The Deadly Alliance (The Deadly Alliance Series Book 1)

by Megan Bradish

  Lucien reaches up, tucking some loose strands of hair behind my ear. “If you let her go, the first thing she would have done was run to tell someone what happened. We can’t have that, not when we’re trying so hard to cover this up.”

  Sadness and guilt well up in my chest as I look into Lucien’s eyes. I’ve put him in an impossible situation. He doesn’t deserve this. “Lucien, I’ve been wanting to talk to you about something,” I say.

  “What is it?” He asks, with concern.

  I take a deep breath as I hold back the tears that are threatening to escape.

  “Well...I was thinking that…”

  “Back away from the bodies!” I hear a man yell. I swing around and see two guards standing at the door, swords drawn.

  “Oh, no,” I say under my breath. There was no way to escape this. They were blocking the door. We couldn’t very well run past them. My heart pounds as I look around the room. I don’t know what I’m looking for exactly, but it’s what my instincts tell me to do. When I see no possible way to escape, I look over to Lucien. Just as I do, he draws his sword, walking quickly and swiftly to the guards.

  “Lucien!” I call out. But it’s too late. He’s already to them. And with one quick motion, his sword glides across one of the guard’s chest. He instantly falls to the floor, with nothing left to his chest but exposed meat and bone. Before I can comprehend the first guard's death, Lucien plunges his sword into the other’s stomach.

  As the last guard falls to the ground, Tobias comes with two men and a lady. The guard falls directly at Tobias’ feet, and he stops abruptly, looking around the room, as if he were saying ‘what the hell just happened?’.

  He clears his throat, looking to me, and then Lucien. “Well, then. What’s two more?”

  “We better get moving quickly before anyone else comes,” Lucien says as he slides his sword back in the sheath on his side.

  We clean in silence, only the sound of brushes scrubbing against concrete fills the room. Milly is surprisingly calm as she scrubs the blood from the floor. She almost looks happy. But why shouldn’t she be? If we get out of this room tonight, with four dead bodies, undetected, we’ll be free.

  The cleaners Tobias brought don’t say a word, and they haven’t asked any questions. They work with ease as they whip through one thing to the next. I get the feeling they’ve done this a time or two before. Where does Tobias find these people? I don’t really care. I’m just glad I have the help. It would be near impossible if I had to do this alone.

  “Oh dear God!” I jump at the sound of father’s voice. I whirl around to the door, as I see him and Liam gaping in at us.

  “Father…” I say as I quickly stand. “Father this isn’t what it looks like.”

  “I’d say it looks like you killed…” Liam taps the air with his finger as he counts the bodies scattered throughout the room. “Exactly four people.”

  I roll my eyes. “Okay, so it’s exactly what it looks like,” I mutter.

  “This was your plan?” Father asks. I try to read his expression, but I can’t. He doesn’t look angry. The shock of walking in on his daughter cleaning blood off the floor has left his face. He almost looks...proud?

  “It was the only way I knew. It was the only way that ensured the safety of all of us,” I say.

  Father glances around the room and nods his head. “We’ll have to leave here just as soon as we can. Before anyone gets any ideas that you’re suspected of his death.”

  I cautiously walk closer to him. “You aren’t upset?” I ask.

  Father gently grips my shoulders. “My dear Blair. I’m so proud of you.” He lets out a sigh, “Yes, it was incredibly reckless. But you found a way out. You took charge and found a way to rid yourself of your enemies. As a Queen should.”

  “I would never have been the Queen I am today if it weren’t for a great King like you showing me the way,” I say as I hug him tightly.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt, your majesties. But we need to finish this before anyone sees what is happening here,” Tobias says.

  Father nods. “Yes. Go now, Blair. Finish this. But please be safe. We’ll leave tomorrow.”

  “I’ll help you with the cleaning,” Liam says. “I can’t wait to bury this good for nothing, son of a-“

  “Liam,” Father scolds. “Just get cleaning then.”

