She looks at me as if waiting for me to say something, but I’m too stunned by what she’s saying to form a clear thought just yet. Either she is extremely naïve or she thinks I am; I have a feeling neither is true. I just don’t know what game she’s playing.
When she doesn’t say anything else, the silence between us grows until it’s an uncomfortable itch in the air.
Finally, she says, “Will you not respond to what I’ve said?”
I clasp my hands and press my lips together, willing myself to say this as clearly as possible.
“I have reason to believe your father was conspiring with Titus Catano in the murder of my father. I also believe your family is behind the recent kidnapping of my sister and stepmother, and the result was a murder attempt on my life. Now, if you want to discuss a peace treaty, you will have to convince me that your family really knows the meaning of peace and that the decree will be followed to the letter. Since it is you coming forward with this instead of someone who has the authority to do so, such as your father, I’m afraid I cannot agree to anything.”
The softness leaves her features in an instant and I’m sure if we were in the light of day, I’d see her flushed cheeks. In this lighting, she looks pinched and pale, but the anger is still easy to see.
“And this conversation started out so well,” she mutters.
“If you want to discuss your beauty, I can do that all day. However, I have a kingdom to run and my life to protect, so I’m afraid I’ll have to say goodbye. I don’t mean to offend when I say this, but beyond seeing you in person, I’m not sure what the purpose of this visit was. From the surface, it seems you are in way over your head. Please take this in the kindest way possible, because it has truly been an honor to meet you, but I ask that you never waste my time like this again.”
I reach out and take her hand, kissing it and ignoring the rapid thumping of my heartbeat as I do so. I hear the quick intake of her breath and without waiting to see what other sorcery comes out of her mouth, I turn and walk out of the cave. When I reach the sunlight, I take a deep cleansing breath and shake my hands out in front of my body. Once I catch my bearings, I head back to the car and drive to the hotel, feeling a strange disappointment that I won’t be seeing Delilah again.
Chapter Four
Jadon
The more I think about my conversation with Delilah, the more troubling I find it. Why did I rush out of there? I have so many questions. Why didn’t I take advantage of us finally meeting to get some answers?
I step into the hall because I’m tired of pacing in my hotel room and run into a woman with short black hair.
“My apologies,” I say, my hands on her arms.
She doesn’t respond, and when I give her a closer look, she backs away, turning to walk in the other direction. I grab her arm and move until I can see her face again.
“Delilah? What are you doing here?”
She frowns and yanks her arm away. “No need to manhandle me. I’m staying here.”
“Why the disguise and what were you doing outside my room?”
She levels me with a look that would put me in my place if I weren’t so on guard.
“I’m staying in the room below this…I must have gotten off on the wrong floor.”
“You expect me to believe that?” I put my hands on my hips and count to ten. Living with my stepmother has taught me this lesson well. Don’t trust anyone until they earn it. “I regret leaving so hastily…without getting to the bottom of why you really called this meeting. I suggest you step into my room before I tell the authorities there was a woman lurking outside my room.”
Her eyes flash like a little spitfire. She gets on her tiptoes and gets in my face. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Oh, try me.” I open my door and motion for her to step inside. “I’ll give you five minutes to explain yourself and then we can say our goodbyes for good.”
She huffs but walks into my room and sits on the loveseat by the window. She yanks her wig off and her hair spills down her back. The fact that she looks like a vision means nothing to me right now.
Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, buddy. I can hear my little sister in my head, calling me out for being so transparent.
“I have one question.” I stay near the door so I’ll have a quick escape should she try to—what could she really do? She’s tiny and I’m sure she doesn’t have a gun hidden in her dress anywhere.
She’s the enemy, I remind myself.
“Well, are you going to stand there all day or are you going to ask your ‘one question’?” she asks, her eyes nearly rolling back in her head.
I look at her for a few seconds longer and then go sit by her, pleased when she flushes as my shoulder brushes hers.
“Are you this cheeky with all the kings you meet?”
“No, something about you brings it out in me,” she says, grinning. “Was that your question?”
This time I do groan. “No, it wasn’t. Why did you tell me to watch my back?”
She shifts uncomfortably with that question, the lightness in her demeanor quickly shifting.
“It’s been no secret that there was a threat on your life. I hoped I’d get to meet you before anything bad happened to you.”
“And who do you suspect to be behind this? Can you admit there’s a strong possibility that it’s your father?”
“If it were my father, that would mean he has a good reason to protect himself. What have you threatened him with lately?”
It’s as I suspected, she’s here to fish, either of her own accord or to take information back to her father. I suspect he loves her too much to put her at this much risk, but he’s a despicable man…maybe I’m giving him too much credit.
I need space and get up to stand in front of the window.
“I have never threatened your father. I’ve only ever come forward with talks of peace and to negotiate ways to move past the barriers between our kingdoms…there has been no threat from me. The last I knew, your father was very sick and wasn’t in a position to be harmful, so I thought my life was in the clear for a while longer. This cousin of yours…he seems intent to carry things further than your father ever has. Do you find that to be true?”
Her expressions have shifted from hopeful to guarded to confused all in the course of seconds.
“How involved are you in the running of Alidonia, Delilah?”
Her shoulders falter for a second before she sits up straight, stoicism bouncing off of her. She’s probably counting on me not noticing, but I try my best not to miss a thing when it comes to my adversaries. And the way I can’t take my eyes off of her is only adding to my attention to detail. My eyes narrow on her hands fisting and unfisting and her face is flushed when I look at her again.
“I’m here, aren’t I?”
I wait for her to say more and when she doesn’t, I chuckle. “You say that as if it’s an answer.”
Her eyes flash with anger and she stands, stalking toward me until I wonder if she might mow me down. I hear her sharp intake of breath and force myself not to react to the nearness of her. She’s extremely hard to ignore.