Path Of The Broken

29. Confessions-1

29

Confessions

Alex sat quietly as William issued instructions to Shaun that he wasn’t to be disturbed until morning, waiting quietly for acknowledgement and the door to close before turning back to him. He resisted the sudden urge to leave. When William left instructions that he wasn’t to be disturbed, it meant what he needed to deal with was serious. Since Alex himself was the current issue his brother was dealing with, it didn’t bode well.

“What is going on between you and Amelia?” William crossed the room and sat in the chair opposite him.

Alex was taken back. He had expected this talk to be about Isabella, since he was certain William would have been briefed by now.

“Nothing, I haven’t seen her since before I killed Daniel and left the palace.” Alex looked down and swallowed.

“There was a time when you two were almost inseparable. Now you are avoiding her. Don’t try to say it’s because you are afraid you will kill her. It isn’t true and you know it. You haven’t killed me.” William sipped his drink, sighing and relaxing back into the cushions of his chair.

“Would you accept it’s because I’m an i***t? It’s my fault, I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“You could have just had a torrid affair with her and gone your separate ways. She is your Consort Elect now, Alex, there is no getting around that.” William rolled his head to one side and pinned him with his gaze.

“I know. I remember how I felt back then, and it bears no resemblance to how I feel now. If anything, when I think of Amelia, I feel mild affection and a little embarrassed.” Alex felt his cheeks heat.

“Do you think it is a side effect of your transition?” William frowned.

Alex shook his head. It was so tempting to jump at that excuse for his behaviour, the only problem being he knew it was a lie. However tempting it was to fall back on that lie to make things easier for himself, he couldn’t do it to himself or Amelia. He knew she deserved better.

“Thank you for giving me an out, but no. Going through transition does not kill off the ability to feel for other people.”

“Since you brought up feelings for other people, tell me about the woman you’ve been seen with.” William shifted in his chair so he was facing Alex directly, his stare uncompromising and disturbingly implacable.

Alex squirmed in his chair. This was the conversation he’d been expecting, and he still wasn’t ready to have it. Although he had to admit it would probably never be an easy conversation to have.

“You’ve never bothered to quiz me on women I’ve been with in the past, William.” Alex recognised his stalling tactic for what it was and knew it wasn’t going to work. It rarely did with William when he wanted to know something.

A smile spread slowly across his brother’s face as he obviously recognised the deflection for what it was.

“You’ve never had a fling with the same woman for this length of time before Amelia. I didn’t need to ask about Amelia.” William’s tone was dry.

Alex looked at William above the rim of his glass, taking a sip, considering his options. He was better off just talking with William about it. Otherwise, knowing his brother, he would utilise other methods to find out what he wanted to know. Of course, it made it much easier that unlike some occasions in his past he didn’t have to ask which woman he was asking about.

“Isabella. Her name is Isabella.” Alex couldn’t help but smile.

“Well at least the reports I receive on a daily basis got that part correct.” William’s eyebrow rose, his tone dry.

“She’s Elder. I owe my sanity and life to her. She pulled me back from moments of madness I don’t think I would have myself.”

Alex shuddered at the painful memory that admission provoked. He looked at William and saw no judgement at all. Running his fingers through his hair, he stood abruptly and started pacing across the room.

William sighed. “She’s your, what? Mentor?”

Alex heard his brother stand up and walk across to the sideboard, and he watched him refill his glass. He turned and held up the bottle in a silent question to Alex.

Alex looked at his glass, surprised to see it empty and walked towards William, holding out his glass to be refilled. Recognising the tactic to bring him back in, to divert his mind momentarily, Alex made an effort to calm his own agitation. He should be used to everyone's obsessive prying into his life by now. Indeed, if William was asking, that meant that his father knew as well and wanted answers. If Amelia knew, the court gossips were hard at work, and he could only imagine the spin that they had put on it.

“Mentor, friend and yes, William, as I’m sure your reports have suggested, my lover. I like her.” He shook his head and took a breath, thinking bluntness was the better option. “I like her more than I should” Alex noted that William hadn’t stinted in refilling either of their glasses. His brother was serious about not wanting to be disturbed, which was a rare thing.

Alex looked at William, who was watching him, still calm, not judgemental. That was one of the things Alex really did like about William. He was always quiet and never judgmental. Even when he was angry, William just tended to get even calmer, which was scary when you knew him.

“Where do you see this liaison with Isabella going?” William turned and leaned against the sideboard, watching Alex as he continued his pacing around the room.

Alex felt his mixture of emotions swirl and rise, threatening to overwhelm him. He took the time to breathe slowly before trying to reply honestly.