  As we finish, the lady wheels in a large vegetable cart from the kitchens. Lucien and Jake quickly get to work, stacking the bodies, one by one on top of each other. The cart is quickly wheeled away and out of sight.

  I look around the room and it’s spotless. The broken furniture was replaced with new, and the paintings hang neatly on the wall. The bedding was replaced with fresh linens, making it look as though Elias had never made it to his room. I glance around the floor, looking for any traces of blood left behind. But there isn’t any. The room appears to be completely untouched.

  “Your majesty,” Tobias walks up to me. “We took a few of Elias’ possessions from him to make it look like a robbery. They’ll be kept in a safe place, where no one will find them. Their bodies will be thrown off into the woods by the main road, where they’ll easily be found. As far as the girl, we’re taking her farther away, so there’s no association between the two. When I come to you tomorrow to inform you of your husband’s death, you must act utterly surprised. Can you do this?”

  I nod my head. “Easily,” I say.

  “Good. Now leave this room before anyone spots you,” he says, ushering me towards the door.

  I look back at Tobias as I walk away. “Thank you, Tobias,” I say.

  “It’s no problem at all, your majesty,” he says with a small smile.

  Chapter 27

  I couldn’t go back to my room, not right now anyway. There was so much going on inside of my head. I keep seeing the look in Elias’ eyes as I plunge the dagger through his stomach. He was so shocked. And then there was nothing. He faded away, his eyes becoming cold and dead before he finally collapsed to the floor.

  And I think of the girl. She looked so scared as I drew closer to her, for she knew what was coming. What flashed through her mind the seconds before her death? I can still feel the blade gliding effortlessly across her throat, almost like soft butter. I want to feel bad for killing two people. I should feel bad. But I don’t. If anything, I feel relieved. Maybe even a little satisfied.

  I find myself on the east side of the gardens, where the courtyard meets the village. The rain is coming down steady again, and I lift my face to the sky, welcoming the cool drops on my skin. I think of when father walked in to find what was happening. He looked so shocked, but only for a moment. Is he really appalled? Or is he proud of his daughter like he said he was, for doing what so urgently needed to be done without a second thought? That is what makes a good queen, after all. Dealing with problems as they arise, not second guessing your decisions and actions you must take to ensure your safety, and the safety of those around you. There was no second guessing involved tonight. In fact, my one and only thought the hours leading up to it was, ‘I can’t wait to do this. I can’t wait to be rid of this man.’ I never thought of the consequences to my actions. I never thought of being caught, or that maybe it wasn’t such a good idea. I only thought of killing a man I so deeply despised.

  “Blair,” I hear Lucien behind me, and my heart picks up its pace.

  “Hi,” I say, as I turn towards him. He looks so incredible, with his shoulders broad and fierce. Blood is still dripping lightly from his sword, and it’s splattered across his face. He’s a force to be reckoned with, and I’ve never been more turned on in my life. The way he so effortlessly downed those men, like it was nothing, is so incredible.

  He reaches me, cupping my cheeks in both of his hands. “Did he make you…?” He asks. He can’t force himself to finish saying it, and I can see the anger welling deep within him.

  “No,” I assure. “No. I just made him think we would, as a way to distract him. I wasn’t e
xpecting the girl to be with him. I didn’t know what else to do.”

  He smiles at me now. “You really are an incredible woman, Blair.”

  I clutch his hand, and look down to the ground. “I don’t think you should come with me to Myrkdovia,” I say. My heart pounds and begins to ache with sadness.

  “What?” He asks. When I don’t respond, he lifts my face carefully, so I have no choice but to look at him. “Blair, what are you talking about?”

  “The war between Cryptshiere and Myrkdovia is far from over. I don’t want you to be killed for treason and siding with the enemy. If they ever find out it was me, they’ll be coming for me, Lucien. And I don’t want you caught up on the wrong side of this. You can just say you had no idea what I was planning. They’ll believe you.”

  Lucien shakes his head. “Blair, stop. I am not letting you go alone.”

  “I won’t be alone. I’ll be with my father and cousin. And Milly.”

