Page 38 of Villainess's Redemption
Prince Anderic
I leaned against the weathered wooden railing, my eyes scanning the dimly lit tavern below, watching a bunch of drunken lowlifes ruining what was left of their lives. The stench of cheap ale and unwashed bodies wafted up, mingling with the acrid smoke from poorly rolled cigars. Meadows Inn – a three-storied wooden structure in the heart of the slums on the outskirts of Eldoria, a gambling den of illegal businesses masquerading as a respectable inn. I smirked. If these walls could talk, they’d scream.
“He’s here,” Lennox whispered, his voice barely audible over the chaos of drunken shouts and shattering glass.
I nodded, my muscles coiling with anticipation beneath my commoner’s disguise. Noah shifted uneasily beside me with wide eyes as he took in the scene, his aristocratic sensibilities clearly offended by our surroundings. Poor lad. Always the upstanding gentleman. He was probably itching to close this inn and arrest everyone.
“Relax, cousin,” I murmured, my tone light but edged with steel. “Or you’ll give us away with that constipated expression.”
Noah’s jaw clenched, but he managed a curt nod.
The Meadows Inn’s three rickety stories creaked and groaned under the weight of its patrons’ drunken activities. Gambling, prostitution, illegal substances – all could be procured here for the right price. And we allowed it. Better to keep the rats contained where we could watch them. They had no idea how heavily watched this place was. There were spies in every corner.
That’s how I learned that Gareth Wilburn would be here. Since our main suspect was Lord Elyas, it was easy to guess if anyone knew anything it would be his most trusted employee.
I let my gaze drift over the crowd, cataloging faces and potential threats. A brawl broke out near the bar, fists flying as two brutes grappled over some perceived slight. The guards – if you could call those thugs that – waded in, metal sticks swinging indiscriminately.
Noah flinched at the wet crunch of bone meeting wood. “Shouldn’t we stop them?”
I arched an eyebrow. “And reveal ourselves? Besides,” I added, a cold smile playing at my lips, “sometimes it’s best to let the rats thin their own ranks.”
Another commotion near the bar drew my attention. Two burly men were dragging a bloodied wretch toward the door, his plaintive cries barely audible over the cacophony of drunken revelry.
“Please! I’ll get the money! Just give me one more day!”
I felt Noah stiffen beside me, his hand instinctively moving toward the concealed dagger at his hip. I caught his wrist, squeezing just hard enough to make him wince.
“Don’t,” I murmured, my tone deceptively light. “We’re here to observe, not play hero.”
Noah’s jaw clenched, but he nodded. Good. He was learning.
The doors swung open, as Gareth Wilburn stumbled in, his face already flushed with drink and his eyes darting nervously. I motioned for Noah and Lennox to follow me to a nearby table.
“Sit,” I commanded, sprawling into a chair with affected nonchalance. “And try not to look like you’ve got a stick up your ass, cousin. You’ll give us away.”
Noah glowered but complied, perching on the edge of his seat like it might bite him. Lennox remained standing until I fixed him with a pointed stare.
“My lord,” he began to protest, but I cut him off with a sharp gesture.
“We’re not at court, Lennox. Sit down and have a drink. That’s an order.”
A barmaid sashayed over, her bodice cut low enough to leave little to the imagination. I treated her to my most dazzling smile, watching the way her cheeks flushed.
“What’ll it be, gents??” she purred, leaning close enough that I caught a whiff of cheap perfume beneath the tavern’s pervasive odors.
I flashed her my most charming smile that I knew worked on most of the ladies in court except for my mother and… Ilyana. “Three ales, love. And keep ‘em coming.”
She preened under the attention, all but ignoring Noah and Lennox. I leaned forward and tipped her a gold coin which she had probably never seen in her life before. My hand lingered on her as I also slipped a note with a wink. She giggled, promising to return soon with our drinks. I lounged back in my chair, surveying the room with predatory satisfaction. Everything was precisely where I wanted it to be. As she sauntered away, I caught Noah’s disapproving glare.
“Oh, don’t look so scandalized,” I chuckled. “We’re maintaining our cover.”
Lennox cleared his throat, ever the dutiful guard. “Your Highness, perhaps we should-”
I silenced him with a look. “Sit down, Lennox. You’re drawing attention.”
He hesitated but complied, lowering himself onto a rickety chair with all the grace of a bear in a porcelain shop.
Noah cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable. “How long do we wait?”
