The Devastation (Unexpected Circumstances #7)(17)

“Are you agreeable?” I asked as I tilted my head to get a better view of the face she tried to hide behind her long hair.

“My lord?” she asked quietly. She obviously did not understand my meaning.

“Are you agreeable, Alexandra?” I said again. I decided to make an official proposal so there would be no further doubt in the young maid’s mind. “Will you agree to marry me?”

I had been so sure of my course, and I knew my action would anger Edgar into a response. He had already made it clear he believed Sterling lands should be part of Hadebrand, and having the son of those lands insult him in such a way would require action. I had given no thought to the handmaid whose life I would turn upside down in my quest for King Edgar’s head. I had no idea what I would drag her into. Even if I had known at the time, it would not have mattered to me.

I no longer cared as much about Sterling lands, avenging my parents, or Edgar’s death. The only thing that mattered was Alexandra, and I still had no idea where she was. If I could have gone back and changed it all, I would have, without a doubt. I would have found a way to still take her as my wife without destroying both kingdoms in the process.

The moon was high in the sky, and torches lined the center of the arena where four strong horses stood in a row. I walked steadily into the center where Parnell stood with Whitney’s arms held behind her back. She struggled against him with anger in her eyes and jeers on her lips.

“You will release me, you foul creature!” she yelled at him. “How dare you! You are nothing more than a…a breeder of beasts!”

She twisted again, and Sir Rylan raised an eyebrow.

“Shall I silence her?” he asked. He held a piece of cloth in his hands.

“No,” I said. I shook my head as I walked straight up to her. “I want answers.”

“You’ll get nothing from me!” Whitney snorted at me and stomped her foot.

I leaned over and grabbed the hair at the back of her neck. I pulled sharply back, tilting her head and snarling down at her. She cried out and tried to kick me.

“Then I will listen to your screams!”

“You would not dare do anything against a royal!”

I chuckled softly right before I spat in her face.

“Do you see your father? Your brothers?” I asked her. For the first time, she had no response. “That’s because their heads are being placed on spikes at this very moment. Did you not watch your own mother fall? Do you think you will be spared? Your sister is likely dead by now, as well, though her fate was far more merciful than yours will be.”

“You would not,” she said, though her voice did not sound so sure. “You would never do such a thing to me…you love me.”

“Love you?” I could not keep the shock from my voice, and my eyes widened in disbelief.

“You just do not know it yet!” she said. “We were matched as children, and our parents knew we were to be together. Even when your father refused to betroth us, he still knew it would happen someday. We are meant to be, Branford!”

“I am going to kill you, you stupid, insane woman.”

“You would never!” she said with contemptuous certainty.

I stared at her a moment longer. How do you reason with someone so obviously out of her mind? Would she still respond, at least, to her own will to live through this? One thing I knew for sure—honesty was not going to benefit me now.

“There is one way I might consider sparing you,” I said, the lie flowing easily from my lips, “one way only. Tell me now—where is my wife?”

Whitney laughed.

“The commoner queen?” She sneered. “Who would even care, save for the child inside of her?”

She tried to step forward and out of Parnell’s grip, but he held her fast. He turned his head to the side, and his eyes stared off into the distance as he pretended he would not have done the same had it been Ida taken. There was no way she was going to be reasoned with, and I was determined to have my answer now.

As Parnell held her back, I closed the gap between us and reached out to her with one hand. I traced the side of her face and along her jaw, and I felt her body relax slightly. Once I reached her slender neck, I wrapped my fingers around it and squeezed.

She gasped once before her air was cut off, and I growled into her face.

“You have one final chance to speak. Once I release you, you had better open your mouth and tell me where to find my wife, or you will die most painfully. I am not interested in your delusions or your games. I only want my wife and child with me again.”

I let go of her throat, and she would have fallen if Parnell had not held her up. She coughed and wheezed for a moment before I grew tired of waiting, and smacked her on the side of her head.

Her gaze turned to me, and she glared.

“Never!” She snarled and struggled.

“We’ll see,” I replied, my voice now calm and collected. I summoned four of the soldiers to my side. “Help me to prepare her.”

I grabbed the ropes they brought to me and made quick work of Whitney’s arms while Parnell—his eyes still staring blankly as he tried to prepare himself for what he knew would come—held her legs so ropes could be tied to her ankles. Once each of her limbs was secured tightly, the ends of the ropes were given to four different soldiers, who one-by-one walked solemnly to his horse. Each horse faced a different direction, and as the soldiers tied the ropes to the saddles, I grabbed Whitney by her middle and held her parallel to the ground with her face staring into the sky.