“I don’t know, William. We haven’t discussed that. I live day to day between moments of madness.” Alex swallowed some of his drink, savouring it before looking up at his brother, a lopsided smile on his lips. “I knew I didn’t need this added complication in my life, yet I come back to myself, and inevitably, more often than not, I find I’m with Isabella. Please don’t ask me to cut ties with her. I don’t think I can go through this alone.”

William walked across the room and sat back down, gesturing to the chair opposite himself, waiting patiently as Alex struggled with himself before finally deciding to comply and slumping into the chair.

“I thought you were getting better?”

“I am. I have more time when I am present in my head, and the periods of memory loss are getting further apart.”

William’s gaze didn’t waver. “I need to meet her, Alex. Father is concerned and wants details although he won’t lend weight to the rumours that you have taken a mistress by meeting with her. Which puts this in my court. He needs to know if your continued relationship with Isabella is any risk the Crown. Or to you.”

Alex tried to breathe normally. That framed the request more as a royal order. It didn’t mean he had to like it. Finally, he nodded. He knew William would not give up, given it was his father’s request.

Isabella? William wants to meet you.

It didn’t take long; it never did when he reached out to her. He couldn’t help the smile that lit his face as her familiar signature sang across the veil, and she solidified in the room. She unerringly faced him and smiled in return. Alex stood and crossed the room to greet her, holding out his hand. With a slight hesitation as she glanced at William, she took his hand.

“Isabella, this is His Highness Crown Prince William.”

William’s head tilted to one side and he threw an exasperated glance at his brother. Alex nearly panicked for a moment, then saw his brother smile as he put his drink aside. William rose from his chair and walked a couple of steps to close the distance between them. He reached down and took her free hand in his own and kissed her fingertips.

“Isabella, thank you for coming. There is no need for formality, call me William.” He waited until her eyes rose to his own. “Thank you for your part in helping my little brother back to himself.”

Isabella smiled in return, her gaze darting to Alex before going back to William. “He did that mostly by himself, I’ve just lent support when I could.”

“Come, take a seat.” William gestured to the chairs as he turned and led the way, waiting for Isabella to take a seat before he took his own.

Alex watched the byplay a little wide-eyed and noticed William smile at his hesitation. He stalled, aware that William knew it for what it was, and walked over to the sideboard. Taking a glass, he filled a fresh drink. He quickly checked his brother’s glass and noted that William had barely touched his own. That, if nothing else, told him that his brother had flipped back into official mode. Alex walked over and placed the drink for Isabella on the table next to her. With a barely visible hesitation, he gave in and slid into the chair next to her.

“So what do you want to know?” It seemed Isabella had decided there had been enough pleasantries between them.

“Where is home for you?” William smiled.

Isabella smiled in return. “Ilarith.”

“Ilarith? The mysterious land that none from outside get to enter? A place of magic, good or evil depending on which tales you listen to?” William looked so startled that Alex nearly laughed.

“The very same. My brother made it as a sanctuary for me many years ago. Since then many others of power call it home.”

“Sanctuary? So you weren’t born there?” William’s head tilted to one side as he considered her words.

“No, I was born in a different era in a small village at the base of a high hill where the warlord’s castle sat. Vallantia did not exist back then.”

William leaned forward, seemingly fascinated. “Do you know where it is? I’d be interested to hear your account of that time one day, and I’m sure the scholars would as well.”

“No, I could probably find it but I’ve never been back.” Isabella shivered.

Alex shook his head at William, who took the hint and changed the subject. He launched into being as pleasant and charming as he possibly could be. The conversation moved smoothly from topic to topic, all under William’s guiding hand. He didn’t bring up Isabella’s ancient history again, although Alex was under no illusion he wouldn’t be grilled for the information later.

“Not that I don’t appreciate it, but why did you seek out Alex?” William’s gaze and expression was casual, but Alex wasn’t deceived at all.

“My brother, Damien, became aware that Alex was going through transition and asked me to check in on him and help if I could. We have learned over the years that in particular for those as powerful as Alex, the outcome is much better for everyone with some guidance.” Isabella met William’s gaze, candidly answering without any hint of deception.

At hearing Damien’s name, William visibly relaxed. While there was much that he didn’t know, Damien was a known entity.

“Ah, so it seems Vallantia owes Damien yet another thanks for helping to save my brother’s life again.”

Alex felt himself relax as it became apparent that William approved of Isabella. He breathed a sigh of relief. For now, at least, he wasn’t going to be ordered to break off his association, his relationship with her.