The Betrayal Read online

  “My goodness, it has been such a long time since I have danced so much. I think I might need to walk around to stretch my legs a bit. Is there somewhere we can go to get some air?”

  Oryn looked around the ballroom.

  “There is a hall there that leads to an outside courtyard I believe. Owyn, would you be so kind as to escort our girl here?”

  Owyn offered his arm to Elsa.

  “It would be my pleasure.”

  Chapter Ten

  They headed out of the ballroom and Elsa sighed, breathing deeply.

  “I can finally breathe! I forgot how crowded these events can get.”

  “I agree completely. That is why I rarely go to balls. I am not one for such large crowds,” Owyn said, walking slowly down the hall so that they could take their time.

  He was sure that there would be other couples out in the courtyard already, so he was not going to be in any hurry. Finding someone in a compromising position was not on the agenda for tonight.

  “So have you seen Lord Melbourne’s courtyard before?” she asked.

  He shook his head.

  “I have never had the pleasure of escorting anyone outside of the ballroom to see it. This will be my first time.”

  Elsa smiled at that and then fell silent.

  They stopped when they heard giggling and a woman saying, “My Lord, you are so naughty. In the hallway where anyone could stop and catch us?”

  “My Lord” laughed at that and said, “There is no one coming down here. I will show you.”

  Owyn looked around and saw a small alcove in the wall, pulling Elsa into it as the footsteps of the pair came closer.

  “See, my dear, no one will be the wiser to our little rendezvous. Now come here and kiss me.”

  They didn’t say anything more, but Owyn and Elsa could hear their sounds of passion coming through the dark.

  “Oh yes, My Lord. I want you so!” the woman said, giggling when she was shushed by the man.

  Elsa rolled her eyes when the pair dissolved into a fit of moans and grunts.

  When at last, there were no more sounds, Owyn leaned out a bit to see if the couple were still there.

  “Now wasn’t that nice, my dear?” My Lord said.

  Owyn quickly slipped back into the alcove.

  “It was. I would love to do it again. Many times.”

  “I think we can arrange that.”

  Owyn pulled Elsa close to him and they huddled as close to the wall as they could as the couple walked by, Owyn having to hold in his laughter. When they had fully disappeared and Owyn deemed the coast clear, he turned to Elsa. Their eyes met and he forgot everything he was going to say to her.

  The fact that they had just heard a couple make love was not lost on either of them, and both of them had become unabashedly aroused. Owyn’s hand on her waist squeezed and Elsa gasped softly, digging her nails into his coat. He leaned down and she stood up straighter, bringing their lips together. Elsa wrapped her arms around Owyn’s waist as he grabbed a bunch of her skirt in his hands, pulling it up her leg.

  He stepped closer to her as his tongue delved deeper into her mouth, pressing her body to his and her leg between his. His arousal pressed against her stomach and Elsa was able to feel the heat of his body seeping into hers.

  “Owyn…” she whispered when his mouth broke away from hers to nip at her neck, the small gasps and moans coming from her urging him on.

  He growled softly against the pale skin of her neck, excited by the sounds she made. When his fingers touched her bare skin, she gasped and reached her arm towards the wall, pressing hard against it to keep her balance.

  Owyn caressed the smooth skin of her outer thigh and smiled against her neck when she writhed against him. Slowly, he worked his fingers between her legs, teasing and caressing, making Elsa shiver with desire. Elsa wriggled against his hand as her body heated, the spot between her legs pulsing, reverberating through her body.

  His fingers found the soft hair at the apex of her thighs, caressing her outer lips before sliding his fingers down to caress her swollen folds. Elsa arched against him and sighed, pressing her hips to his fingertips, desperate for relief from the desire building inside her. She pushed against him and growled low, unable to relieve the pressure.

  Owyn laughed softly against her neck and plunged his fingers inside her, Elsa gasping loudly. She shifted and spread her legs, wanting his fingers deeper inside her. She moaned and moved her hips against him, thrusting his fingers inside of her.

