“Of course,” she said, almost with a graceful smile on her lips. “I will make sure to wear it when it's required of me.”
Leo felt his heart hollow, emptied out, his stomach twisting for the first time in long in a long time. Not even once ever since that day had Prim lost her composure. that last statement, ‘required of me’, spoke volumes and screamed louder than anything else she could have said.
It was a cold, cutting shard of a mirror now shuttered, and Prim hurled it at him. Now Leo felt like he was bleeding, a wound deep and still of his own making. How long till he bled out?
CHAPTER 28
Forged Emotions
Two weeks later
“You must excuse me, Leo, but I have to ask about your well-being again,” Edwin said, looking very concerned at Leo.
Leo looked up from the stack of papers on Edwin's desk. He couldn't see himself, but he knew that if he looked exactly how he felt, his friend’s worry was justified. It had been two weeks, two long weeks that Leo had focused all his energy, funds, and power on a single goal. Expose Aaron once and for all. As promised, Edwin was there every step of the way.
“We have more important things to worry ourselves about than my health,” Leo deadpanned.
“I am not worried about your physical health, you seem strong as a bull. But I can tell you’re not well, so tell me so we can move on.”
“This is exactly what we are doing. You are helping me put this nasty chapter behind me.”
“I have to insist on informing you that there is one aspect of this chapter that will remain very much in your life after all this is over.”
Leo ground his jaw and clenched his fists. Edwin was talking about Prim. And the last thing Leo wanted to talk about was that particular subject. For the past two weeks had been very grateful that he had a goal, something to focus on that was not his domestic life. Or more accurately, the luck thereof.
“You said you received word from the man we sent to retrieve the evidence,” Leo decided to change the subject.
“He sent me a message that he would be here tonight with everything that we need.”
“We should have done this ourselves.”
“You think it would be prudent for two Dukes, that almost everyone knows, to walk around in these parts of the city, asking questions, demanding answers.”
“I am sure I would have gotten the answers I wanted.”
“I have no doubt that you could have employed all the skills that you had gained in the ring and be very persuasive in your inquiries. I am not talking about the success of this endeavor. I am talking about the consequences.”
“To hell with the consequences!”
“And this is exactly why I didn't allow you to go.”
Leo ignored Edwin and started pacing in his study. It was very late at night and Leo hadn’t slept for a few days, he hadn't slept for two weeks very well, but he felt quite energetic, the agitation giving him the drive that he needed to stay alert.
“Leo,” Edwin dared. “Abigail told me-”
“This is not the moment. Focus on what we have to do.”
“Very well. I have promised I would help you and I will stay true to my word. However, after all this is done, we really need to talk.”
“I am not sure how talking would help solve anything. We will talk, only after all this is over.”
Edwin nodded and, as if the universe expected this conclusion of the conversation, there was a knock on the door. Leo flew, opened the door, and there was the man whom they had sent with instructions to find certain things.
The man, draped in his dark cloak and his hat dropped low, said nothing, just gave Leo a stack of papers, and then said one simple sentence.
“The man was taken at the place you instructed.”
“What did he say?” Leo asked.
