Page 42 of Pawns of Fate
“She may be your wife, but you two are hardly in love,” Camillus replied coldly. “I know what that woman looks like when she’s in love.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean!?” Nicholas’s face was turning redder with each second. Rose had never seen him this angry. He jumped up from his seat. So did Camillus.
Marquess Sharp stepped in between the two men and declared, “Rose and Nicholas are newly married. She is precious to our family, even if she and Nicholas aren’t in love yet.”
“They were only married yesterday, from what I understand. Have they even had time to share a bed?” Camillus scoffed.
Nicholas slammed his hands down on the table. Camillus put his hand on the hilt of his sword. Rose lost the ability to breathe. Had her heartbeat ever been this loud before?
Depaerth and Nicholas’s father both intervened this time.
“That’s enough, Camillus. You’ve made your point.” Depaerth smacked the hand Camillus had moved to his sword. “We cannot take Lady Rose as our captive. We cannot trust that she has enough value to the Sharp family.”
She wasn’t going to the Ojoh? She’d be able to start her marriage to Nicholas in earnest? No more impending doom hanging over their heads? She should feel elated. Why did she feel shame and guilt instead?
Embarrassment crawled through her veins, heating her face. Her whole life, her lack of value to the Robson family forced her to continue serving as collateral. Now that she finally had real value to a family, it was questioned because of her service to the Robsons.
Would she ever be truly free of her uncle?
Depaerth cleared his throat, interrupting Rose’s thoughts and regaining the Sharp’s attention. “The only solution to our problem is for us to take a captive that has proven value to the Sharp family.”
“What do you mean by that?” Marquess Sharp replied withan edge of frustration.
“We will take,” Camillus stated proudly, “Lady Ava Sharp instead.”
“Absolutely not,” York said menacingly.
Marquess Sharp pinched the bridge of his nose and let out an indignant huff.
These negotiations would fail if the Sharps started fighting, but everyone knew that York would behave like a lunatic if they sent Ava to the Ojoh in Rose’s stead. His magic could be compromised, too, which would hurt the impending swamp campaign.
“I’ll go.”
All eyes in the room flew to the source of the small voice.
“I’ll go, York. Don’t make a big fuss about it. It isn’t fair to send Rose away so soon after her wedding, anyway. I’ll go.” Ava held a brave smile, and Rose saw how she squeezed her husband’s hand.
York made a face that looked like someone had punched him in the stomach.
“Ava, no! We’ll find a different way.”
“See,thesetwo are in love,” Camillus said smugly as he gestured to the younger Sharp couple. “We will take Lady Ava.”
York began to shout. Marquess Sharp attempted to calm him down. Ava started to cry as she tugged on her husband’s hand and pleaded with him to let her go.
Rose glanced at Nicholas. He looked bewildered by the whole situation. It had taken an unexpected turn, she supposed. Rose hadn’t seen the Sharps quarrel much at all, least of all Avaand York.
The negotiations continued to descend into chaos. Rose felt helpless to stop any of it until an idea struck her.
“I could go with Ava,” she shouted, trying to gain the attention of Depaerth and Marquess Sharp. The room quieted. All eyes turned to her. Rose gulped, but held herself steady as she continued. “She has never been in a situation like this before. I’m her older sister now. I want to help take care of her. I know that the Ojoh don’t think I’m of value, but would it be so bad for you to have two captives instead of just one?”
“Rose!” Nicholas grabbed her hand. “You don’t have to do this!”
“If my wife has to go, it’s only fair that yours does, too!” York hissed.
“You didn’t say that when it was only Rose going,” Nicholas snapped. That shut York up for a bit.
“I’d feel better if Rose came, too,” Ava whispered as she wiped away tears.
