Fan Fiction ❯ The Four Lords ❯ The Truth of Betrayal ( Chapter 47 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

“Dammit, why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Holly argued as she hurried towards him. She tried to let Alex lean on her but he shrugged away her help. “My Lord we need to let Brittany heal you.”

“No, I have no need of her help.” Alex stated calmly. “Right now there are more pressing matters at hand than my well being.”

“Like what?” Holly snapped, enraged by how Alex was acting.

“Figuring out who I can trust and who I can’t. Figuring out who betrayed my trust.” Alex replied, abruptly silencing Holly. Holly’s eyes were fixed on the ground as she followed Alex into the castle. As soon as Alex stepped foot into the castle Brittany was right in front of him with a worried expression on her face.

“Alex, oh God, I’m so sorry. Please let me heal you.” Brittany pleaded. She placed her hands on his chest only to have Alex grab her wrists and stop her.

“No, what’s done is done. These will heal on their own soon enough. Physical pain is much easier to deal with than emotional pain, wouldn’t you say.” Alex said coldly. Brittany hung her head in shame as Alex glared at her. Kiba and Shadow were clueless about what was going on and why Brittany and Holly were both so depressed. Kiba was about to say something when a sharp look from Alex silenced him. Shadow was also visibly upset when he tried to hug Holly and she moved away from him.

“My Lord, what is going on?” Shadow asked. Kiba placed his hand on Shadow’s shoulder and shook his head to silence him, but Shadow continued. “What have these two done to make you treat them like you do?”

“What they have done is none of your concern. What I will do however, that is what you should be concerned with.” Alex stated. “Brittany you come with me. Holly, I will deal with you later.” Alex then turned and walked towards the downstairs library. Brittany followed in behind him, with Kiba and the others behind her. As soon as Alex reached the library he opened up the door and motioned for Brittany to enter. “The rest of you stay out here. I’ll call for you if I need you.”

“Yes my Lord.” Kiba said softly, glancing at Brittany and then to Holly. “My Lord, whatever they have done....”

“Kiba, you know my punishments fit the crime.” Alex said already predicting what Kiba was about to say. Alex actually hesitated as he looked back at Brittany, who was standing in the library looking very small and very frail. Alex sighed deeply before shaking his head. “You know I won’t do anything uncalled for. If they are innocent, then there will be no retribution. Still...their actions could’ve resulted in numerous deaths. It is by sheer luck that it didn’t. That cannot be taken so lightly.”

Despite his apprehension about what was happening Kiba agreed with what Alex was saying. “Yes, I understand my Lord.”

Alex nodded before turning and shutting the door to the library. Alex sighed as he walked over to the desk and leaned against it. He crossed his arms over his bloodied chest as he looked at Brittany. Alex’s emotions were a torrent of confusion. He was angered by her breaking her promise, but at the same time he felt sorry for her. While Alex was contemplating what to say, Brittany broke the silence as she found the courage to speak.

“Alex...I’m so sorry.” Brittany said softly. “I shouldn’t have told Holly but I did. I know that there’s no reason good enough for breaking a promise...especially when I risk losing your trust in the process.”

“Brittany, I don’t want to know the reason for what you did.” Alex interrupted.

“But Alex, I want you to know that I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Brittany stammered.

“You didn’t hurt me.” Alex replied, even though she knew that he was lying Brittany didn’t say anything. “You did however put the lives of my men in risk by not telling me. Brittany, I know you heard what I said. I will always love you. It’s not the fact that you broke your promise, that I could’ve lived with. I know how hard it is to keep secrets, don’t you think I would’ve understood your need for advice if only you’d told me!”

“I wanted to, but I was afraid you’d be mad. I didn’t want you to hate me for what I did.” Brittany replied as tears fell from her eyes. “It nearly killed me not telling you, but I know how important trust is to you. I probably know better than anyone else. That fact alone makes what I did even worse. I’m not asking you to forgive me, or for you to understand what I did. All I’m asking is that you please don’t hate me.”

“Do you really think I could ever hate you?” Alex said. Brittany was surprised to see Alex smiling as she looked up at him. Even though his smile was full of sadness, it was also full of regret. “I am not blameless, nor am I without sin. I can’t punish knowing that I myself have messed up. Still I do need to know this. Was Holly the only person that you told?”

