Page 76 of A Tale of Two Dukes

I keep the anger at bay as best as I can. Catherine needs to only feel strength and support from me. But it’s all for naught. Damn him. Damn his feud against me. Damn him for putting my poor little omega into the fray where she doesn’t belong.

Her sobs tear at my heart as I slide down from my horse and rub his side. There’s nothing I can do, and that’s the most infuriating part of all. In my mind’s eye, I think of all the ways I’d like to torture him, but honestly, seeing him lying dead at my feet is retribution enough.

He binds her again with those infernal ropes, and I force myself to feel every bit of pain as the rough strands bite into her skin. It’s the least I can do, help shoulder the burden as best as I can. But it beats at me, sending waves of exhaustion through me until I sway.

“That’s enough,” Whiteport grumbles, holding me steady. “Sleep is the only thing you can do right now to help her.”

“But to sleep would be to leave her alone with that madman. I can’t do that to her.”

“You won’t be good for anything if you don’t rest. So say you take this great burden from her. If you’re unable to even stand on your own two feet at the dueling grounds, he will kill you. Who will rescue her then?”

“You.” The word drops between us with an air of finality. “You will be my second.”

“Listen to yourself. He kills you, and then I kill him. She may survive your bond being broken with her, barely, but she won’t survive both. You will kill her with your actions. Is that what you want?”

Sorrow lances through me at his words. But of course he’s right. As much as I detest his calm delivery, his words ring true. With a sigh, I hand the horse off to the groom and allow Whiteport to aid me in getting to a room.

“We will have to get fresh horses, you know.” As much as I loathe the idea of leaving my stallion with strangers, Catherine is far more important. I will sacrifice my companion if it means her well-being.

“Yes. I am well aware. I planned to take care of that while you rested. We can gather both yours and mine on the way back. I’ll pay extra to ensure they’re well taken care of. Now please, do us both a favor and try to shut down your mind. At least for a few hours. If not for me, then for your mate.”

The room is sparsely furnished, but it has a bed. That’s all I need. Crawling on top of the covers, I draw my knees up to my chest and hug them, curling up into a ball. Though ridiculous seeing a grown man act as such, it’s all I can think to do to keep my mind still.

It’s an action I did as a child when things were too overwhelming, and I needed to think. Only now, as an adult, the effect seems slightly diminished. With a grumbled sigh, I stretch back out and close my eyes, latching onto the bond.

Seems Hugh is giving her a reprieve for the moment. And so, I purr, not just for her, but for me too. In the dimness, a soft vibration rattles its way back to me. An omega purr.

The fact that she’s doing this for me speaks volumes. We both lay there, tending to the other until my eyes finally close in blessed sleep. But even in my repose, I’m still very much aware of the love she sends my way.

* * *

I awake with a start, my heart pounding in my chest. The bond is silent. Based on the time frame, she could be asleep, but this feels more ominous. Could they have given her more opium to keep her quiet?

Again, her presence is there, assuring me she’s still alive, but the connection is dead. The bastards. Hopefully, they aren’t giving her so much that it ends up slowly killing her. Seeing as I’ve never partaken in such a vice, I’m unsure of how it would work.

My insides clench at the very thought. So much is out of my control, and I detest it. Her life hangs in the balance, and I have no idea the competency of the monsters holding her captive.

“What do you know about opium?” The need to gain some upper hand, to know something about the poison they’re feeding into her body, beats at me.

I feel Whiteport’s hesitance in the silence. “I don’t imbibe, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“What you choose to do is none of my concern. What is, however, is how much they’re giving to Catherine.”

“She’s out again?”

“As best as I can tell. It doesn’t seem like sleep because her mind is blank. No dreams at all.”

“I wouldn’t worry as much about that. From what I understand, it doesn’t take a lot to put someone to sleep, especially if they’re new to it. They’ve only kept her under a few times now, and we’re getting her back in less than a day. My main concern would be her becoming addicted. But I’m assuming you’d help her through that process.”

“Of course. I’m not a cad.”

“Never said you were. When you do communicate with her, is she clearheaded?”

“Once she’s fully awake, she seems to be.”

“Then I wouldn’t worry. Many of the Ton take it for recreation with no ill effects. Well, none that we can see. Hugh may be a bastard, but if he’s planning on making you suffer by marrying the girl, then it would make no sense to render her lifeless by mere miscalculations of a drug.”

“You’re right. I know you are.” But deep in my gut, I know I won’t rest until my mate is back safely in my arms. Forcing myself out of bed, I stretch and gather my meager belongings. “Ready to end this?”