Chapter 43 Northern plains
“When were you going to tell me?”
Isabella barged into his room, her expression accusatory.
“Tell you what?” Lucien's brows were raised in innocence.
She stared at him pointedly, as if to say Really?’
“Oh, that?” He shrugged.
“That.” She was not giving in.
Lucien sighed. He knew how this was going to end if he did not bend to her will.
“What do you want to know?” He waved her in, even though she'd let herself into his private room.
“Everything.” She said sternly.
“That's impossible.” His expression was light.
Isabella rolled her eyes, as she sat on the bed, a few feet away from him. “Everyone's tongues are wagging, but no one is saying anything meaningful.”
“Have I told you how beautiful you look when you're mad?” He was seated behind the desk, a map before him.
“A few times yes, but that is not the subject of the conversation.” Isabella's lips thinned.
“Vain, aren't you?” Lucien drawled.
“Can't help it, yunno.” Her expression turned serious. “Complimenting me won't take away the seriousness of the matter at hand, Lucien.”
Lucien sighed resignedly. “What do you want to know?”
She glanced at her wristwatch. “If I remember correctly, you asked me something similar to this, some three minutes ago?” It was not a question.
“Fine, come over here.” He waved her over.
“Pretty sure you heard what happened to Sam.”
Isabella nodded, her eyes filled with unasked questions.
“It's all a ruse.”
Her eyes widened at his admission. “What…how? What's the end game?” She blurted.
Lucien stopped himself from rolling his eyes. “We need as many allies as we can get.”
“He beat you to it, didn't he?”
“That has been sorted.” Lucien waved her off.
Isabella shook her head, disagreeing. “You promised to keep me in the loop of what you were planning.”
“And I am right now, aren't I?” Lucien said frustratedly.
“Really?” She stared hard at him. “How convenient it should be that I hear the rumours from the maids in the kitchen.”
Lucien mentally facepalmed himself. “You are right,” he admitted.
His immediate admission of guilt stripped Isabella of all the fight she had stored in her.
“You…you're admitting it?” She stuttered, clearly taken by surprise.
Lucien nodded, a small mischievous smile playing on his lips.
“I've got a plan though, and I plan to use your sister.” He said, changing the course's direction.
“What?” Isabella whipped her head to stare at him in surprise. “You will be putting her life in danger.”
Lucien shook his head, but Isabella apparently wasn't done.
“Damien is going to kill Victoria the moment he realises she lied to him.”
“Which is why she'll have to do it carefully.” A lazy expression was plastered on Lucien's face.
“That's a huge risk, Lucien…”
“Since when do you care so much about her?” Damien teased, as he looked at her intentionally, studying her features.
“What…” Isabella stumbled. “I don't. What makes you think I do?” She was looking everywhere but at him.
“What's your plan concerning her?” She blurted.
Lucien shrugged. “That's not what is most important.”
“What is?” Isabella asked exasperatedly. She couldn't seem to fathom the reason why he was playing mind games with her.
Without waiting for a response from him, she walked to the table where he sat.
“I think I can see why you're so distracted.” She hummed, as her eyes focused on the colourings and the pins attached to them.
Lucien stood slowly and walked over to where she stood, covering her hands with his as he drew her closer to himself.
“What do these things stand for?” She pointed at the markings on the map.
“Why don't I tell you about Damien and Sam instead?” Lucien closed the map gently, as he led her to the couch, before seating her down gently.
Isabella covertly rolled her eyes. She would let him distract her, then ask him the questions she really wanted to ask him when he was done.
“Tell me,” she nodded.
Lucien cleared his throat before speaking. “We agreed to help the weaker faction from the attack…”
“Err…” Isabella interrupted him gently. “By we, do you mean it was a joint decision?”
Lucien nodded. “Actually,” he shook his head hurriedly. “I'd asked Damien for some suggestions out of courtesy and he'd brought it up.”
“What?” Isabella was mortified. “Why would you do that?” Her expression was filled with horror.
“Because I wanted to know what was running through the man's brain.”
“And you did.” She said quietly.
Lucien smiled. “I did. Now, can you stop interrupting me and let me talk?”