“Yes, but she would never tell anyone else.” Brittany quickly added realizing where Alex was going with his questions. Alex’s appearance became morbid as he caressed Brittany’s cheek.

“I sincerely hope you are right.” Alex whispered. “Holly come in.”

Brittany looked to the door as it creaked open and Holly walked in slowly. She was staring at the ground, afraid to look up, as he made her way into the room.

“As interesting as the carpet must be I’d prefer if you looked at me when I talk to you.” Alex said, snapping Holly out of her depressed daze.

“Yes my Lord.” Holly replied. Her eyes were full of regret and sorrow as she shifted her gaze from Brittany to Alex. Brittany tried to give her a reassuring smile, but Alex’s cold glance froze whatever joy Holly might have felt.

“Holly, I want you to be completely honest with me. Did you tell anyone about what Brittany told you?” Alex asked sternly. Holly shook her head as she spoke with utter sincerity.

“No my Lord. I would never speak against you, nor would I tell anyone what Brittany told me.”

Alex stared at Holly for what seemed like an eternity before walking towards one of the shelves of books and taking out a very thick leather bound book. Alex opened up the book, revealing that it was fake. It was actually a box that contained a vial of purple glowing liquid. Alex took the vial out and uncorked it. He took a sniff of the liquid before covering its lid back up and throwing at Holly.

Holly caught it and looked at it with suspicion before looking back at Alex for answers.

“Drink it.” Alex instructed. His eyes focusing on her, sending chills down her spine. Holly’s hands were quivering slightly as she uncorked the vial and sniffed it. Its scent was overwhelming and she almost gagged on it. She looked back at Alex pleadingly.

“My Lord...what is this?” Holly asked, a hint of suspicion and fear in her voice. Alex’s cold demeanor broke slightly as Brittany walked up to him and lightly touched his arm.

“Alex, what is that stuff?”

“Don’t worry Holly. It’s not poison. If I wanted you dead I’d kill you myself. What you are holding is a truth serum.” Alex finally answered. “That was I can ensure that you are not lying.”

Holly was about to say something when Alex spoke first. Evidently already predicting what her next question would be.

“The reason I didn’t make Brittany drink that is because she is my mate. I can tell when she is lying to me and when she isn’t. You on the other hand are a different story. That is why I want to ensure that you are telling the truth. It’s not the fact that I don’t trust you, it’s more the fact that I don’t want to risk any false information.”

Holly hesitated before bringing the vial to her lips and consuming the liquid. Holly felt a warm sensation course through her body as the serum began to take effect. Once Alex was sure that enough time had passed for the truth serum to work he began asking Holly questions once again.

“Now Holly, did you tell anyone what Brittany spoke to you about?” Alex asked again. Once again Holly replied with the same answer.

“No my Lord I didn’t tell anyone.”

“What all did Brittany reveal to you?”

“She told me that she was worried about you losing your self control in bed. She also spoke of there being something special inside of her. Something that you yourself placed in her. She didn’t tell me exactly what it was, but she did say that the other Lord’s would want it. The final thing she spoke of was purely on accident. She mentioned to me that you had one of Alcadan’s spell books in a special case in your study.”

Alex paled as he looked over to Brittany. Before anyone realized what happened Alex bolted from the library and ran upstairs. Brittany and Holly exchanged worried glances as they hurried to follow him. Kiba stopped them on the way out, trying to figure out what was going on.

“Lass, what in the hell’s happening?” Kiba asked. Brittany hesitated to answer thinking of wether she should tell him or not. Holly however, beat her to it.

“The Lord is upset because Brittany told me something that she promised she wouldn’t tell anyone about.” Holly said quickly. Brittany’s eyes widened as she looked at her. Holly clasped her hands over her mouth as she looked at Brittany. “I’m so sorry! It’s this damn truth serum. I can’t lie!”

Kiba’s eyes narrowed as he glared at Brittany sternly. “Lass, how could you? You know how much trust means to the Lord.”

