Adriel's POV*
"And what's with all the complaints anyway?" I asked, skipping through the documents.
"Crisis,"Hendix said blankly.
"Obviously,be more specific." I retorted, giving him an annoyed glance.
"The Itellos and the Ravens family have a heated feud, and they want to divide the lands. They claim that as long as they live on the same grounds, they will never be at peace,"Hendix explained, seeming partly unwilling to speak.
"Well,that's ridiculous; they can't survive without each other."
Hendrix smiled out of the blue. "Perhaps if you grant them permission to separate,they will see they can't and will agree to come back to each other."
I stared into the abyss, thinking nothing about the kingdom's problems. I wondered why she hadn't written to me yet. She asked and begged me not to go to her Castle unless she wrote. I was too dumb to agree. It was even dumber to accept my returned gifts. Perhaps rejecting the diamonds was a sign of virtue and honor—or just a blatant refusal and testament to how much she wants nothing to do with me.I will rather stab myself than let a Whitman trick me again.
"What do you think?" Hendrix asked.
I gave him a long, hard stare and tried to concentrate.
"No,we will lose too much waiting for these two ego-filled families to realize the obvious. Find out what the root issue is about and report it to me as soon as possible. We will resolve the matter in court, and there will be no decrease in our own profits In an effort to appease them"
"It's like you never even thought to give my ideas a try."
My eyes shot at him, and I chuckled dryly. "Okay Hendrix." I responded calmly.
"I don't even have a say in the family matters or anything concerning the kingdom."
"Don't do the sentimental thing; I'm too busy right now." I snapped at him as I signed my name on the scroll.
Thankfully,he quieted down, but instead of leaving,he stayed and watched me, adding a little more in my already sizable irritation. This continued for several minutes before I lost all patience and decided to speak to what I had to call my brother until death saved me from his sour company.
"Don't you have a place to be, Hendrix?"
"Why did I overstay in your office? I might not have to if I had an office of my own, you know?"
"You could take one of the rooms you keep your whores in and decorate it as an office, not as if you will actually do anything valuable, but if it gives you satisfaction and a sense of importance, go for it..."I spat, turning my attention back to the papers.
It was only now that I discovered my annoyance could grow even more. He got up and stood over me,blocking the sunlight the window provided with his body. It had gotten considerably dark to do any damn work.
"Don't ever speak to me that way again."
I released a strained breath of fury and stared up at him, my tone turning icy cold. "Get the fuck out."
"Oh, dear brother,are you kicking me out of our father's office?"
"At the moment,only with words, but with any further delay, and I swear to everything precious,I will drag you out by your neck."
He did an annoying chortle and smiled awkwardly,delaying.
I got up, and he backed away rather quickly. The tension rose and dropped with his head as he nodded and walked away.
Just as I was about to settle in my seat and try to focus, my mother came in, demanding to know what was going on with my brother and me.
"He has gone mad," I said absently.
"Hm,"she said as if she actually considered the possibility. "I think he is in love."
My nostrils frowned a bit in response.
"And you will not believe with whom," she added, making herself comfortable in the chair her son had just sat in.
"I do not care." I said I was trying to discourage her and send her away, but the lady was not one to take hints. I was beginning to believe my family wanted to drive me mad so they could take my place on the throne.
" Erica Alvero." My mother said anyway.
If the information was true,that was a hell of a web Hendrix had put himself into. Poor man. Well, at least she will get off my back then.
"And I have heard reports from reliable sources that they have disappeared together for hours doing who knows what, and one time she returned with her dress all ruffled. They are together,I tell you, "my mother said, leaning over as she whispered.
I glanced at her and sighed loudly.
"I really do not care at all."
Her lively green eyes lost a bit of glow, and she rested her back into her seat with a pout. "Well you should.You men never notice certain things but be wise,it's best that you use this information to break that engagement once and for all and than let it haunt you later."
