“In,” I tell him, giving him a little push in his lower back so that he gives a little stumble into the dungeon room.
Julian has been sleeping, or wants to give the impression of it, stretching and yawning noisily as I turn on the dim overhead light. He rolls up to a sitting position and musses at his hair, rubs his eyes. Those eyes brighten when he sees I’m not alone. “What’s this, brother dear? Have you brought me a toy?”
Once more, I hesitate. Being stuck in an enclosed space with Julian for any length of time is a cruel and unusual punishment indeed. I compromise by putting Teddy into the barred cell right at the end, so that Julian’s, nearest the door, is the furthest away it can be.
Teddy goes into the cell obediently, but when I see his attention is on Julian, who stares back at him with interest, an ugly streak runs through me.
Julian, the Golden Child. ThebeautifulCastellani. It’s only natural that Teddy should want to gaze on him. Julian’s good looks have hypnotized countless fools.
“That’s your brother,” he murmurs to me. “Right?”
“Julianus Aurelius,” Julian calls down. “Butyoucan call me Julian. And you are?”
“None of your concern,” I say at once, and then into Teddy’s ear, I whisper a warning. “Don’t speak to him, if you value your sanity.” I step back, prepare to slide the cell door shut.
But Teddy turns, arms going around himself. “It’s socolddown here.”
“There’s a blanket.” I nod at the metal bunk, where a thin blanket is folded neatly at the end of it. Teddy looks at it, then back at me, and to my horror, his eyes fill with tears.
I mutter a curse under my breath, and strip off my jacket, coming back into the cell to throw it around his shoulders.
His surprise is evident in the lift of his brows, but he clutches it tight around him. “Thank you,” he says softly.
I ignore his thanks and leave the cell, slamming the door shut behind me and locking it firmly. He comes closer to the bars, dropping his voice.
“I meant it, Alessandro,” he says, his tongue sliding sweetly over my name. “Icanhelp you.”
I say nothing. I turn, snap off the light, and leave the cells.
When I reach the house proper, I call for Wilson. He appears only five minutes later, hair combed, but dressed in a quilted robe. Still, it may as well be his daily uniform, given how formal it appears. “My guest will be staying in the rooms below the Manor. See to it that he is provided with warm bedding for the night.”
Wilson displays no surprise at all. “At once, sir.” He turns to leave.
“Wait.”
“Sir?”
I don’t let myself think too long on it. “Take down an extra blanket for my half-brother, too.”
CHAPTER7
TEDDY
“I didn’t catch your name.”
I jump at the sound. I’m still standing at the bars of the cell, staring after Alessandro, trying not to freak out again.
Don’t speak to him, if you value your sanity.
I pull Alessandro’s jacket around me even tighter, snuggling down into it so that the collar comes up to my ears. I bury my nose in the lapel, and I can smellhiminstead of the horrible stench in these cells, smell that cologne he wears, and it comforts me, despite the fact that he’s the one who put me in here.
But he didn’t have to give me his jacket. That was kind of him.
My eyes are beginning to adjust, and I make my way over to the depressing bunk sticking out from the brick wall, and sit down.
“It’s very rude not to introduce yourself when asked.”
The voice—Julian’s voice—is reproving. Maybe if I tell him my name, he’ll shut up. “Teddy.”