  Owyn groaned deeply against her neck and moved with her, mimicking with his fingers what he wanted to do with his body. He was so hard that had he wanted to, he could have taken Elsa against the wall in the hallway. With that thought swimming in his mind, he started to thrust his fingers faster, his thumb coming up to find her swollen nub, caressing it and tweaking it.

  When Owyn felt her body contract, he pulled back a little, sadistically wanting to draw it out for her. Elsa groaned in frustration when he pulled away, irritated that she was so close to relief and he was taking that away.

  She pulled her arm from around his waist and ran it down his front, unexpectedly bumping his now very large arousal. Owyn hissed through his teeth as her hand came in contact with him. She smiled an evil smile and quickly undid his trousers, stopping when Owyn grabbed her hand in his.

  “We can’t,” he said.

  Elsa leaned in and kissed him hard, Owyn’s hand falling away as she kissed him senseless. Her hand clasped him firmly, moving up and down his shaft, the sensation almost bringing Owyn to climax.

  He thrust his fingers deep inside her again and she almost screamed, the sensation almost too much for her to bear. She moved against him as she moved her hand on him, falling into rhythm with him as they pleasured one another. Elsa’s scream as she climaxed was swallowed by his lips and as her body contracted around his hand, he felt his climax coming on.

  He had just enough time to reach into his pocket and grab his handkerchief and put it over him before he spilled his seed, the release hitting him so hard he slumped against Elsa, the wall the only thing holding the two of them up.

  Elsa shivered against Owyn as the contractions of her release resounded through her body, the feel of Owyn’s body against her making her heart race even more.

  She heard voices coming down the hallway and sighed, upset by the intrusion. Owyn heard them too so he leaned up and off her, leaving her feeling slightly bereft without him.

  They fixed their clothes quickly, Owyn having a harder time of it than Elsa because Owyn was still almost hard. It amazed him that he was still ready after having just achieved a climax. He decided he would worry about that later.

  The footsteps stopped not five feet away from where they were hiding, and they couldn’t help but be intrigued by the conversation that the people were having.

  “The queen is safe where she is. No one will be able to find her. Are you sure that there hasn’t been any information given out about her?” A voice came from the dark, revealing that there was at least one man.

  Another voice came through the dark, also a man.

  “There have been whispers of notes out there that contain information of her whereabouts. I have heard that they are only showing up on Malachite Expanse, so whoever is here must know where she is.”

  “But how would they have heard unless they knew the plan and decided to run away and no longer participate. That would mean we have a traitor in our ranks!”

  The other man shushed the first.

  “Be quiet, you fool! The traitor is no longer in our ranks, but hiding out somewhere on this island. He would have too far to travel if he had to come here from another island. We will notify the man in black and let him know what we have found, and he will take it from there. Now let’s get out of here. There are too many people here to do what we need to do.”

  Owyn and Elsa listened as the footsteps faded away, Elsa finally letting the breath out that she had been holding.

>   “They know where the queen is!” she whispered emphatically.

  “I know, but I can’t help but wonder what exactly it is that they need to do. It is no longer safe. They know about the riddles. We need to find our riddler and soon, before any harm comes to him and we can no longer get any information out of him.”

  Twenty minutes later, Owyn and Elsa were in the carriage, riding back to Greenlyre in silence. Elsa was still processing what had just happened between them and what that now meant for them. Owyn was ready to repeat what he had decided was a pleasurable experience.

  He wondered though if that meant he should just marry her since they seemed so compatible, or if he should wait and see if anything else came of it. He knew though that she was the best match for him. He wasn’t sure how but he did.

  It was the way she smiled at him even though she didn’t think he knew and her quick wit always entertained him. Elsa was smart and funny, and very beautiful, and seemed in every way a compatible match to him.

