129

Alistair

I sit at my desk in my office, staring at the papers scattered in front of me. It's been a long day, filled with meetings and preparations for the coming conflict. But even with all the chaos surrounding me, my mind keeps drifting back to the curse.

Thankfully, Maryanne was able to stop the curse before it could get too far. But the fact that someone was able to place a curse is a worrying sign. Who knows what other dangers lurk in the shadows, waiting to strike?

I rub my temples, trying to push aside the negative thoughts. I have enough to worry about with the coming conflict and my brother, Talon, who has sided with the enemy and hates humans. I know he will probably betray me, but I have to try and save my precious humans.

I glance up as the door to my office opens, revealing Talon. He saunters in, a smug smile on his face. "Still holed up in your office, trying to save your precious humans?" he says, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

I stand, my fists clenched at my sides. "What do you want? I don't have time for your games."

He shrugs, his smile never faltering. "I just came to see how the great vampire prince is holding up. It can't be easy, preparing for war while also dealing with a pesky curse."

I narrow my eyes, suspicion rising inside me. "What do you know about the curse?"

He laughs, the sound cold and empty. "Oh, nothing. Just that curses can be a powerful tool, especially when used against one's enemies."

I take a step towards him, my voice low and dangerous. "Are you saying that you had something to do with the curse?"

Talon holds up his hands in mock surrender. "Whoa, brother. I'm just saying that curses can be a useful weapon. But don't worry, I'm sure you'll figure out who the real enemy is before it's too late."

I take another step towards him, my fists still clenched at my sides. "I won't let you or anyone else bring about such destruction. I will do everything in my power to protect what's mine, and what is meant to be."

Talon snorts, his eyes flashing with anger. "Your precious humans. Your precious order and justice. You always were a fool. Humans are nothing but weak, inferior creatures. They don't deserve your protection."

I feel a surge of disgust towards my brother. How could he be so cruel and delight in it?

"You can hate humans all you want, Talon. But I will not stand by and let you or anyone else harm them. This is my home, and I will protect it. You might think you understand what's at stake, but you know nothing."

Talon sneers at me, his lip curling in disgust. "You are a fool if you really believe that, Alistair. You always have been. But mark my words, your precious humans, your precious morals, will be the death of you. And when they are, I'll be there to enjoy the suffering. I'll dance with glee as the world falls apart around you."

With a cold laugh, he turns and stalks out of my office, leaving me alone with my thoughts and my determination to protect what's important to me at all costs.

I turn away from the door, my thoughts still swirling with anger and confusion. It's clear that my brother has made some poor choices and is capable of such treachery. But I can't let my personal feelings cloud my judgement, it's beyond clear now that there was never any hope for rehabilitating Talon from monster to man. I need to focus on the bigger picture, and that means finding out what Talon is up to.

I make my way back to my desk, still lost in thought. As I sit down, I am startled by a sudden movement in the shadows.

"Mercy?" I say, turning towards the movement.

My sister steps out of the shadows, her expression serious. "I heard what happened with Talon. I didn't think you wanted me to interfere."

I nod, relieved to see her. "You're right. It's best if he doesn't learn of your skills. What have you learned so far?"

Mercy's expression darkens. "I've been keeping an eye on him, and I've noticed something strange. He's been pacing around the front gate, and Galina said she saw him slip out the rear gate, where Esme reported the creature we think placed the curse escaped."

I nod, a sense of dread settling in my chest. "That's what I thought. I need you to keep an eye on him, and see what you can find out. Be careful, and report back to me as soon as you have any information."

Mercy nods, her expression serious. "I will, Alistair. You can count on me."

With a nod, she disappears back into the shadows, leaving me alone with my thoughts and my determination to uncover the truth.

As the hours pass, I continue to pour over my plans for the coming conflict, at least what plans I've been able to make with such limited information. Try as I might, the feeling of unease that has settled over me remains. Talon's words keep echoing in my mind, and I can't shake the feeling that he knows something I don't.

I'm so lost in thought that I almost don't hear the knock on my office door. I look up, startled, as the door creaks open and Esme peeks her head in.

"Hey, love," she says, a concerned look on her face. "Are you busy?"

I shake my head, gesturing for her to come in. "Not at all. What's on your mind?"

She enters the room, taking a seat in the chair across from me. "It's Maryanne. She's been acting strange today. I don't know if it's just the stress of the curse, or if there's something else going on."

I frown, my unease deepening. "What do you mean?"

Esme bites her lip, her eyes flickering to the door. "I don't want to cause any trouble, but I've noticed her sneaking around and acting secretive. I just have a bad feeling about it."

I nod, my mind racing. Maryanne is one of the few people I've trusted unconditionally until now, but maybe that needs to change. It could be stress, but with everything going on, I can't just write it off as I normally would.

I reach across the desk, taking Esme's hand in mine. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, love. I'll look into it. In the meantime, keep an eye on her and report back to me if you notice anything else."

Esme nods, her expression relieved. "Of course, Alistair. I'll do whatever I can to help."

As she leaves the room, I can't shake the feeling that the danger is closing in on all sides. I need to stay vigilant and uncover the truth, no matter how difficult it may be.

~~~

Author's Note: Did you know that Yesterday (Jan 7) was my birthday? I didn't... I'd forgotten, so my husband confiscated my computer and didn't give it back until after I went with him to play bingo today!