Page 62 of The Beast Of Gloomenthrall

“Don’t suppose any of those Lordlings were named Soutner?”

“Him?” Molbee’s face scrunched up in distaste. “Nah. He hasn’t been by to check on his horses since he arrived five days ago. Rough lot, his men, and the horses…? Good steeds treated badly will only repay you in kind is all I’m saying.”

It was exactly the intel Alia needed. Regal and his entourage were here. He’d come chasing an aristo bride. All Alia would need to do was bide her time, attend all the aristo functions, and their paths would eventually cross.

“You haven’t set your cap on him? Have you?” Molbee looked nothing but appalled by the idea.

“Heavens, no. I’m here for much bigger fish.” She couldn’t resist teasing him. “I’m a bridal candidate, I’m here looking to snag myself a Prince.” Laughing. Loving that gobsmacked look of surprise on Molbee’s face. Giving Dominio a final pat before departing. She had the so-called intimate friends and family meet and greet party to get to, and Perri would have her head and other body parts, if she were late.

Darnation, exiting the stable, Alia had gotten turned about. There, the main Palace building, soaring turrets giving her an objective. Excellent. Heading off in that direction she ignored all the looks she was getting. Yes. Yes. She was tall. Wearing trousers of all things. Striding about like a man. Look your fill. Their curiosity could not harm Alia. Though she did make a point of smiling and nodding at everyone she passed, mostly servants or workers going about their day.

It was one thing to be different, but needlessly rude? That too often came back to bite you on the ass.

Alia quickened her pace, noting the sun’s position, the morning was fast fading and she had a morning tea party to get to. What made her falter? The slightest of noises. But one she was familiar with, pain. Someone had cried out before abruptly stifling the sound.

Glancing around she couldn’t initially tell where the noise had come from. Halting, listening intently, a small cobbled alley way off to her left drawing her attention. Crud, if she went to investigate, she really would be late.

But then a jeering mocking laugh reached Alia’s ears, followed by two more joining in the smug chuckling. Their amusement sounding like a sneering mocking choir. Someone was being hurt and by the sound of it she’d stumbled across the perpetrators.

The narrow cobblestone alleyway opened into a medium sized walled private garden. From the selection of flourishing herbs and thriving plants, Alia surmised it belonged perhaps to the Palace physician or elixir maker. There was a door located in one wall, leading she assumed into the Palace itself, but other than the narrow alley way, probably used by the gardeners, the garden was secluded and wouldn’t be easy to stumble across.

Perri would have loved it. What her sister wouldn’t have loved was the sight of her son, hurt, trying to defend himself against three much larger lads.

Levi.

He would be twelve now. Gangly, all elbows and knees. Perhaps a little too thin. Not tall, but not short either. His hair, a dark bright red under the sun’s beams, fiery glints sparking… just like Perri’s did when she failed to wear a hat outdoors. His face narrow. His eyes burning with high emotion, two shades darker than Perri’s deep blue. His clothes worn and threadbare in places, his pants too small, riding up his shins, smeared with dirt, as was one of his cheeks, from where Alia was guessing one of his tormentors had knocked him down.

The state of his clothes probably made him a target for the bored aristo teens in their linen shirts, canvas breeches, and shiny leather riding boots. But it was the limp that doomed his fate. Alia clenching her hands into fists, digging her nails into her palms, fighting the urge to wade in and start pounding upon the jeering bullies.

No. Better to collect information first. Determine the best approach to aid Levi.

Shoulders back, head held high, eyes burning with defiance, Levi turned constantly, trying to keep all his tormentors in view at once. An impossible task since they surrounded him. One holding a branch that was being used as a prod. One holding a handful of stones that he was throwing every so often as hard as he could at Levi’s feet, trying to over set the lad.

Levi constantly spinning in place, limping as he did so. Not his foot or ankle at fault, Alia determined. Something higher, perhaps his knee or thigh bone. Recalling vividly the sight of him falling that long ago day, accompanied by his thin, high pitched scream, followed by the too loud thud of him landing, the snapping of bone ringing in the air.

It took everything she had to remain in place. Rushing in to act as Levi’s protector would only keep him safe this once. But if she taught him to defend himself, then that might stave off future attacks when she couldn’t be around.

Her nephew was weaponless, and tiring fast, jumping and then stumbling slightly before regaining his balance as another rock was hurled at his ankles. Ah, that was the answer.

“The rocks!”

Four sets of equally surprised eyes fixed on Alia. Three lingered to appraise her station and to determine if she were friend or foe. Thankfully, after the briefest of glances, Levi bent and scrabbled for the rocks gathered around his worn and badly in need of replacing ankle boots.

Alia relaxed her stance, crossing her arms across her chest, attempting to look bored and only vaguely interested in the lads and their antics. The three teens had clearly never seen a woman such as Alia before, dressed as she was, so tall, a wicked scar marring her throat. The sight confused them. Women, they had no doubt been taught, were the weaker sex. Good for ordering about and doing what they are told.

Perhaps they would have tried to pick on her next. But they’d wasted too much time assessing her, Levi was ready, and he wasn’t aiming for ankles. The first rock hit the dark haired lad on the shoulder. A surprised yelp of pain leaving his mouth as he clutched at the spot. The second rock took the largest lad, one with white blonde hair, almost in the skull, but he moved at the last moment. Still, the sharp edge managed to nick his ear, blood coming away on his fingers when he reached up to check he still had an ear. The third lad, a solid dark haired figure, attempted to zig zag on the spot, but Levi compensated and managed to target his left knee. Howling, the boy collapsed, gripping his leg and rolling around on the ground.

Levi, holding up three more rocks threateningly made a limping dash past the fallen lad, ducking around Alia, and hobbling away down the narrow cobblestone alley. The blonde with the bloody ear made as if to follow him but Alia moved ever so slightly to block his path.

“First rule when the battle is over, tend to your wounded.” Her gaze shifting to the teenager on the ground and the one clutching his shoulder like he was scared if he let go the limb might shear away from his body.

“Bitch.” The lad with the bloodied ear sneered, the leader of the pack it was now clear. “What are you? Some half breed ogre’s bastard leavings?” He opened his mouth to spew more venomous words in Alia’s direction, those words freezing in his throat as suddenly Alia was right in front of him. Grabbing the front of his fine linen shirt and twisting it. The lad finding himself on his tip toes, hauled in close as Alia examined him carefully, clearly memorising his face.

Slowly, as if she had all time in the world, Alia reached out, dragging a finger down the lad’s head, tweaking his bloodied ear. Holding up her finger, now painted with his blood, she brought the digit to her nose, taking a deep breath. “And now I have your scent. You can run ten… twenty miles… it won’t matter how far, I’ll always be able to find you now.” The lad tried to break free but all Alia did was haul him closer still, and higher, his boots leaving the ground. Him twisting futilely and frantically in the air.

“You can’t do this. Don’t you know who I am?” The lad was close to tears.

“Prey is what you are to me now.” Alia deadpanned in her best Beast voice, watching as fear chased away all the colour from the lad’s face, leaving him chalk white. Dropping him she eyed the trio, no expression on her face, which she’d been told just made it all the more chilling. “You’d better hope I don’t get bored whilst I’m here and decide to liven things up with a hunt…” Turning, she strode unhurriedly back down the narrow cobblestone alleyway. She was so late now, Perri was definitely going to kill her. Ick, and she needed to find somewhere to wash the blood from her hand.

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