  Lucien backs away from me, pacing in circles. “I don’t believe what I’m hearing. I pledged my loyalty and protection to you. I told you I would always be here. And now you’re just gonna kick me off to the sidelines?” He stops now to look at me. “No. I’m going with you. I don’t want to be without you, not even for a second.”

  I let a tear slide down my cheek. I don’t want to be without him either. But I can’t have him on the wrong side of this war, that was supposed to be an alliance. “Why, Lucien? Why can’t you just listen to me? Why are you being so stubborn? I need you to be safe! And the only way for that to happen is if you stay far away from me,” I say with a small sob. I lean against the castle’s stone wall. I let the cold and the wet stones soothe my back.

  “God, Blair. Is it not obvious?” He yells as he steps closer to me. He positions one hand on the stone wall, the other gently, yet frantically cupping my face. The rain drips from his tousled hair, and on to his cheeks, making it look as though he’s crying. Or maybe he really is. “I’m in love with you. I’m so goddamn in love with you,” he whispers now, as he rests his forehead against mine.

  I inhale sharply. Though I had an idea that he might be in love with me, hearing it was a completely different thing. I’m not sure how anyone could love me. So far all I’ve done for anyone here was cause pain and heartache. I’ve needed more help than I’ve been independent. I’ve been a constant damsel in distress. “How can you love me? I’ve done nothing for anyone to love. I’m in constant disarray. How do you know what you’re feeling is really love?”

  Lucien looks into my eyes now and smiles softly. “How do you know when it’s love?” He caresses my cheek. “When every ounce of your being craves every ounce of their soul. When you see them, or even hear their name, your stomach tightens. Almost like a sick feeling welling up inside of you,” he steps closer, blocking me in around his protective arms. “But it’s the kind of sick feeling that gives you life. That drives you to be the best person you can. It’s not always logical. Hell, it’s not even always smart. But it’s real. It’s you and me. Always.”

  My body melts into his as I wrap my arms around his neck. I kiss him now, with as much love and passion as I’m feeling in my heart. He gently pushes me tighter to the wall, his body pressed firmly against mine. Our mouths move together urgently, as we explore each other’s bodies. I want him to tear my dress off me right here. I want to feel his bare skin against mine. Despite all that I’ve gone through, I want to feel him inside of me.

  “Lucien,” I breathe. “I need you. Stay with me tonight.”

  He explores my eyes as he pushes the hair out of my face. “Are you sure?” He asks in a whisper.

  I nod. “I can’t have Elias be the last…” I stop, unable to force myself to say the rest. “I want it to be you. I need it to be you.”

  Lucien kisses me again, gently this time, before taking my hand and leading me back to the castle.

  We walk quickly through the rain, our hands still clasped together. This is reckless and stupid to be waltzing through the courtyard like this for anyone to see if they had a mind to. But I didn’t care. We’d be leaving by tomorrow anyway. Elias was dead. He couldn’t do anything to us now. He could never hurt me again. All I care about right now, is Lucien.

  We reach my room and I quickly lock the door. The rain is coming down hard now, as it slaps viciously against the window. Lightning streaks fiercely across the black sky, and I can feel the thunder shaking beneath my feet.

  I’m shaking too, and I’m having a hard time deciphering if it's because of being cold, or the excitement of Lucien standing so close to me. He slowly spins me around as he unzips my dress. His finger tracing my spine all the while. I let the dress hit the floor and turn back to him. My wet under garment is revealing as it presses tightly against my body, and I let him take me all in.

  Lucien lets out a soft growl as he lifts me slightly off the ground with just one arm. As he lays me down on the bed, my heart begins to pound harder. I’m afraid, but in a good way. If that makes any sense at all.

  He caresses my cheek as he looks into my eyes, his body hovering closely over mine. I lift his soaked shirt over his head, revealing his broad, muscular chest. I trace my finger down to his belly button, and I can feel his bulge pressed firmly against me. I instinctively reach my hips up to meet him, and he lets out a soft sigh.

