wax lyrical about your enticing full bosom, your shapely legs, that erotic dimple on your left side just where your back becomes your as-”

“We’re not talking about my body, we’re talking about my face.”

“No. Regal is. You are. I’m a man who has built a career out of understanding people, how they think, what their motives are. I have witnessed depraved things. And seen indescribably selfless acts of kindness. Discovering that beauty can coexist with evil quite happily. But I have determined that love is what fuels the human soul. It’s ephemeral. Unfair. Capricious. All consuming. Worth both living and dying for. But the one thing it cannot exist without is trust. And once that is gifted, then the body, flesh, looks… all of that is inconsequential. We fade away to dust once we are dead, but our souls are lifted to the heavens. I expect a soul filled with love must positively fly there, buoyed by such a blessing.”

“What are you saying?”

“You fill my soul, Perri Gloomenthrall, do I fill yours? No, don’t say anything. Words are not what I crave. Let us continue on our walk, the day is glorious, is it not?”

“Ah, yes.”

Perri managed, her mind whirling. Love? That was absurd. Brandth did nothing but prod, poke and challenge her at every turn. Insisting she speak her mind. Verbally jousting with her non-stop. Trying to make her laugh. That wasn’t love, was it?

Although, what did she know of love? Perri had spent her marriage trying to be deserving of Regal’s love. Measuring her success by the approval in his eyes… turning herself into a doll of Regal’s making.

Brandth, on the other hand, insisted Perri reveal her true feelings, hammering away at her carefully constructed healer shell until she acted… human she supposed.

Wasn’t that what love was? Revealing your true self and still being loved despite your foibles, flaws and mistakes made. And Brandth had dug and dug until he uncovered the real Perri and now he claimed that he loved her… or could love her.

But what of her feelings? She found Brandth frustrating, irritating, and oft times exhausting. But she looked forward to her interactions with him. Looked for Brandth when he was absent. Hyper aware of him when he was nearby. Enjoying perhaps more than she should verbally fencing with him. Matching wits. Scoring points. Could that be love?

Perhaps. Maybe. But that was only part of the equation. The word love fell too easily from people’s lips. Brandth knew that, had even pointed it out. Advocating that in order for love to exist, to thrive, trust must be its building block. Did she trust in Brandth enough to lift her scarf and have faith that what he saw beneath would not matter?

Could she be that brave? Trust in Brandth that much? Cruddy hell, everything had been so much simpler when her only goal in life was to kill her deceitful murderous husband.