Page 84 of The Forsaken Heir
He sighed heavily and tucked his notepad under his arm. “I have no children. My life has been consumed with serving the Decimus household. That being said, I’ve always looked at you as a bit of a surrogate nephew at times. I worry for you. That’s all.’
His words struck me hard. All these years, I recalled him telling me what I needed to do, where I needed to be, when I needed to be there. He’d inform me, instruct me, counsel me. All that time I’d simply thought he was doing his job. Now, I saw part of that had been done more out of familial love than for duty. It also filled me with shame that I’d never appreciated the man who helped keep our house running smoothly.
“Titus, I?—”
“No need, Your Highness,” he said as he headed to the door. “I’ll go inform the other men that the cars are here. Your head of security will be waiting in the study.”
I watched him walk down the hall. If we made it back from this trip in one piece, I’d talk to my father about perhaps giving Titus more duties, responsibility, and most of all, more respect.
After a moment, I left my office and headed to the study to find my head of security. The tall, brawny, broad-shouldered man stood in the room. He bowed his head as I entered, his nearly white-blond hair pulled into a tight ponytail. When he looked up, there was a grin on his thin lips, and a sparkle in the dark brown eyes.
“Your Highness,” he said.
“Octavian. Are we ready?”
“As ready as we can be,” he said, his voice a deep, earthy rumble that damn near rattled the windows. “I have our team ready whenever you are. They’ll be out in the changing rooms getting their gear on.”
“Very well. Titus has gone to inform them that the cars are here. Have you gone over the cars yourself? Before they arrived?”
Octavian nodded. “Yes, sir. Once two days ago when they arrived, and again after the fae finished their magical protections over them.”
“Then you’ll check them a third time. Especially the car Lady Brielle will be riding in. I will not have her hurt in any way. Is that understood?”
Octavian nodded again. “It will be my honor, Your Highness. Nothing will happen to her under my watch, I assure you of that.” He thumped his fist into his chest. “My life is ready to be spent for you or the lady.”
I patted the air between us. “Let’s pray it doesn’t come to that.”
“Well, we are going into the belly of the beast, aren’t we?” Octavian said. “No crown prince has ever traveled so far into Laurent territory.”
“Not true,” I said, holding up a finger. “Tiberius Decimus did it once.”
Octavian’s face twisted into an incredulous frown. “Highness, Tiberius Decimus strode into the Laurent territories nearly six centuries ago, into their holdings in what is now Cologne, France.”
“True, but hedidgo into their territory.”
“Need I remind you that the Laurents sent back his head in a box?”
I’d hoped my head of security wasn’t as well-versed in history. I cleared my throat. “Be that as it may, I feelweare better prepared than my dearly departed ancestor. Not only that, but the shaman is from the Hikshil tribe. They’ve been brought in as a personal favor to me.”
Octavian’s eyes darkened. It was unusual for a man this formidable to look afraid, but there was definitely a hint of fear in his eyes.
“The Laurents wouldn’t dare do anything immoral with them there, would they?” he asked.
“Highly doubtful,” I said.
The Hikshil tribe not only controlled one of the magical wellsprings on the very outward edges of our territory, but the tribe itself was ancient and controlled what was known as the Old Magics—powerful spells, incantations, and conjurations that were older even than the dragon shifter race itself. Bastien Laurent and the rest of his family would have to be out of their minds to attempt something in the presence of such a powerful and neutral party.
“That’s good to know,” Octavian said, with a small sigh of relief.
I clapped him on the shoulder. “Head down to the rest of the men accompanying us. I’ll be there shortly. Make sure you triple-check the cars.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
He departed, leaving me alone again. Alone with my thoughts. Dark thoughts. The Laurentswouldhave to be crazy to actagainst Elle or me with violence in the presence of the Hikshil tribe, but that didn’t mean there was a zero-percent chance. Bastien Laurent, and by extension his family, had put all their proverbial eggs into one basket. They were playing chicken with my family. No, they were playing Russian Roulette.
I knew Elle was telling the truth.Theyknew Elle was telling the truth, and the shamanic ceremony would prove that beyond all doubt. When that happened, a cascade of terrible things would end up ruining their family. The power and fortune they’d amassed over the centuries would disappear. They very wellmighttry something insane to ensure they kept their foothold. Honestly, whatever they planned might even look like a trap so they could pretend their hands were clean. I needed to be very careful. If something happened to Elle, I’d never be able to forgive myself.
Rasp came jogging into the study. “Shit, there you are. Couldn’t find you anywhere. Are we ready to go?”
