Page 39 of While Angels Slept (de Lohr Dynasty #1)

“A nd I told you that I forbid you to go search for them at this time,” Geoff snarled at Tevin.

“It is your fault they were abducted in the first place so I will not allow you to use my resources to hunt down a woman who is nothing more to you than a possession. I have had an entire patrol of men wiped out near the Dartford Crossing and have commanded you to drive back those who have now commandeered the bridge. I want it back.”

Tevin was as close to striking Geoff as he had ever been in his life.

Had de Lohr not been standing between him and Geoff, he more than likely would have ripped the man’s head off.

Instead, he took a step back when Myles gave him a gentle shove on the chest, pushing him back and away from the confrontation.

In the solar of Rochester, tempers were running high as precious time was wasted with Geoff’s delays.

If Geoff knows of your feelings for Cantia, he will see this as a game.

Val’s words were rolling over and over in Tevin’s mind and he struggled to keep his mouth shut about anything with regard to Cantia.

Geoff could not know she meant more to him than anything on earth.

In fact, Tevin did not use Cantia as the focus at all. He used someone else.

“It is not Cantia I am after,” he rumbled. “I have explained this to you. My daughter is missing, Geoff, and I will find her. I am going in search of my child and you cannot stop me.”

“I can!”

“Then you shall have to kill me. Shall we retreat outside and face off against one another?”

Geoff backed down, but only slightly. He was still red about the face, twitching with fury.

He had been pulled out of a dead sleep to face a problem he should not have to be facing, and he was very angry at his cousin for creating the situation.

High and mighty Tevin always thought he knew best. Geoff was both thrilled and angry that his arrogant cousin had made a mistake.

“You should not have sent them away in the first place,” he pointed an accusing finger, spittle flying from his lips. “Why would you do such a thing?”

Tevin cocked a dark eyebrow, fists resting on his hips. “You know why.”

Geoff’s lips curled in a sneer. “If I knew, I would not have asked.”

Tevin’s eyes narrowed. “Because you cannot be trusted,” he said. “You have no self-control when it comes to a woman, any woman, so in order to protect the women residing at Rochester, I was forced to send them somewhere where you could not get to them.”

Geoff’s twitching grew worse. “You have no say in how I conduct my life, Tevin. I take what I want.”

“You cannot take Lady Cantia, Val, or Arabel. In order to curb your temptation, I sought to move them out of your reach.”

Geoff smacked the table in front of him. Then he threw the cups that were on it, followed by the pitcher half-filled with wine. Ruby red liquid sprayed on the stone walls as Geoff flirted with the boundaries of a temper tantrum.

“And you were punished for it,” he seethed. “Val is injured and Lady Cantia and Arabel are missing. You were wrong, Tevin, not me. You cannot blame me for your failure.”

Tevin’s composure slipped a notch. “If you had any self-control, I would not have had to send them away, so do not turn this around as if I am the one with issues. If you would act like a man once in a while and not a spoiled child, we would not have this problem.”

Geoff ripped off a barbaric yell and charged Tevin.

He ran at him crazily, hands out like claws, and Tevin easily side-stepped the man, causing him to trip over a chair and crash into a wall.

As Tevin faced him, waiting for his next move, Geoff pulled himself off of the wall and plunged a hand into his tunic, rooting around until he withdrew a wicked-looking dirk.

He flashed it at Tevin, and the stakes of the game changed dramatically.

With another yell, he charged Tevin again, dirk held high.

Tevin was prepared. As the man drew near, he reached out and grabbed his wrist, twisting it around until Geoff screamed with pain.

Geoff ended up biting Tevin’s bare hand and when Tevin let go before he could break the skin, Geoff brought the dirk to bear on Tevin’s neck.

In a movement for self-preservation, Tevin lashed up a big arm, blocking the dirk as he grabbed Geoff around the throat with his other hand.

He’d only meant to disarm him but by the way he grabbed Geoff, he ended up snapping his skull upward at an awkward angle.

Bones snapped. The dirk dropped, and so did Geoff.

As quickly as the battle started, it was over. Tevin gazed down at his cousin as Myles, having been over by the door for the duration of the fight, rushed to Geoff’s side and felt for a pulse. After a moment, he shook his head and looked up at Tevin.

“He is dead,” he said quietly.

Tevin’s brow furrowed with disbelief. “He cannot be.”

“He is.”

