The man was part barnacle, she’d never shake him now. Especially since from the decided interest lacing Brandth’s tone, he appeared to believe he’d found the answer to the puzzle of why Alia and Perri had urgently wished to visit the Palace.
“Who is he? A former patient?”
“Shush. Lower your voice. If you must know, he’s a neighbour. The new Baron Soutner. His lands border Gloomenthrall woods a day’s ride to the west.” All true.
“If that’s all he is, perhaps you’d like me to escort you to his side, so you might renew old acquaintances?”
Perri slapped away Brandth’s proffered arm. “I’m perfectly fine where I am. And Baron Soutner and I are not all that close.” Sensing, without having to look, the heavy weight of Brandth’s honey brown gaze trying to sear through the barrier of the grey scarf covering her face. Damnation, Perri had the distinct impression he didn’t believe her.
“He certainly has a way about him.”
Those gathered under or near the tents watching closely as the Baron paused for a minute longer than was necessary at the top of the stairs. Perri knew to her very bones it was entirely for dramatic effect. Almost like Regal had a prearrangement with the Gods that the sun would act as his own personal spotlight.
Perri fought the urge to race up to him and plunge a dagger in Regal’s black tarred heart. At the same time, she was battling just to remain standing upright. Her knees threatening to give out beneath her as a torrent of memories cascaded through her, bringing with them emotions that had razor sharp edges.
Death by a thousand knife edged memories.
No, she’d survived worse things than Regal Soutner, though he had been the catalyst that had set her on those dire pathways.
Perri was here for vengeance. Until this moment wavering over whether that should include Regal’s death. But now, as the memories receded, and her knees locked tight, she felt washed… clean. He was just a man. A vain, vindictive, manipulative, murderous man. And if it hadn’t been for Levi, perhaps she could have walked away once she’d squashed him.
But, in that moment, she realised that Regal would forever be tied to her child. The one he’d stolen from her. The one he was even at this moment plotting to kill and replace with an heir he deemed more worthy.
The tight bands around Perri’s chest disappeared. A cool steady calm pushing aside any lingering dread. Fear no longer nibbling away at her gut. Only anticipation. Even if her son repudiated her, she would free Levi from his father’s hold, and in order to do that, Regal must die.
The only question that remained then was how much he should be punished before being granted that release? And by what mode should he leave this earth? A painful death would be her first preference. The idea bringing a small smile to her face. Hidden thankfully by her veil.
Yes, Regal would die. But before that, she wanted him to suffer. To feel helpless. Out of control. To spend nights tossing and turning, dread gnawing at his gut relentlessly.
Raising her hand, Perri casually smoothed back the hair above her left ear with three quick pats, a signal. No one watching her would ever guess that she had just, with that simple prearranged gesture, unleashed the Beast. And it was rather euphoric to discover that she felt not one pang of regret. As if a great weight she had been unknowingly lugging around for the last ten years had just dissipated, leaving Perri feeling almost giddy with relief.
Nothing, no one, could ruin this moment… except.
“A neighbour, you say? I think perhaps you might be skirting the truth. I believe I shall have to determine the facts of the matter for myself. One more reason to remain close, if not glued to your side. There’s nothing I love more than unravelling a mystery. Hah, and I thought these festivities would be tedious.”
“Don’t you have something better to do than annoy me? What about securing the future of your own line? There are many very pretty single highly suitable young ladies present, who I’m sure would be honoured by your attentions.”
Laying a hand on his heart, Brandth widened his gorgeous eyes, fluttering his eyelashes. “Lady Perri, are you saying that you are not honoured by my attentions?”
It was the first time he’d addressed her by her title, and not as his personal healer. It made Perri feel somewhat uncomfortable for some unknown reason. As did his joke. In another life she might have been just another lady on the hunt for a husband, swapping flirty banter with the likes of Lord Brandth De’Luca. But Perri was not single for a start… yet. And no man would seek her hand, let alone continue to flirt with her once they saw what was underneath the veil.
“The honour of your attention all but overwhelms me, Your Lordship. I fear I am too much the country mouse for the likes of your depth and breadth of experience and worldliness. I bid you please honour some other more… worthy woman.”
His laugh was deep and bold. Brandth’s face lighting up with amusement. It suited him, his golden brown eyes gleaming, his grin engaging, inviting everyone nearby to smile as well. Perri bit her lip, Brandth’s carefree amused expression had her stomach dipping suddenly with an uncomfortable momentary spike of heat. Something she’d eaten at breakfast?
Then Brandth did something so shocking that Perri forgot how to breathe. He lifted her hand and placed a quick soft kiss across the back of her knuckles. “No other young lady present appears able to match your wit, charm, and personable ways.”
He released Perri’s hand, but the place where his lips had pressed against her skin burned, like he’d lit a fuse. Places low in her body awakening with alien heat. No. Damn. Perri had been married, and she was a medical professional. She recognised arousal. Crud, life was so unfair, why this man? This all too pretty, arrogant rogue.
But the body was a simple organism. It signalled its wants at the most basic of levels. Hunger? You fed it. Thirst? You guzzled water. Starved for touch? You found someone to slake the need for contact or procreation.
It would surprise many at the Lair to discover Perri had not led a monastic existence, given her appearance. She’d just been incredibly discreet. Her affair with a blind tinker selling herbs and oils had lasted over a three year period of sparse visits. Until the fourth year, when he arrived at the Lair with a new wife in tow and a babe on the way.
They had parted as friends. Easy on her part, as Perri had never held any deep emotional attachment to the tinker. Those brief interludes of physical contact had been welcome but in no way all-consuming and even with him blind, not once had she removed her veil during their interactions.
But the tinker’s touch had been bland in comparison to Brandth’s. Her skin sizzling still. Her loins heating uncomfortably. Good heavens, this was not the time to begin craving the attentions of a highly inappropriate man. The human body could be so annoying. As a healer, Perri knew that more than most. It was galling to discover it didn’t appear her body was as averse to Brandth De’Luca as her head and heart.
Luckily Perri had excellent self-control. She could conduct a masterclass in it. She wasn’t one of those idiots that when told not to touch something because it was too hot had to test for herself. It went without saying that forming a physical relationship with Brandth would be beyond a bad idea. And the timing? It was unfortunate, but Perri put that down to the fickled tricky Gods interreference. They did like to test and tease mere mortals.