Isabella raised her hands in defence. “This is what you get when you shut me out continuously.” She snickered.
Lucien's throaty laugh filled the room. “You're right. Anyways, we opted to throw our weight behind the stronger faction.”
“Why?”
Lucien's stare made her stop, a smile playing on her lips. “Sorry,” she mouthed.
“Damien had convinced us that the weaker faction would be able to oppress.”
Isabella nodded, urging him impatiently.
“I'd agreed to the proposition already before I realised the long game Damien was playing. It was already too late.”
“And?” Isabella couldn't help it. For the life of her, she couldn't understand why he was choosing his words carefully.
“The weaker faction was a good one for the pack. A war-free kingdom.” He added almost immediately.
“But this one,” he swallowed hard. “It's coming hard, Isabella…”
Isabella placed her hands on his lips, shutting him up. “Let's not go there.” She whispered. “You still haven't told me about Sam.”
“Oh yeah,” Lucien's voice was back to normal, the vulnerability gone, as quickly as it had come.
“They're all interlinked.” He laughed softly. “Sam was to aid the stronger faction, making sure they won before we sent the army…”
Isabella scrunched her face in confusion. “Wait, I don't get. We're working against the clan?”
“For now.”
“Okay, she said simply.
“In return, they then would serve as our allies when the time for war came.”
“Smart,” she mouthed.
“I wish,” Lucien said wistfully. “We were too late.”
“H…how…why?” She stammered.
Lucien shrugged. “He got there before us. Sent his men in my name and the rest is history…” he trailed.
“But that's wrong.”
The seriousness of the matter was the only thing keeping Lucien from bursting out in laughter. Her innocence was endearing.
“You could punish him, Lucien. He impersonated you.” She said heatedly.
“In a different situation, yes. It does call for punishment. But in one like this, there's absolutely no need. In his defence, the clan needed to act fast.”
His words deflated Isabella’s hope, making her shoulders deflate, literally.
“And Sam?” She asked hopefully. She still wasn't fond of him, but he was Lucien's most trusted man. She had slowly come to tolerate him.
“He's safe.”
Isabella exhaled in relief.
“Also helped some of the injured members of the stronger faction escape. They're recuperating in a safe place, while bidding their time.”
Isabella nodded. “That has to count for something, doesn't it?” Her voice had regained a tinge of hope.
“It does,” Lucien said silently. His eyes looked lost, nothing like the valiant man Isabella had come to know.
“And the map, I saw the letters, Lucien.” She added, before he could say anything.
“I'm thinking of going to the northern plains. We have to convince these old folks to be on our side.”
“Alone?” Dread filled Isabella's heart.
“Yes,”
“I'm coming with you.” Her tone was strong.
“No, you can't. It's not safe.”
Isabella narrowed her eyes. “Tell that to someone else, not to me. I'm more than capable of handling these things.”
“Yes, you are. No one's arguing these things. It's just…” he trailed.
“Just what?” She asked suspiciously.
“These people are really built on traditions. They are going to give us their support. At least, that's what I'm hoping for because they're big on bonds.”
“There's a bit, isn't there?” Her smile was bitter.
“We have the bond. What we share is natural, Isabella.” His hands covered hers protectively.
“But,” she urged, not giving in.
“They're also wary of your blood,” Lucien admitted.
“It's not really that scary, is it?” Her voice trembled. She was trying hard not to give in to the tears that had pooled in her eyes.
“It’s not.” Lucien's voice was soothing.
“But the moonlit blood…the blood that makes Vampires go crazy.” he rasped as the words left his mouth.
“So, they're afraid of the chaos I will cause?” Warmth had returned back to her voice.
“Yes,”
She nodded, deep in thought. “Do I make you go crazy?”
The question was sudden, taking Lucien by surprise.
“What?” He stuttered.
“Yup, I definitely do make you go crazy.” Her smile was lit, brightening up the entire room.
Lucien shook his head in amusement. “You are right. You make me grow crazy.” His hands landed on her waist, as he closed the gap between them, before claiming her mouth in his.
“You make me do things I…” Lucien stopped as the door opened suddenly.