  His touch makes me wild as he slowly lifts my gown up and over my head, leaving my bare body completely exposed to him. He kisses me deeply, his lips finally making their way down my neck and to my collar bone. I left out a soft moan, pushing myself up higher to him.

  My heart races as he throws his pants to the ground, leaving himself now exposed to me. His bare erection caresses against me in all the right places as he explores my mouth with his. My breath begins to quicken and my core aches with excitement. I reach my hand down, gripping him softly, and he lets out a low growl. He’s big. Really big, and it only adds to my excitement...and fear.

  “Blair,” he whispers. “I only want this if you’re sure this is what you want.”

  I reach up, touching his cheek. “I’ve never wanted anything more in my entire life.”

  He lets out another growl, and slowly begins to ease himself into me. He looks into my eyes again, and kisses me tenderly as he fills me completely. I let out a pleased cry, and tilt my head back. We move together seamlessly, the friction of our bodies creating a heat between us that I can feel within my soul. I want to kiss him forever as I taste the sweetness of his mouth, his plush lips brushing swiftly against mine.

  He pumps himself harder until we’re both moaning in ecstasy. My body trembles beneath him, and I feel like I’m going to explode. Finally, at exactly the same time, we release the tension that’s been built up within us since the moment we laid eyes on each other.

  We lay together now, his arms wrapped around me as he kisses my forehead. I rest my head on his broad chest, taking in his masculine scent. We’re heaving for breath as we lay silently for a long moment, trying to regain our strength.

  I know what we’re doing is considered wrong to so many. I just killed my husband, the king of Cryptshiere. I’m a queen, Lucien is a knight. There was so much that could go wrong with this. But I’ve never felt anything more right.

  I look into his eyes now, and smile. “I love you too, by the way,” I say to him.

  He wraps me tighter as he kisses me. “I’m the luckiest man in the world,” he whispers in my ear.

  Chapter 28

  Morning comes too quickly as the sun shines brightly in my eyes, waking me from my deep slumber. I haven’t slept so well in years, as Lucien has himself wrapped protectively around me. I look over at him and see he’s awake. He smiles and kisses me, his lips becoming more delicious each time our mouths meet.

  “Today’s the day,” he says. “We finally get to leave here.”

  I let out a sigh. “I never thought I’d actually see the day.”

  “I had no doubt you’d make it happen,” he says, as he traces my
bare hips with his fingertips.

  I hear a soft knock on the door and I stiffen. “Blair, it’s just me. Can I come in?” Milly asks.

  I relax a little. “Yes, come in,” I say.

  Milly walks through the door and stops abruptly as she sees Lucien and I obviously naked under the blankets together. She gives a devilish smirk, and looks down to her feet. “Tobias wishes to see you,” she says.

  I look over to Lucien. “It’s time then,” I say with a smile.

  “Don’t forget to be devastated when he gives you the news,” Milly says with another smirk.

  Milly and I walk to the throne room side by side. Lucien and Jake follow closely behind. I’m feeling jittery as sweat begins to dampen my palms. I’m nervous, even though I know I shouldn’t be. No one will ever suspect I had anything to do with my husband’s tragic death. I’m just a poor widow now, who must move on with her life.

  We reach our destination and Tobias and the Lord Chancellor are waiting patiently. My nerves begin to jitter again. I never thought of a government official being here. But why wouldn’t he be? My husband was murdered. A crime has been committed.

  “Tobias, you wished to see me?” I ask.

  “Yes, your majesty. I’ll come right out with it. I have some bad news I’m afraid. King Elias was brutally attacked last night in the streets. It seems robbery was a motive.”

  “Oh dear, God. No,” I cry. I force a tear out for good measure. “Is he okay? Where is he?”

  Tobias is quiet for a moment, looking into my eyes with what seems to be fear. “Luckily, he wasn’t killed. He is recovering in my quarters.”

  My heart drops into my stomach, a look of confusion crossing over my face. Did he just say Elias is...alive? I suck in a sharp breath, the world around me falling silent. The buzzing in my ears is deafening as I try to keep a grip on reality. I thought this was the end to all of my problems. But I was wrong. So wrong.