The Human Part

Fake Sammy struggled against the restraints binding him to the chair, the scrape of wood against stone echoing through the dimly lit dungeon.

Leo stood in front of him, slowly pulling a pair of brass knuckles over his fingers.

The man’s face drained of colour.

“My lord, please. I already told you—I don’t know anything.”

Leo drove his fist into his stomach.

The chair lurched backwards. Fake Sammy doubled over as far as the restraints allowed, choking for breath.

Leo caught the chair and dragged it upright again.

“Please…”

Another blow struck him across the jaw.

“Stop, Leo,” Rowland said.

Leo lowered his fist.

Fake Sammy sagged against the chair, breathing hard. His eyes remained fixed on the brass knuckles.

Rowland stepped closer.

“Who sent you?”

The man looked at Leo, then quickly back at Rowland.

“I’ll only talk to him.”

Leo’s expression darkened.

Fake Sammy shrank back in the chair.

“Alone. Please.”

Rowland studied him for a moment, then looked towards Leo.

Nothing was said.

Leo understood immediately. He pulled the brass knuckles from his hand and walked towards the dungeon door.

Fake Sammy watched him until the heavy door closed behind him.

Then he turned urgently towards Rowland.

“My lord. My lord, don’t worry. I’m on your side.”

Rowland said nothing.

“Please, you have to protect me. I’m only doing this because he told me to.”

Rowland’s expression hardened.

“Who told you?”

Fake Sammy stared at him.

“Your father.”

A beat passed.

“Duke Harold.”

Rowland’s expression didn’t change.

Fake Sammy hurried on.

“My lord, you don’t have to worry. Your title and position will remain exactly as they are. I’m here on his orders.”

Rowland stared at him.

“This is only a ruse. Nobody is going to take the title away from you.”

The man leaned forward against his restraints, desperation creeping into his voice.

“I understand how much you want it. Once this is over, I’ll be gone. You’ll remain Crown Prince.”

Rowland’s eyes hardened.

“You understand how much I want it?”

Fake Sammy nodded quickly.

“Yes, my lord.”

For several seconds, Rowland simply stared at him.

Then he turned towards the dungeon door.

“Leo.”

The door opened almost immediately.

Fake Sammy’s face fell.

Rowland walked past him without another glance.

“Do whatever you see fit with him.”

Leo stepped back into the dungeon.

“And let Andrew know what transpired here.”

***********

Rowland, Sybill, Elena, Silvi, and Sammy sat together, contemplating everything that had happened earlier.

“So the assassins are still paralysed?” Elena asked.

“That was one hell of an electrocution spell, Sibi,” Sammy said.

Sybill looked towards him.

“Your mom was the about to get the killed, Sammy.”

Silvi nodded.

“It had to be done.”

“So, I was thinking…” Elena said, leaning forward. “Mariana had Natalie exiled, and she was involved with Dad losing his sight.”

She looked towards Rowland.

“And Harold had Sammy kidnapped.”

Her expression tightened.

“Are they working together?”

“What evidence do we actually have?” Silvi asked.

Sammy gave a humourless laugh.

“At this point? Plenty. The carriage, the men I recognised, and now this idiot naming Harold himself.”

Silence settled over the room.

Rowland lowered his gaze.

“So where does my mother stand in all of this?”

Nobody answered immediately.

“She did order the gardeners to plant the blooming nightshade,” Rowland said.

“Yes, but everything Grandmaster Erasmus told us pointed the other way,” Elena said. “The clarifying tincture, the villagers making it for her, the supplies she sent them…”

“And her loyalty to Mom,” Sammy added. “She absolutely adores her.”

“It could be the manipulation,” Sybill said.

Everyone looked towards her.

“She loves the Harold too much.”

For the first time, every single one of them realised Sybill’s observation had been spot on.

Long before any of them had pieced together the evidence, Sybill had already figured out the human part.