His muscles tensed. “I know you didn’t come all this way to ask me the name of a song. Quit playing games and state your business.”
From the corner of his eye, he noticed her crestfallen expression. Once upon a time, he might have been fooled by her theatrics. Now, however, he viewed her every move with suspicion.
“Maybe I have come just to see you. Did you ever think of that? No?” She stepped over to the fire and stretched out her hands to its feeble warmth. “Stellan, I’ve come to warn you.”
As if you care about me anymore. Ignoring the heaviness in his chest, he continued playing, and said nothing.
“You need to end this little crusade of yours. Father’s becoming very upset, and so are the others.”
“Alucard, you mean.”
“Precisely. They’ve worked hard on this project, and your efforts are obstructing them. I’d be devastated if anything were to happen to you.”
Stellan barked out a laugh. Again he slammed his fingers down upon the brittle keys. “Naturally, you’d do everything within your power to prevent it. The effortlessness with which you speak from both sides of your mouth is simply astounding. You truly are a master enchantress!”
Sada turned a steely gaze on him. Her right hand balled into a tight fist. “All right. I tried being nice, now I’m going to order you. Stop hunting the experiments, Brother! They exist for a purpose, and any countermeasures on your part can only be construed as traitorous to your own people!” She left the fire and kneeled at his feet. Her heavy sigh lingered in the air. “Why are you so against everyone? Against me? I’m on your side whether you believe it or not.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “You may be the Mage’s son and heir, but don’t underestimate his ambition.”
Stellan hit the keys with barely contained fury. And neither should he underestimate mine.
“Will you stop that awful music for one moment, please?” Sada’s voice turned sharp. “Take a look about you–a good, long look! This bare-bones existence is destroying you, and it doesn’t have to be this way.”
She rested a hand on his arm. Did she mean to comfort him? Stellan jerked away from her touch, but a small, hidden part of him regretted the loss of contact. Sada used to be more than a sister–she’d been his closest friend.
Undaunted, she continued speaking. “Think about it–when the project succeeds, we’ll be mighty again. Invincible.” Her gaze softened. “Come back with me, and beg forgiveness from the family.”
“And destroy my integrity in the process?” Stellan began playing a melancholic tune. “You claim to care for me. How could you demand such a sacrifice?”
Sada shook her head. “Allow me to offer another perspective. If we return together as a united front, we’ll be so much more powerful. No one ever has to hurt you again or force a wedge between us. You and I will pretend to go along with their plan. When the time is ripe, we’ll seize the throne. Think about the possibilities!” She shivered. “And we’ll use other methods of control. Truth be told, I never did care for those monstrosities. The treatment makes them terribly ugly, and they stink.”
Stellan turned on her, his face twisted with anger. “Then why did you allow them to continue when it was within your power to oppose them? Father and Alucard’s mad call for revenge was a mistake from the beginning and you know it. It was misguided, moronic, and poorly executed. And I’ve spent the past fifteen years trying to clean up His Royal Highness’s ugly, stinking mess. Tell them they can both shove it all up their pompous asses.”
Sada’s laughter tinkled pleasantly throughout the room. “Such a colorful way with words! Is that what you learned from these servants of yours?”
Stellan sighed. “I don’t see how you can overlook what Father has done to us.”
“Well I don’t understand your reluctance to overthrow him directly. Have you forgotten the importance of ambition?”
He cut her a sharp look. “Will that be all now?”
“Actually, no. There is one other concern.” She stood and spent a few moments straightening her dress.
Stellan clenched his teeth. “Well?”
“Everyone knows about your little tryst, I’m afraid.”
“My little what?” Despite his flippant denial, he tensed inside. Had she or Alucard caught him watching Clarysa at the river? No–it was impossible! He’d been extremely careful.
She crossed her arms. “You know exactly what and who I mean.” She smirked. “I heard you took her on quite a flight the other evening.”
Damn! They had sent a spy to the wedding. He kept himself as rigid as stone. “I didn’t have a little…tryst. I didn’t have anything.” Stellan pounded more loudly. Notes bludgeoned the air. “You heard wrong.”
Sada laughed. “Of course. Keep at her, if you want. It’ll be our little secret.” She swooped in to murmur in his ear. “But remember, dearest, if it becomes anything more, I’ll be forced to take action.”
Stellan hunched lower over the keyboard and bared his teeth. “Leave me alone.”
“As you wish.” She departed as silently as she had entered.
Dark images of his family’s past flashed through Stellan’s mind. Noisome, malignant images that tore into his heart. Deeply troubled, he earned his reputation as the Dark Prince once more by playing long and hard into the night.
Chapter 7
Clarysa turned the pages of her book one by one. She had given up on actually reading it hours ago because her mind relentlessly wandered. Placing it aside, she gazed across the meadow. The hunting party, now swelled to double its usual number, had arrived midmorning. Men and horses spotted the field, both beast and human enjoying a light snack and games before the hunting began. The bright sun nestled against a clear blue sky.
Clarysa sat on a colorful woven blanket at the wood’s edge, a cup of tea by her side. This was her second time in two months joining the hunt, much to Lionel’s amusement and over Edward’s strenuous objections. But Father