I shook my head. "Even if what you were saying is true,any actions will indicate that I give a damn and therefore give relevancy to that engagement again. It's best to ignore anything at this point."
My mother scoffed. "You trust have that little red head too much. She is more desperate for you than you realize. And a woman filled with that much emotion is a danger to herself and everyone around her."
Her voice got considerably low for the next part of her sentence. "Especially our highly expected guest, whom we are to receive shortly. I also think it was an insane idea to put the welcome party in the hands of that woman."
"Didn't you always say 'use your enemies'?"
"Since when did you listen to me?" she laughed, blinking hard.
"Be grateful I decided to now."
She got up with a sweep of elegance. "I'm going wine tasting. There is this new batch that the Ittelos made, and my friends are given gracious reviews, but what do they know? It needs Valerian approval. My approval."
"Do I have to sign anything?" I asked.
A breath of mirth escaped her nostrils. "This is me saying goodbye son, Get some sleep.You look more dead than usual, and oh, keep what I told you in mind."
I leaned back on the chair and let my mind roam to the little blonde again. Contemplating whether to wait for the letter or storm there and take my future bride with me.That will make Alpha Whitman so pissed, but that wasn't such a bad thought now was it?
***
A FEW DAYS LATER.
***
*Kiara's POV*
"What did she say?" I asked Carlotta as soon as she stepped in.
"Mary was quite furious that you are marrying someone who is a suspect in Reya and Lilith's deaths." She replied, taking a seat opposite me at the tea table.
"Did you tell her about the fact that we got the castle back?" I inquired, stirring my half-empty cup of tea. "That the children got their home back..."
"Yes.." Carlotta trailed off as her eyes wandered away. "She was still very upset about the marriage."
"You are not the biggest fan of the idea either." I noticed the expression on her face.
Her eyes flicked in my direction, but she was reluctant to speak.
"Say what's on your mind." I encouraged.
"I'm always going to be on your side and loyal to you, but..." She breathed cautiously. "I get Mary's point. It's no news that he has a dark fog around those high shoulders. His interest in you was quite a shock, and your sudden agreement to his terms is even more appalling. I worry for you about the things he might do and has already done to you. His link to the deaths of your friends,he is a-"
"Murderer?It seems Adriel will be blamed for every crime committed to everyone as long as he lives."
"Are you defending him?" Carlotta asked,the epic face of betrayal dawning on her features.
"No," I said,my voice coming out too high-pitched. "I'm just saying that Adriel has a reputation, yes, but...I have a reputation too,and not everything is true."
"You are calling him by his first name.You are getting too attached Kiara. It's like he manipulated you somehow. And that you have this strange bond." Carlotta chimed.
I would have said that's how we call each other, and he has never made it an issue for me to say his title or that he called me by mine, but that wasn't going to make the situation better by any chance, so I sipped on my already cold tea instead.
"Aren't you even going to deny it?"she asked.
"What should I say?" I asked in pure annoyance, throwing my hand in the air. "It's like everything I say is being used against me somehow, and everyone keeps thinking I'm possessed, manipulated and out of my mind. Even you... It's really no use trying to argue."
"I have seen the way you look at him."
"Like every woman does,it is a normal thing. As normal as breathing air. I am a woman, and he is a strikingly good-looking man. Are you going to deny that?"
Carlotta's face fell as she withdrew into her cold hard shell. "Perhaps I said too much."
I sighed and poured myself more tea. "Don't fret, my good friend; you had my permission."
Just as I was about to set my cup down, a maid nearby rushed to us with panic shaking in her limbs.
"Emily,what happened?" I asked, glancing at Carlotta, wondering if she had any idea about anything. She sent me a puzzled and confused look in response.
Emily took steady breaths to calm down. "I wasn't asked to call you, but your fiance just came, and your father is pretty angry about it. It's an ugly scene, and I fear it might escalate to even more chaos."
The ever-sweet rosemary tea tasted remarkably sour as I pushed it down my throat. But I haven't written to him yet.