“Are you sure?”

“Verily.”

Tevin’s stunned gaze moved between Geoff and Myles. “But… but I was not trying to kill him,” he said after a moment. “I was only trying to disarm him.”

Myles’ gaze lingered on Geoff. “I know,” he said. “I saw what happened. He was trying to kill you, Tevin. You did what you had to do.”

Tevin wasn’t sure if he felt better or worse by that statement. Disbelief and shock overwhelmed him, so much so that he ended up stumbling back against the heavy table behind him as he attempted to wrap his mind around what he had just done.

“Oh…God,” he hissed. “I did not mean to do it. ”

Myles could see how shocked he was. “Tevin,” he said softly, firmly.

“The man was trying to kill you. You defended yourself. What happened was an accident. Although I normally refrain from speaking ill of the dead, you know as well as I do that Geoff was a vile, corruptible man. His death is not an unwelcome one by any means. You did us all a service.”

Tevin was still struggling although he wasn’t sure why.

Perhaps it was simply the swiftness of it and the fact that he truly hadn’t been trying to kill him.

He and Geoff had been given to tussles in the past, but nothing like this.

He looked at Myles, his dark eyes intense as he came to terms with what he had done.

“The truth is that, at some point, Geoff would have tried to kill me or have me killed,” he said, his voice hoarse.

“He both loved and hated me, but mostly, he envied me. I know that as well as anyone. But all I can think of now is that the women in my family are finally safe. If that is a selfish thought, then I do not apologize. It is the truth.”

Myles nodded in agreement, making his way over to him. “There is something else you must think of also.”

“What?”

“You are now the Earl of East Anglia,” he reminded him softly, a twinkle in his eye. “Long live the earl.”

Tevin stared at him, realizing he was right. In the blink of an eye, the powerful Viscount Winterton had become the extremely powerful Earl of East Anglia. He reached out, grabbing Myles by the wrist as if to confirm the truth. His eyes were wide on Myles, who broke into a smile.

“Aye, Tevin,” he affirmed quietly. “It is you. What is your first command, my lord?”

Tevin struggled to push through his shock. He now commanded thousands. “I… I am not sure,” he hissed. “This is a day I never thought would truly come, at least not like this.”

“The day has come. Give me a command.”

Tevin maintained his grip on Myles’ wrist. “It is strange that all I can think of at this moment is my father,” he said softly. “He was Winterton for so long. It was always my father who would succeed as the earl, never me, at least not until four years ago when I lost both my father and Torston.”

“I remember.”

“Now that the time has come, I feel…surprise. Unadulterated surprise.”

Myles’ expression tightened. “You must put that aside,” he said.

“I realize you are shocked, Tevin, but much requires your attention at the moment. Be shocked later if you must, give in to your astonishment at that time, but right now we require your level head. We need it. Much is going on and we require your wisdom in all things. What will your first command be, my lord?”

Tevin looked at the man, knowing he was correct in every facet. Too much depended on Tevin at the moment and he drew on that strength, that inner force of character, to settle himself. He had to. Forcing himself to think, he pushed himself off the table.

“Have Geoff’s body taken out of here,” he said as he moved towards the door. He couldn’t bring himself to look at his cousin lying in a heap on the floor. “Have the servants prepare his body so we can move him to Rochester Cathedral.”

“It will be done,” Myles said smartly. “But what of you? What shall you do now?”

Tevin’s mind was working. “I will be riding for Cantia and Arabel,” he said.

“There is nothing more important to me at this moment, not even Anglia. However, you will send word to all of our allies, including Matilda and Stephen, informing them that I have assumed the earldom at Geoff’s passing.

You will also call a meeting with all of my close allies to discuss the situation and how it will now affect them. My loyalties shall be made clear.”

Myles paused by the door, bringing Tevin to a halt. “What would that be, my lord?”

Tevin’s jaw ticked. He was gaining confidence and lucidity by the second.

Now, he was doing what he was born to do.

Finally, Anglia was in the hands of someone wise and intelligent.

It was time to reclaim Anglia’s good name and take a stand in this land of chaos and greed.

When Tevin looked at Myles, it was with all seriousness.

“Brac Penden did not die in vain, regardless of who we support” he said pointedly, with emotion. “Discover who holds Dartford Crossing and tell them that I would meet with them when I return. I would suspect we are already allies. Stephen is the rightful king and I intend to support the man.”