Page 19 of Guardian

A gathering was called the following day by Christopher.

Raphael was the first to take his seat, then Jacque and Jacob, whose eyes didn’t waver from the ground. I followed, each of us pursuing the continuous routine of bowing when Kaleb entered, then Noah, and finally Christopher. When he settled into his chair, my shoulders straightened.

Christopher’s lips parted, and I lightly flinched at the thought of his upcoming words. But a sense of stillness flushed through my body as he didn’t meet my unsteady gaze.

“An essential matter has arisen from the Ambrogios,” he announced. “They require our time tomorrow evening to discuss it.”

“Splendid!” Noah quacked, his eyes gleaming while his palms met. “It was long overdue for their visitation. Really, I’ve grown quite bored without my precious Bethany’s charisma. Oh, I can already predict the vulgar responses she’ll blurt as she turns me away!”

Kaleb rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms across his chest. “How many times do I have to remind you, you degenerate? It’s not mutual attraction if she bolts away from you every chance she gets.”

“Oh, Kaleb.” Noah raised his shoulders as he cupped his hands against his heart. “Your words may hurt, but the thought of my precious Bethany expunges such negative fabrications.”

“They’re not fabrications when she’s admitted them on every occasion, Brother," Kaleb responded, his tone settling. “But for what reason would they need to visit? A call would have sufficed. I’m sure we would have even favored sending an owl with a letter attached to it for the traditional experience. Unless. . .”

Noah’s cheerful expression vanished, his features growing harsh and serious. “They’ve received notice of That Man’s agenda?” Christopher didn’t respond, his silence the answer we were all expecting.

Although my brothers and I held opposing beliefs, the only opinion we shared was of That Man. After his marriage to our mother, he vanished into his duties in the Ministry until he became Premier. She’d rarely mentioned him, and when she did, she’d downplayed his wrongdoings. In return, my brothers and I turned a blind eye, living cheerily with only our mother and with the belief that That Man was nonexistent.

After she passed, and we were the only ones in attendance at the funeral, the truth was a lash of reality. That Man painted himself as a ruler that sought peace between kinds yet allowed his own family to rot silently until he saw fit. That’s why we agreed not to stay still any longer.

He deserved never-ending torment for all the wrongdoings he’d done to our mother.

For that reason, we continued our relations with the Ambrogios. They received intel on the High Parliament, which consisted of That Man and their father, the Ministry’s Secretary. In addition, the Ambrogios held strong connections with those who worked closely with Cabinet, giving us the upper hand while we maintained the charade we were born solely for: The Premier’s sons, heirs that adhered to their duties.

Yet, the reminder of That Man’s existence was turmoil to all of us, specifically Kaleb.

His upper lip turned upward while his eyes deepened. “Their notice must mean they have information for us worth listening to.”

“Yes, I suppose so,” Christopher said as he heaved a sigh, his eyes falling onto Jacque, Jacob, and Raphael. “Do any of you have anything you’d like to add before you’re all dismissed?”

The three shook their heads, Jacque’s expression shadowed by fury, Jacob’s somber, and Raphael’s illegible. While the twins’ body language paired with their appearance, Raphael’s hands fisted against his upper thighs.

Christopher stood and exited the gathering room, Noah, the twins, and even Raphael trailing as Kaleb lingered. He paused before the opening that led to the foyer, his intentions clear as I remained seated.

“I’m expecting an ingenious plan that we haven’t thought of before,” he said, his body snaking around the sofa while his tone grew low. “With the time I’ve gifted you, I’m sure you understand the repercussions if it doesn’t meet my expectations, dear little brother.”

“Of course,” I responded and nodded. Briefly, after my talk with Jacob yesterday, Tristan returned within hours and fulfilled the end of Jacob’s promise. Not only had Jacob and Jacque contrived their roles properly, but they even delivered more than I had expected.

“The guardian acts wildly when provoked, proven when she attacked you on her first day. In addition, Tristan has reported that this has occurred before in her past occupations and even in the CEG.”

Kaleb waved his hands through the air. “Yes, the information you retrieved mentioned that, but it didn’t elaborate.”

I nodded. “I was able to acquire more. When called to action, she has a tendency to get carried away. This makes her a possible threat to employers.”

Kaleb’s eyes widened with interest, and he pulled himself closer to me. “Continue.”

“We use her as our pawn rather than implementing one of us. We don’t do much of the dirty work; instead, we choose one of the outer guardians to fake an intrusion where she’d have to defend us.” A smile crept from Kaleb’s lips, the sight of the ends curving into his cheeks forcing my throat to gulp. “It’ll be staged as a tussle between the two, dead or alive, and we’ll prove the incompetence with not only the guardians but also the CEG. The CEG will then be labeled as treacherous and faulty since they've jeopardized a Regal Family with the rabid animals they’ve depicted as guardians.”

I deducted Kaleb had handed me the task without informing Noah or Christopher. If they’d known, our meetings would have included them. If they discovered he’d pulled me to plan a scheme without their approval, he’d be punished.

The thought of him dealing with Christopher’s and Noah’s wrath was my drive to continue.

Kaleb’s smile twisted as he rested his hands on my shoulders. “It’s brilliant, Alek, truly dazzling.”

“Will we go through the process now to ensure the plan can be placed effectively?” I asked, hinting at the answer I knew.

“Oh, dear little brother, did I not mention it to you? This will be our little secret, as a surprise for the guardians and brothers alike. Thrilling, isn’t it?”

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