Page 34 of Fragile Oath

If working above board wasn’t an option, I would need to try more discreet methods. That was fine. My parents hadn’t trained me to be the spymaster for nothing.

* * *

It wasanother two days of trying not to eviscerate Alexei before I heard back from my contacts. At least he wasn’t an idiot, just an arseling. He caught on quickly that Gallagher and I would intervene if he tried to hurt Galina, so his attempts got less frequent.

He was probably comforting himself with thoughts of how he could discipline her once he got to the tunnels. My vision went crimson with rage at the thought, the words of my letter blurring.

“Bad news?” Gallagher asked.

“Actually, no, for a rare change. Just thinking about…” I didn’t elaborate, and he didn’t ask.

He knew exactly what would garner that level of ire from me.

“But it’s done. Now we just need to figure things out on our end.”

For the next several hours, Gallagher and I exhaustively explored every potential scenario, carefully weighing the pros and cons of each. We were down a couple of soldiers, plus Gwyn, and I wasn’t willing to take chances where Galina’s safety was concerned.

But there weren’t many men we could trust.

“We need to involve the family,” I finally told him.

“You want to ask Uncle Logan to come?” he raised an eyebrow, his tone dripping with skepticism.

We both knew of the political quagmire that would ensue if we asked the king to intervene in Socairan politics, and it would render it nearly impossible to deny Alexei had ever been here. But that wasn’t who I was referring to.

“No.” I shook my head, looking through the window to the snow-covered trees. “Our other family.”

A small smile crept onto his lips while he followed my gaze. So I sat down to write one final letter.

I had a response before morning even came, written in familiar elegant script.

You know we do love a good time.

A savage grin crept onto my lips. Just one more day, then.

* * *

The next morning,we were silent as we entered the carriage. Even Alexei’s shoulders seemed more tense, as if he knew there had been a shift in the air. He ordered his men to be on the lookout as we went deeper into the forest, though it was nearly impossible to see anything.

The sun barely reached through the canopy, and the snow-covered ground had blanketed us in silence.

Galina fidgeted nervously, and a pang of guilt gnawed at me. There hadn’t been time to tell her our plan. Even if there had been, I didn’t want to risk it. Not when Alexei was watching her so carefully, and not when I knew exactly how he would vent that anger.

I inhaled deeply through my nose, exhaling a frosty cloud in an attempt to steady myself. It was an impossible task, especially when I couldn't tear my gaze away from the way Alexei's hand remained tightly connected to Galina's, his thumb resting against the pulse point on her wrist.

As for her part, Galina kept up her show admirably. It might have been impressive how well she played the role of an adoring bride, if I wasn’t so furious for her. At her. At everything.

But I supposed that wouldn’t matter for too much longer.

Whether or not she trusted me to handle this, I had no intention of leaving her to this monster. Once he was out of the picture, she would finally be free to…make her own choices.

I hadn't allowed my thoughts to wander much beyond that point—didn't want to, not when everything was still so murky and uncertain.

Alexei shifted closer to Galina, and I tensed, ready to intervene. I might not be ready to think about what happened when this was over, but this…this, I could take care of.

I was so focused on the bastard’s demented brand of affection toward her that I didn’t hear it, at first, the commotion in the surrounding trees. Then Gallagher went rigid at my side, and Alexei’s hand tensed toward his sword.

Ewan slowed the carriage, and Alexei shouted at him to keep going.

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