Page 114 of Mortdale

My sister held onto my hand after I set her down on a sofa. “He wants proof that she’s with child or at least that you will get her with child,” she said, her hollow eyes filling with thick tears. “And he won’t leave unless he meets her. I’m sorry, Logan. I really am.”

“This wasn’t your fault.”

Her entire being shook. “He wouldn’t be brave enough to step in your home if not for me.”

“Still, not your fault, Lu.”

“Your life would be much easier without me in it.”

Pushing her red hair away from her face, I lifted her attention to me. “Untrue. It has been an honour to have you as my sister, Lu.”

Her small hand rested against my cheek as tears rolled down her face. “I’m not going to let him hurt you anymore, I promise.”

Before I could say anything, her eyes lifted to the door.

“Willow,” I said, laying a blanket over my sister’s feet. “This is Luella. My—”

“His friend,” my sister said, teary eyed and choking. “His dear friend.” Her pale smile looked more radiant all of a sudden. “You really are lovely like he said.”

Willow glanced between me and her before slowly approaching. “What else did he say?”

My sister giggled, and the sound reminded me of how young she was. “He carries your picture around in his breast pocket.”

Willow’s cheeks took just the slightest bit of colour as she came to stand beside me and curtsy before Lu. “He’s a thief, Your Highness.”

A small smile pulled on my lips. “I dabble. But I can't rival my wife’s sticky fingers.”

Lu giggled again, her tears turning warm. “I think you’ve brought many new qualities in him.”

“Thievery is hardly something I want to inspire in him.”

Lu’s joy was suddenly overtaken by pure terror when Piper’s voice echoed along with Ulric’s laughter.

Willow ran out of the room before I did, grabbing Piper off his lap and holding my niece tightly to her side, horror filling her eyes.

“Finally,” Ulric said, leaning back in his armchair. “There she is.”

Willow’s firm hand grasped my elbow as I lunged in Ulric’s direction, and she shook her head. “Not in front of her.”

“Boo?” Piper whispered, noticing our tense expressions.

“You’ll go with Christof,” she said. “Take all my bones and show them to Princess Luella.”

My niece's eyes went wide. “Really?”

“Really,” she offered, plastering a smile on her face as she handed Piper to Christof.

Willow finally turned around and curtsied in front of Ulric, her fingers still digging into my elbow, holding me back, even though absolute poise was painted on her features.

“Come sit, the both of you,” Ulric said, patting a hand on his armchair. “Let me have a look at the woman who nearly cost me my kingdom,” he continued, leaning forward to watch Willow. His smirk grew vile the more he looked at her, and I fought the urge to gouge his eyes out. “I can see why you insisted on her. She’s a very…exotic choice. Not what I would choose for myself, or risk my entire kingdom for.”

Fuck.

Willow’s eyes were burning a hole in the side of my head, and her hand finally slipped from my elbow. “What is he on about?”

Fuck.

Ulric laughed, sputtering bits of comfit all over himself. “He nearly brought war on my door step when Agnes would not let go of you. He’d told the old witch ‘I want her or fuck the Blood Pact’. You should read the letter your Holy Mother had sent for me. You’d think it was a declaration of war!” The old monarch chuckled, wiggling his finger at me. “If Agnes had not yielded, I would have let my dogs chew your husband up to tiny little bits.”