Drudon looked like he’d taken a bite of moldy cheese. “Indeed.”
“And I suppose you were enjoying another stroll when you climbed over my wall to lurk in my garden.”
I’d already figured this man was the trespasser. Two separate people spying on us would be too much of a coincidence, right? But what did he want?
Drudon matched Valen’s mean smile—actually, it might have been even meaner.
“Can’t a man pay a visit to his dear brother?”
Chapter 18
Emmeline
Brother? Oh, hell. It was like watching an overly dramatic play unfold. Now that I knew, I immediately noticed the resemblance. Drudon was bulkier, his face wider, but they had similar noses and brows.
“You haven’t paid a visit in years.” Valen kept his sword pointed at his brother’s chest. “Why the sudden interest now? Why are you creeping around like a lecher trying to glimpse a woman in the bath?”
“What does it matter if I’m watching?” Drudon countered. “Unless you have something to hide.”
“Stars, do you have nothing better to do than play these games?”
Valen’s voice rose dangerously, loud enough that the strolling couple looked in our direction. The trees should block their view of Valen’s sword—I hoped.
He rarely lost his temper like that. I supposed family had a way of making us all lose our calm.
“Then kill me and be done with it.” Drudon spread his arms wide as if welcoming the sword. “But you can’t, can you? Not even your lofty connections could cover up a murder in the middle of Equitius Gardens. Your sterling reputation would be ruined.”
The sword shook, Valen’s knuckles white where he clenched the hilt. He was glaring at Drudon with such force that I could almost feel the heat in the air.
Drudon’s cocky smile slipped.WouldValen slaughter him in the middle of the gardens? I wouldn’t have put it past him when I’d first met the man, but now I wasn’t so sure.
Then again, it wasn’t as if I truly knew him.
I glanced over at the strolling couple, who were following the path as it drew closer to us. A few more feet, and the trees wouldn’t block their view of Valen holding his brother at sword-point—exactly the kind of attention we didn’t need before the heist.
Valen sheathed his sword, and Drudon couldn’t hide the way his shoulders slumped in relief.
“Let’s go.” Valen took my arm to lead me away.
“Not even going to introduce me to your new bedwarmer?” Drudon asked. “I knew you’d screw any woman who opened her legs for long enough, but a human? That’s a new low. Are you paying your maids extra to clean up all the dirt she leaves behind?”
It happened almost faster than I could register. Valen slipped his arm from mine, spun—and punched Drudon in the face.
The force sent Drudon staggering, and he tripped on a tree root and landed on his back.
Distant gasps came from behind us. The strolling couple had definitely seen that one.
Valen must have noticed them, too. “Insult my beloved again,” he said in a self-righteous tone loud enough to carry, “and you and I will duel.”
Then he took my arm again and escorted me away.
“Do you want me to cry for dramatic effect?” I whispered.
His gaze darted to the watching couple. “That would help.”
So I let loose the tears.
***
