Disguised Vengeance

Chapter 20

long update! i hope you guys liked it :)

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With lightning quick reflexes, Jase slid the sword under his pillow at the exact moment the doors to his chambers opened and shut. Sitting upright on the edge of the four-poster bed, Jase squinted in the moonlight, trying to make out the figure standing motionlessly by the large oak doors.

The pair stared at each other in the dark, each waiting for the other to make the first move or break the deafening silence. Jase’s heartbeat accelerated as he considered the possible explanations for this unexpected intrusion. Had somebody discovered his plan to assassinate the king? Was he going to be charged for treason? Was Nathan responsible? Did Catherine know? Did she hate him for it?

Deciding that he wasn’t going down without a fight, Jase reached for the hidden weapon just as the figure stepped out from within the shadows and spoke.

“May I spend the night here?”

“Your Highness?” Jase replied, withdrawing his outstretched arm but remaining alert and wary.

“Cade,” a childish voice amended.

The soft moonlight illuminated the child’s boyish features. His pale skin seemed to glow, repelling the darkness around him.

“May I ask why, Your Highness?” Jase tilted his head slightly to the side, examining the boy to determine if he was a threat. Despite his cynical view of the world, Jase had a hard time believing that this innocent young child could bring him harm.

“No you may not.” Cade lifted his chin stubbornly. Jase knew exactly from whom Cade had picked up such a habit. “And my name is ‘Cade’, not ‘Your Highness.’”

Frowning, Jase mentally analyzed the possible reasons behind Cade’s strange request. As if on cue, a flash of lighting ripped the blackened sky in half. An angry rumble of thunder ensued. Cade jumped involuntarily before hastily pressing his palms against his ears; his head bowed and his eyes squeezed shut.

Jase’s eyes lit with understanding. “It is a terrifying storm,” he stated conversationally when Cade finally lowered his hands. Jase surprised himself with the gentleness in his voice.

“I wouldn’t call it terrifying. More uncomfortable than anything else,” Cade replied offhandedly, but the fear in his eyes was blatantly apparent.

Suppressing a smile at the child’s pride, Jase slapped the vacant side of the bed and said, “Aren’t you sleepy, Cade?” Although he didn’t miss the grateful smile Cade flashed him, Jase chose to ignore it. There was something about the royal family of Bellerania that triggered the buried emotions, good or bad, within him. The lost of control was disconcerting.

The mattress dented slightly as Cade crawled into bed. With his hands interlocked behind his head, Jase shut his eyes as dark thoughts crept into his mind, painting the back of his eyelids black and red. He was uncomfortably aware of how close he had come to revenge. His great plans hindered by a lad who was terrified of thunder. A battle between disappointment and relief took place amidst the ongoing war between revenge and forgiveness.

Jase tossed and turned on the mattress as sleep eluded him. Thinking that Cade was soundly asleep, Jase sighed softly. He was afraid to close his eyes for fear of nightmares that had been gradually increasing in intensity with each passing day in this kingdom. 

“When I can’t sleep I count sheep,” Cade advised. “If I still can’t sleep I count carrots. If I really, really can’t sleep, I count sheep eating carrots.”