“I know Kiba, trust me I know.” Brittany said, nearly in tears once again. “I hurt Alex, despite what he says. You don’t know how sorry I am for doing that, but as Alex said what’s done is done. If I could go back and not say anything I would, but the fact is is that I can’t.”

Kiba nodded as he relented his aggressiveness. “Your right lass, sorry for snapping at you. I know you didn’t mean any harm by what you did. If the Lord can forgive you, there’s no reason why I can’t.”

Brittany smiled faintly. “Thanks, but right now I’m more worried about Alex than myself. He won’t let me heal him. Even though with how bad his wounds are I’m not sure I’d be able to fully heal them. How on earth did that happen?”

“Actually I’ve been meaning to ask you lass. What happened to the wraiths?” Kiba asked, turning to look at Holly. Holly was visibly much calmer than before as she relaxed in Shadow’s arms.

“The Lord used a spell and the wraith’s became flesh and blood. I guess he knew the spell that the Archmage used. Like I said before, using spells is killing him.” Holly said with a hint of sadness in her voice. Everyone grew silent absorbed by their own thoughts. It was in the midst of the silence that a loud crashing sound came from the second floor followed by Alex’s curses.

“NO!” Alex yelled as he slammed his fist against the book shelf in his study. Brittany the others quickly ran up to Alex’s study to find him leaning against the book shelf with a solemn expression on his face. Brittany knew what had happened the moment she laid eyes on the empty pedestal where Alcadan’s spell book once resided.

“Alex...I’m so sorry.” Brittany whispered.

“Brittany, did anyone ever see you with the book? Anyone who might’ve overheard the word used to open up the secret compartment?” Alex asked softly.

Brittany was about to shake her head ‘No’ when a memory came rushing into her head. Brittany gasped in shock as everything played before her and the pieces began to snap together. Finally she realized who it was. In a determined voice Brittany replied. “It was Rylus. He saw the book, he’s seen everything. He has always been there. Anytime anything significant has happened he’s always been there. He’s the only person that saw the book and could’ve overheard how to open it up. Holly thought someone might’ve been listening to our conversation. It now looks like she was right. I’ll bet he’s the one whose been tipping off the other Lords.”

Everyone looked at Brittany in shock, everyone except for Alex. Alex actually chuckled as he looked up at Brittany. “I should’ve realized it earlier. You’re absolutely right. That damn bastard sold me out! By now he’s long gone. He got back here before the fighting even began. Someone’s collapsed, I was such and idiot!”

Brittany walked over to Alex and grasped his hand lovingly. Brittany was surprised that Alex pulled her to his side and actually smiled at her. “It matters little now. When I find Rylus, he will regret ever betraying me. Still, if I am correct, I will no longer have a use for that book. Something good did come of your deceit. Today we might have gained a powerful new ally.”

Everyone looked at him with surprise expecting him to reveal who this new ally was. Instead Alex leaned over and kissed Brittany lightly before looking at everyone else. “That will be all. Holly, there’s no point in me punishing for something you didn’t do. Do not worry about this, anything that happened shall stay between us. We don’t need to reveal anything that shall dishearten the men. Now if you’ll excuse me, I believe I need some alone time with my mate so she can check out my wounds.”


Author's Note: Well, it nearly killed me, but I managed to get it one more chapter today ^_^ ! I hope you enjoy it! There's a good chance I'm going to fail my Chemistry test tomorrow, cause I wrote this while I was supposed to be studying. Oh well, I prefer writing to studying anyway so it's no big. So let me know what you think. Also, I finally revealed who the spy was! I told you I would, it just took me a while...heh...sorry bout that. ANYway, if you have any questions about what's going on let me know. I'll be glad to answer all questions as long as it won't ruin the ending. Which reminds me. The next chapter will begin the fourth plot point, which means as soon as I finish this one *Insert Dramatic Music*, the final scene's will begin to unveil. Only thing is, is that I've got a lot to do to start wrapping things up. So there's a good change I might not update for awhile because I'm probably going to be doing a lot of writing, deleting, and rewriting until everything fits perfectly. The next plot point will cover the mages, and reveal a little about their place and their origions. Also it will be about Alex trying to figure out how to defeat Zanatos without a total blood bath. Well, take care, catch ya later.

Soulless Wanderer