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“For the future, I’ll make sure the bolt stays undone, majesty,” Moth said when he handed me a parcel of clothing. The hint of spice told me it was Puck who had picked out the negligee, fichu, and a pair of corsets ten years out of fashion but which would mould my abundant breasts into what Sarah had once referred to as pillowy mounds. And a smaller bundle with breeches and shirts that smelled of Peaseblossom who amongst us was the closest to me in size.
“Never mind with the bolt. I want it locked,” I told him and tilted my chin towards the window. He looked out and saw the drainpipe. “Moth, have they opened the residence? You weren’t allowed back here before.”
“Yes.” He cleared his throat. “Seems folks are interested and I was considered a good protector of you.”
“Nuetral.”
“Aye. And letters from the fairy band.”
I took the packet from him and ran my eyes over the code we’d devised to keep our communication secret and easier for those who were illiterate. If they wanted to learn, they were given the opportunity, but I’d yet to meet someone who was suddenly rendered more intelligent by learning to read or write. They’d collected more information on Stimpson and Browning. And there was a general appetite to press on with the dismantling of the omega trafficking. And cut through the serious discussions, were sparks of humour. Tod, it seemed, hated baths but enjoyed swimming in the manmade pond in the garden. Peaseblossom’s wife refused to eat red meat now that she was pregnant. So it went on and the weight of leadership slipped from my shoulders. They could carry on without me looking over their shoulders and for whatever reason this made me feel more powerful than when I had controlled every aspect of our organisation.
“I’ll be leaving you then,” Moth said, his voice deep and sure. “If you be needing anything from your rooms, just let me know and it’ll be here within the hour.”
“Thank you, Moth.” I reached out my hand and squeezed his giant paw, rough with calluses and quiet strength. The bolt back in place, I jumped from the cage and made quick work of putting on some of the clean clothes Peaseblossom had loaned me.
For my first escape, I would not be too daring. Opening the window, I tested the drainpipe and found it secure. It was just a moments work to swing my legs out the window and shimmy down to the next level of windows. One window was unlatched and with a little effort I was able to wriggle through. By luck and its scent, this was some kind of guest bedroom. If I had come into Puck or Oberon’s rooms, they’d know I’d been there by my scent. In the future, I’d have to beg for lemons to help neutralise my scent in the future. The door swung open into a quiet hall. A grandfather clock told me it was near ten o’clock, meaning the alphas would be in the Hell overseeing the punters and gamblers coming to try their luck whether at cards or with the sweeter creatures who lured them into beds for a price.
From there it was easy to follow the scents and climb the stairs to where they were hiding Jude. And when I reached the top floor that would have hosted the servants in any other house, his scent was heavy along with the lingering spice that told me Puck or Oberon had been here within the last few hours.
The key was in the lock and the door ajar. I inhaled, testing to see whether someone was in the room with him. Nothing. Taking the key, I placed my palm on the cool wood and with a gentle push it swung open on well-oiled hinges.
He knew by my scent who was entering the room and as I expected his eyes were fixed on me when I walked in. Eyes that were bloodshot and haunted, cheeks hollow, and hair greasy from sweat. The smell of piss from a chamber pot in the corner was strong and a jug of ale was set on a stool on the opposite wall.
Chained as he was, Jude posed no threat to my person yet I pulled out my blade and made a show of testing the point on my finger.
“Are you going to kill me?” he rasped, his voice raw as if from shouting but I’d heard nothing in the hours—or was it days—since he’d come forth with the truth.
“Merely ascertain how much you’ve revealed,” I said softly and locked the door behind me. Jude would kill himself before hurting my body but I wanted no eaves droppers. Crossing the room, I put myself with in touching distance. My traitorous body heated with the way he hung his head in defeat, arms loose at his side. “Tell me every word you said to them.”
“Nothing,” he croaked. “I would, could never…”
His eyes were too sincere. As honest and open and without guile as ever. Yes, I knew him to be a traitor. Jude’s betrayal had broken him.
Good.
Not so good for I’d only ever known this man as strong and sure in everything he did.
I closed my eyes. There was an unpleasant twisting in my heart I desired to ignore. Too much hurt. Too much. And so unlike the pain I’d felt when Puck had told me Sarah had died. The loss of my lovers. Sarah from the goddess’ injustice. Jude for his own lies. The goddess’ will I grudgingly accepted. Jude’s betrayal, however, stabbed deep into my soul. I pressed the dagger to his jugular and gripped the handle as tight as might grip the reins of a wayward horse. His racing pulse pushing into the sharp tip but not strong enough to draw blood. Keeping my hand steady, I knelt before him and forced myself to look at him.
“You are feverish.” His words were out of his mouth before I’d settled. “When was the last time you had sex?”
“Charming,” I snapped and pressed hard until a bead of blood bloomed. “Is the alpha who lied to me about his dynamic offering to fuck me?”
“I wasn’t an alpha. I had no knot then or mate mark. And should I survive the week, it’s a good chance I’ll never have a knot. I’ll never be a true alpha again. There is no way to know if I could even build up enough mating toxin—”
“You think I care about your ability to pop a knot or bite some omega foolish enough to let you into their bed? I am not here about your future or our past. I came for one reason. Tod. How was he when you left? And have you told our so genteel hosts where he is?”
“How could you think I would betray your trust?” The question hung in the air and soon his head bowed in bitter acknowledgement. “Tod is safe at the house. Probably eating his head off. He didn’t like having a bath. And I haven’t told them. Who is he?”
I considered not telling him but there was a bitter pleasure in letting him know how far I’d stooped when I’d ordered him to kidnap Tod.
“He’s Oberon’s nephew. His sister Sophia’s child.” And more. But I had not trusted Jude with Tod’s true identity before and there was no way I would do so now.
His eyes bored into mine. So much intimate knowledge of my body, mind, and soul reflected back at me. Yet I was at a loss. Everything I thought I’d known, a lie. From his background, his reasoning for coming to London, his purpose in becoming my bodyguard.
But worse than all that, was the lie of his scent.
It had not been a week and I could already taste alpha on my tongue when I was in the same room as him.
