Page 54 of The Darkness Within Us

“ASECOND NOBLEMAN HASgone missing,” Karla tells me before the next book club meeting. “It was tricky snagging a copy of the morning’s paper. Apparently there was a recall on the printing. We think it’s the king’s doing.”

Tekla nods. “He can’t have the aristocracy panicking when he wants them all fixating on his upcoming nuptials.”

“Oh, it’s going to be the wedding of the century,” Karla says, nearly swooning at the thought.

“The missing nobleman,” I prompt.

“Oh, right. This time it was Lord Kazan.”

Yet another viscount who served in the army. Hmm. “If the king is forcing the papers to recall the printing, then we likely won’t hear about the next disappearance.”

“I suppose not,” Tekla says.

“I wouldn’t worry, though, Your Grace,” Karla says. “It’s only men who are going missing.”

“I’m not worried,” I assure them. I’m only concerned with what this means, and why Eryx walks about the house as though expecting an invasion. Does he suspect he’s next? Or is it the blackmailer he’s worried about? Could the kidnapper and blackmailer be the same person?

The only thing I know for certain is that whatever is going on, Eryx is somehow caught up in it.

THE TIME FORERYX’Smoney drop with the blackmailer comes and goes, yet neither Eryx nor his goons leave the manor. I know because I trail the three of them like a loyal dog. Unfortunately, I’m not as careful about it as I think I am.

I round a corner and run straight into Eryx, who had clearly been waiting for me.

“What the devils are you doing, Duchess?”

I rub my nose where it pressed into Eryx’s solid chest upon impact. It’s not hard to don a mask of innocence. “I’m observing you, obviously.”

His eyes narrow. “To what end?”

“I don’t want you to make a fool of us at my sister’s wedding. I need to ensure you’re practicing what you’ve learned in our lessons.”

He rolls his eyes. “You can hardly expect me to act the same in private as I would at a public event.”

“What better way to practice than to make good habits at home?”

“I’m not changing every bloody thing about me just so you can feel more comfortable in public. Now. Back. The. Hell. Off.”

“Swearing in front of ladies is not—”

His nostrils flare, and something about his face changes. Before I can place it, Eryx takes a step closer to me, nearly treading on my slippers, and I leap away.

“Everything all right?” Argus magically appears from behind Eryx, and he places a hand on his shoulder firmly. “Eryx?”

Eryx blinks. “Fine, I’m fine. Just… get her away from me.”

Dyson materializes beside Argus. Both men squeeze their way into the space between the fake duke and me.

I step around them. “What’s the matter with you? You didn’t look right for a second.”

“I’m coming down with something. You don’t want to catch it, so you’d best back away. My head is pounding, and my temper is a little short.”

“Your temper is always short.”

“Duchess, be gone, damn you!”

He disappears before I can say anything further, and his bodyguards block my attempts to follow.

“Leave him be, Your Grace,” Dyson says.

---