Matias and Aleksasha crossed the room together, their hands clasped together. Matias opened it with his free hand to find a young guard on the other side. His brown eyes down cast and his helmet tucked under his arm, sweat beading at his brow. Sweat had plastered the young man's thin dark hair around his head. There was a weariness to his eyes that Aleksasha couldn't help but notice.
"The stable boy is awake, your grace," the guard reported quietly. "He's lucid, but you should know he's still shaken."
"Thank you, Luke." Matias nodded, his hand momentarily tightened around the door frame. "We'll be there shortly."
Luke hesitated for a moment but added, "He's asking for water and to see the Duchess." He bowed his head as he stepped back out of their way.
Aleksasha's breath caught at the mention of the boy asking for her. She exchanged a brief questioning glance with Matias, who gave her a brief nod.
"He trusts you," Matias said softly. "Let's not keep him waiting."
The hallways felt colder and darker now as Aleksasha pressed closer to Matias. The candlelight seemed unable to banish the shadows creeping along the walls, threatening with what unknowable things lurked within. Her mind raced with questions and theories. Theo and Madan as they lived when she last saw them contrasted sharply with how she saw them tonight. It chilled her as did the parchment bearing the cipher within Theo's boot.
Turold was true to his promise, their guest quarters were well guarded. Two armed and armored men stood outside the door and a third, Luke trailed behind them. Their gazes were alert and their posture tense. They bowed as the Duke and Duchess approached, stepping aside to let them enter.
Aleksasha and Matias nodded to them as they slipped inside the door, closing it gently behind them. The room was smaller than their own chambers but it was comfortable with a roaring fire in the hearth. In a bed far too large for him was a pale young boy propped up against a stack of pillows, beneath a large thick fur over a blanket stuffed with down. His exposed chest was bound with bandages. His dark hair damp with sweat as he stared at them with wide and glassy green eyes. His gaze darted between Aleksasha's and Matias's faces before settling on Alek's.
"Your… grace…" The boy stammered, his voice hoarse as he shivered beneath the heavy blankets. "T… Theo and… M… Madan… are…" He struggled to say what turth they all know. "Dead." His voice cracked at the word, eyes swelled in his eyes.
Aleksasha pulled away from Matias, hurrying to the boy's side, sitting on the edge of the bed. "It's okay, Vanya," she said softly, gently brushing the boy's shoulder with her hand.
"Duchess Aleksasha," he replied, swallowing hard. "They killed them."
"I know," she murmured softly, her heart aching at the raw pain in his voice. "I'm so sorry, Vanya. You're safe now. We need your help to find out who did this." She turned and poured the boy a glass of water from a pitcher on a nightstand beside him, and offered it to him.
Vanya took the glass tentatively in both his trembling hands, holding the cool cup instead of drinking from it.
Matias moved to the foot of the bed, his imposing presence tempered by the gentleness in his voice. His expression was cold and distant. "Vanya, can you tell us what happened tonight?"
Vanya's eyes darted between them before settling on Aleksasha, drawing strength from her presence. "It was dark, and we were just finishing with the horses," he began. "Theo and Madan were talking about the Duke's horse, and then someone came." He shivered, his fingers curling into the blanket. "A man. He had a hood pulled low, and he handed Theo something."
Aleksasha leaned forward, her pulse quickening. "What did he give Theo?"
"A slip of paper," Vanya said, his voice trembling. "He told Theo to hide it somewhere safe and to not show it to anyone unless something went wrong."
Matias's expression darkened. "Did you see the man's face?"
Vanya shook his head. "No, but his voice was deep, and he had a strange accent. Not from here."
Aleksasha exchanged a look with Matias, her mind racing before she looked back to Vanya. "And after he gave Theo the paper? What happened next?"
"Theo hid the paper in his boot," Vanya continued. "We were going to go back to the stables, but then someone else came." His voice dropped to a whisper. "A woman. She laughed like she knew us, but it wasn't a nice laugh. She said something about how it was already decided."
Aleksasha's blood ran cold. "Did you recognize her?"
Vanya's brow furrowed, trying to recall a face that eluded him. "She was wearing a cloak, but I saw her eyes. Dark, like the night. She… she touched Theo's cheek, like she was saying goodbye. Then everything happened so fast. There was screaming, and Madan pushed me into the bushes. He told me to run, but I didn't want to leave them." His voice cracked, and tears streamed down his face. "I heard them screaming, and then it went quiet."
Aleksasha gripped his hand, her own fingers trembling. "You did the right thing, Vanya. You survived, and now you can help us find justice for them."
Matias cleared his throat, his tone gentle but firm. "Vanya, the paper Theo hid in his boot— was that the only message, or was there more?"
Vanya hesitated, his gaze flicking to Aleksasha seeking reassurance. "The man said there was more. He told Theo to find the rest near the old well, where the horses are watered."
Matias straightened, his eyes meeting Aleksasha's. The well was close to the stables, a place anyone familiar with the estate could access. "Did Theo say anything about when he planned to retrieve it?"
"No," Vanya replied, shaking his head. "But he looked worried, like he didn't trust the man."
Aleksasha exhaled slowly, her mind piecing together the fragments of the puzzle. "We need to search the well," she said, turning to Matias. "If the rest of the message is there, it could tell us who's behind this."
Matias nodded, already moving toward the door. "Turold should be informed immediately. We'll search it tonight."
Aleksasha stood and brushed a hand over Vanya's hair, offering him a soft smile. "You've been very brave, Vanya. Rest now. We'll take care of the rest."
He sniffled and nodded, sinking back against the pillows. "Will you make them pay?" he whispered.
"Yes," Aleksasha promised. "We will."