Vanessa’s POV
Reeling from my conversation with Falcon, I stumbled out of the gardens and gripped the front of my dress anxiously.
I needed to stay on that man’s good side or else I wasn’t going to last around here much longer. Falcon was the type of person to know when someone was lying or deceiving him. In the books, he almost had a preternatural sense when it came to sniffing out lies.
If I wanted to stay alive long enough to save Erik, I needed to make sure I was playing his older brother right.
“Well, well. Look who it is.”
I halted, turning around to see that Ariana was standing at the front entrance to the gardens. I held back a sigh and steeled my spine.
“Hello, Ariana. Lovely day, isn’t it?”
She scowled at me. “Cut the crap, Vanessa. Tell me what you and Falcon were doing together.”
I needed to play it cool if I was going to be trying to keep her on my ‘friends’ list rather than my ‘enemies’ list.
“Well, he wanted to meet me under the apple tree.”
She put her hands on her hips. “For what?”
I opened my mouth, trying to think of something to say to stall. I had no idea what kind of tale I was going to need to spin to keep Ariana off my back but still in my pocket. I needed more time to think about it, which, unfortunately, I didn’t have right now.
I cleared my throat, looking around. “I’m so sorry, I’m needed back at my—”
A hand gripped my arm tightly, making my eyes widen.
Ariana pulled me closer to her face as she whispered in my ear. “I know you’re planning something and whatever it is, I’m going to put a stop to it.”
I swallowed. Now I had two enemies that were threatening my life. What was I supposed to do when everyone on every side was against me?
“Do you hear me?”
I nodded quickly, breaking away from her.
“He wants me. Not you. Remember that.”
I bowed my head slightly to her as I curtsey, trying not to look Ariana in the eyes. I didn’t need her to think I was looking for some kind of fight right now, especially not about Falcon of all people. I was still reeling from what he had almost done to me and the stress from that was already making me want to throw up.
I quickly gathered up my skirts and headed out of the gardens without waiting for her to argue with me anymore.
I needed to go back to my chambers and think up a game plan on how I wanted to work this. If I was going to be caught in the middle of whatever lover’s quarrel Ariana thought we were in together, then I needed to come up with something that guaranteed my survival at the end of it.
I needed to stay alive and free if I wanted to keep Erik safe.
I hurried back to the manor with my head down, not wanting to stop for anyone else vying for my attention. Passing a few of the waitstaff in the hallways as I moved through them.
Once I arrived at my door, I quickly shut it behind me and sagged into the wall. My legs shook while my heart continued to race. I can’t believe Falcon had shaken me so badly, but then again, I’d never faced a foe quite like him. Even in my real life back home. The most I’d ever come across was someone being mean to me on the street or calling me a name.
Never anyone that could end my life if they so choose to.
I leaned away from the wall and headed over to the vanity on the other side of the room. My hair had been slightly messed up from my encounter with Falcon, so I pressed my hands over it and smoothed it again.
I know what he saw when he looked at this beautiful face. He saw someone who was just as hungry for power as he was. The problem was, was that this new Vanessa was now more interested in saving his little brother instead.
I’m sure if Falcon were to ever find that out, I’d be done for.
The brothers had never truly been the kind of family like I was used to back home. Much like the typical political dramas that I watched on TV, the Briarly family was made up of a pack of rabid wolves that would do anything to take the seat of power for themselves.
Their only exception to this rule, was, of course, Erik. He was the kind and gentle brother whose good moral standing always seated him above the rest of his family. As a bastard child, he had less power than his other two brothers but that still never stopped him from trying to better his country in any way that he could.
It was one thing that I’d always admired about him and why he continued to be my favorite character even if I’d read the book dozens of times over.
Erik’s compassion for his cruel family or the people around him never wavered, even when Vanessa heartlessly threw him over the cliff in the end.
I sighed and sat down on the bench in front of my vanity and stared into the eyes of the villainess. How could she feel such hatred for a man who had only ever looked out for those around him? He’d even taken an arrow to the chest for her at one point in the story and she still, in the end, killed him.
It just didn’t make sense.
I leaned forward and rested my chin on my hand.
I needed to figure out what part of the book I was in exactly so that I could plan my next moves with Falcon. Since he was determined to be a thorn in my side, I needed to squash him quickly before he got the chance to steal Erik’s necklace for himself.
Because once those events were put into motion, Erik’s death was soon after. And if it got to that point…
Well… I really wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to stop it from happening.
I jumped when I heard a commotion coming from outside my door and felt my heart beat nearly out of my chest.
Oh god, had Falcon come for me again? Was he going to drag me down into the cellars and force me to beat Erik in front of him?
I felt myself swallow thickly and rubbed my sweaty palms over my dress to smooth it out. Maybe I could fake a fainting spell. Make it seem like the ‘excitement’ from earlier had gotten to me.
But what if Falcon decided to take his brother’s life into his own hands while I was incapacitated?
I stood quickly and braced myself. I’d have to force myself into telling him to leave. Maybe I could play it off like my father would disapprove of us being seen alone together.
Yes, that was it. It was a perfect excuse. Because while Falcon was a beast of a man, he still had to follow social protocols like everyone else. Decorum was annoying to remember, but at least I could use it to my advantage.
When my door swung open, I smiled at Helen, waiting for her to come up from her bow before I addressed her.
“Something you needed, Helen?”
“Oh… well, yes my Lady. You’re needed downstairs.”
I blew out a breath. Well, here went nothing.
I moved across the room over to her. “Alright, let’s get this over with.”
She blinked at me. “My Lady?”
“My visitor,” I clarified. “I have someone waiting downstairs for me, right?”
“Oh,” She shook her head at me. “No, ma’am. Dinner has been served. Your father is waiting for you downstairs.”