At this point I had so many questions that demanded to be answered and no opportunity to ask them.
“Lady Alina?” a vaguely familiar voice broke into my thoughts.
I turned to see Lord Rutterford standing beside me. His ivory colored robe covered his flying suit almost completely. His long hair was tied in the back, making him appear much older.
“Lord Rutterford.”
“I came earlier in the morning to inquire after you, but I was told that you were resting.”
“That was very kind of you.” I forced a weak smile. “Last night was shocking. I confess, I was not in good spirits.” I hesitated.
“Your guard carried you away before I could offer you my assistance. I hope you are feeling better.”
“Yes. Thank you. Do you know what happened?” I asked, and my mind immediately returned to the image of the torn arm on top of the table, screams, and the splashes of scarlet wine on the crisp white tablecloth.
“Someone’s sick joke.”
“But . . . the hand?”
“It was not real. Do you recall how unnaturally blue it was? I was told, after careful examination by the palace physician, that it was fake.”
I lowered my gaze. By ‘physician', he probably meant Mr. Payton, the one who was all too comfortable administering poison to me.
“And what was the intent of playing this joke?”
Lord Rutherford shook his head and glanced around the garden, carefully scrutinizing the other guests promenadingaround. I thought he would never respond when he suddenly looked straight at me.
“This place is not what it seems. There are many players with different agendas. You must know by now that it is not only about establishing a new heiress on the throne.” Lord Rutterford moved closer, nearly invading my space. “The stakes are very high, milady.”
There was something in his voice that finally broke through the haze and made me pay attention to every word.
“What are you saying?”
“I am going to trust you and drop the act. This is not about you or me, or any clan. A war is upon us. Slowly, this disease, this plague, is killing us, one by one, and there is nothing the council is willing to do to stop it. The clans have to unite to face this challenge. No more games, no more politics. We have to survive. I have not been in the capital for the last two years, but I can see that nothing ever changes, and I suspect that the prosperity of the lucky few is all that matters here. As long as those families have their luxuries, and the walls between them and the plague, the situation will never change. There are others who are less lucky. There are others who struggle every day to find food and fresh water, who are killing themselves by doing hard labor to ensure that their kids can have a hot meal. I am sorry for being direct with you, but yes... I suggest you and I form an alliance and work together before it’s too late. I guarantee, we do not have much time.”
“Those are dangerous words.”
“I trust you.”
I looked him straight in the eye. No more games, no more deceptions and polite, meaningless words. He spoke well, he sounded sincere, and for the first time in a while, I felt like I was not being taken advantage of.
“What do you suggest?”
“If you accept my hand, together we could dissolve the council and create a new order, enforce the forgotten law that would be fair for everybody. Help the cities and above all, work on finding the cure.”
The cure. The cure that could save the lives of thousands of people now, and possibly millions in the future.
I searched his face, finding no trace of double meaning or deception.
“I know that you and I just met. That you have no reason to trust me, but I swear that everything I say is the truth.”
“What about marriage?”
“I am not arrogant enough to think that I can convince you to accept me as a man. But, I promise you that you will always be free to live the way you want.”
“In other words you seek a political union?”
“That is too simplified, but yes. It is what I am offering you, along with my hand.”
