To Bewitch a Devil

268 Don’t meet with him

“You go on ahead, I will catch up,” Penelope said.

The maid stared at her, mouth agape at her audacity. But as the knights began saluting, she hurried off, leaving Penelope behind.

Azriel emerged from the path. They parted for him and headed straight to the entrance of the castle. His gaze met Pen’s, and as she opened her mouth to speak, he beat her to it.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he said in an angry hushed voice.

“I wanted to…”

“You should leave,” he said.

Penelope bowed and hurried away as fast as her legs could carry her. She was about to enter the chamber she was to clean when a strong hand grabbed her, and she was pulled inside before she could react.

Azriel’s frowning face was in her line of vision when she recovered.

“You haven’t stopped with your spying?” He asked her.

.....

“I wasn’t spying, if I was, you wouldn’t have caught me so easily, my Lord.”

Azriel regarded her for a long time. “One of these days, I am afraid you would see something that you weren’t supposed to, and I won’t be there to save you.”

“My Lord, those times you thought I was spying, I was actually caught at the wrong place at the wrong time. You misunderstood me on several occasions.”

Azriel snorted a chuckle. “Several occasions, yes, quite possible for that to happen.”

Penelope frowned. “I am sorry to have taken your time, my Lord, but I have cleaning to do.”

“So you are sending me out?”

“I wouldn’t dare, my Lord,” Penelope’s reply came in smoothly. “I just wouldn’t want dust or dirty water or something worse to dirty your outfit.”

“If I didn’t know better, I would think you were threatening me, Pen.”

“I would never. I know my place too well to do that,” she replied coolly. She looked up at him then, “are you going for war, my Lord?”

Azriel’s eyes bored into her, but he said nothing.

“Did something happen?” Penelope asked.

“You shouldn’t concern yourself with that,” he said.

“But you could get hurt,” Penelope said. And when the truth hit, that it was either he would survive or not, the tears came. “You could…,” but she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

Large arms wrapped around her, and she was pulled into an embrace. She sobbed against his chest, and he patted her back until she was quiet.

“The King would be expecting you,” Penelope said.

“The King won’t mind me being late for a few minutes,” Azriel smiled as he broke the hug. “You don’t have to worry yourself, Pen. I have lived centuries before, and I will live centuries after. Your Master will be back whole and intact,” he tilted Pen’s chin up to him. “I promise. Now wipe your tears. And maybe after I am done meeting with the King, we could return to the estate together.”

Penelope stepped back and gave a vehement shake of her head. “No, the Queen asked me to stay with her so I will.”

“But… you were just… you just cried about missing me and now you won’t come back with me? Pen, this is frustrating.”

“I am sorry.” She absolutely couldn’t leave Neera, especially when she was not eating or talking to anyone. “But the Queen hasn’t been happy, and I can’t leave.”

Azriel had long confirmed that there was trouble between the King and Queen, especially with Zavian’s rigidness and the walls he had put around himself that even Azriel cannot scale past.

There was a knock on the door, and before either of them could answer, the guard from before, the one with the odd red and yellow hair that Azriel had seen talking and flirting with Pen in the garden, opened the door a little and beamed at Penelope.

“I was told you were here,” he said. “You said we should do…,” he paled when he opened the door further and saw Azriel. With a quick bow, he slammed the door when he quickly exited.

“Or is that the real reason why you don’t want to come with me?” Azriel asked.

“What?”

“What is between you two?” Azriel asked.

“Nothing!”

He didn’t like the fast defensiveness of her reply. “Then what exactly do the two of you have to do?”

“I am not obligated to tell you, my Lord,” Penelope answered.

“Oh? Perhaps because it involves very few words and many actions?”

“Like what, my Lord? Gardening? Washing?”

“You know exactly like what, Pen.”

Penelope lifted her bucket and shoved it under her arm, her lips trembling with anger.

“I have to get to work, my Lord,” she said. “Please.”

“Do not meet up with him,” Azriel said. “And that is an order, Pen.”

And before Penelope could say another word, Azriel was out the door.

….

Zavian was piling the last of the papers into a file when Azriel stepped in through his doors. He didn’t look up as the General Commander stopped before his desk. He held out the file, and Azriel took it.

“All the details of the new recruits,” Azriel read out.

“And kin,” Zavian said. “And I have looked through all the additional weapons procured. We should have spells prepared, and they should be taught how to wield their weapons with them in the coming weeks.”

“Zavian,” Azriel put down the file and leaned forward, palms flattened on the desk. “Talk to me. Something happened. How did you find out about Aloysius’ schemes? Did Frederick confess something else?”

“No, and that shouldn’t be an issue,” Zavian said. “You should only concern yourself with preparation.”

“No, I refuse to, Zavian. You don’t know what it is like to be kept in the dark,” Azriel said. “So you have to tell me because I am your friend and I care about you. How did you find out? How are you sure? Why do I have thousands of men stationed at different training camps and yet not a word of why from you?”