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Sebastian stepped back and counterattacked immediately. After exchanging a few blows, they returned to circle each other again.
“Does she know?” William asked. And then lunged again.
“No.” Sebastian crossed the sword with William. He pushed with his entire body, making William jump back and stumble a few feet. “How did you even think you were going to get away with this?”
“I did get away with this.” William straightened and took the proper fencing stance again. “She married me, did she not?”
“But she is not going to stay married to you,” Sebastian retorted.
“Only if you kill me.”
Another lunge. Sebastian parried the swing, pivoted, and thrust from above. William ducked and turned, staggering in the process, but quickly regained his pose.
“How did you think your life would proceed?” Sebastian gritted between his teeth.
“She loves me. She will forgive me sooner or later. And I’ll have a lifetime to make it up to her.”
“Oh, so you were just going to kidnap her? Like you kidnapped me and Lavinia?”
William paused, confusion lining his face. “I never touched either of you.”
Sebastian snorted. “Right. Like you never lied to Victoria.”
William attacked, forcing Sebastian to duck. As he was coming up from under his arm, Sebastian hit William’s wrist, disarming him, and kicked him in the chest.
William fell on his back and coughed. “Not so honorable now, are we, Bastian?” he asked with a bitter chuckle.
“Enough of these games, William. You were after Victoria from day one. Tell me why.”
A bitter laugh escaped William’s lips. “The reason is as simple as it is foolish. I fell in love with her.”
Sebastian snorted. “A soul as dark as yours knows not love.”
“And does yours? Or are you playing with your ladybird?”
Sebastian pointed his sword at William’s chest. “Do not speak of her this way. And tell me the truth. Why did you seduce Victoria? Why ruin her and her chances of marriage? Why kidnap me? What have I ever done to you?”
William scoffed and shook his head. “You and your illusions of grandeur. None of it had anything to do with you. Do you not think that perhaps I want something for myself? Something as good and sweet as Victoria?”
“Careful,” Sebastian growled.
“All I wanted was Victoria. And I shall still get her one day. As for whatever happened to you, the kidnapping…” He shrugged. “It was a lucky coincidence. I had nothing to do with it.”
“You are a liar.”
William grinned. “I speak only the truth. I swear on my honor.”
Sebastian stood over him, the tip of his sword pointing at William’s chest. One plunge into his heart, and he’d be dead in seconds.
If Sebastian killed William, Victoria would be free to remarry and do with her life as she pleased. If he killed William, he would be doing society a great favor by ridding them of a thief.
But what about your soul?
“You do not have an honorable bone in your body, William,” Sebastian spat. His breath quickened as he watched William dare him to push the sword into his chest.
Can you live knowing that you killed another?
And not just another. A man he’d once called a friend.
Sebastian closed his eyes and threw the sword away.
William nodded and said so quietly Sebastian barely heard him, “You are right.”
The next thing happened in a flash. William quickly jumped to his feet, a dagger glinting in his hand, and then a hot flash, followed by agonizing pain, brought Sebastian to his knees.