  Did he love her though? His parents loved one another very much and continued to this very day. He had never seen them unhappy with one another, except for when they argued; but even those seemed to be worked out.

  He wanted love, and even if he did love her, did she love him back?

  Owyn was almost overwhelmed by the idea of loving her. He had never loved anyone before. It was quite a novelty to him.

  They arrived back at Greenlyre an hour later, and Owyn was notified as soon as he walked through the door that there was a note left for him by a child.

  Elsa and Owyn looked at one another and Owyn called for the note to be brought to him. They went into the parlor to wait for the note and when it was finally brought to them, Owyn quickly ripped it open to reveal what was inside.

  They were surprised to see that it did not contain a riddle like they had previous received. Instead, it contained an actual note.

  Owyn and Elsa looked at each other in curiosity.

  “This is unusual,” she said, looking down at the note.

  “Unusual but thankfully not in Foyeile,” he replied, opening the note fully.

  He read the note and then handed it to her.

  “Well, the murder was solved before we arrived here at Greenlyre so that is one thing he doesn’t have to worry about. The fact that he was worried about that showed that he at least has a conscience,” she said, folding the note back up.

  “He wants to meet with us at the old mine where I found the second note,” he said, looking at her.

  “Do you think it is safe? He hasn’t harmed anyone this far, but I don’t know exactly how far he would go to keep his identity a secret.”

  “Well, if he wants to meet in person, I think we should do it. This may be our only chance to find out exactly where the queen is. He is the only person who knows that we can reach out to. He will be there tomorrow night waiting for us. Do you want to go?” he asked.

  She was still very worried about going out there.

  “I will protect you,” he said, taking her hands in his.

  She looked up into his eyes.

  “I know.”

  He smiled at her and let go of her hands, taking a step away from her.

  “Let’s go to bed and tomorrow we can work out a plan for the evening.”

  She nodded and took his arm as he walked her upstairs and to her room, pressing a kiss to her cheek before leaving her at her door. Elsa couldn’t help but smile and blush as he walked away.

  The next morning, they met in the dining room to discuss the situation once again. They worked out a plan for Oryn to go with them and hide, waiting for a signal to come if they needed help. Elsa couldn’t help but be nervous about the whole thing, but she was sure that with Owyn and Oryn there, they would be safe.

  Evening fell upon Greenlyre and Owyn and Elsa got ready to go, with Oryn following them, but keeping a safe distance from them to keep from spooking their mystery writer.

  Owyn reached over and took Elsa’s hand in his and smiled encouragingly.

  “Don’t worry, we will be all right. I am glad to have Oryn here to help if need be. There is no one else I would trust with my life than my twin.”

  Elsa squeezed his hand.

  “I believe you.”

  They headed out to the mine in almost complete darkness, the only light they had was the moon shining on them, and it wasn’t very bright.

  “I hope Oryn can see us in this darkness,” Owyn said, looking around, barely able to make out Elsa’s face.

  “That is not as reassuring as your previous statement,” Elsa said, laughing as Owyn scowled.

  They finally arrived at the mine and Owyn slipped off his horse, looking around for any sign of their riddler. When he didn’t see anyone, he motioned for Elsa to stay on her horse, not comfortable with letting her get off yet.

  “Owyn…” she started.

  He held up his hand to silence her.

  “I told you to come alone.” A voice came from the darkness.

  “She is a friend. She has been the one who has been translating the notes you have been leaving me. She has every right to be here,” Owyn replied to the voice.

  “How can I know that?” he asked.

  “I am no traitor to the crown. I am here to help the queen and only the queen,” Elsa said from her horse.

  “I don’t have much time to argue so I will just accept your answer. I want you to know that the queen is not in any danger right now. She will be kept as a hostage to make the king do what the man in black wants. He knows the king does not have any real power so using the queen to make the king do what he wants is vital.”

  He stepped out into the slight moonlight, Owyn and Elsa looking towards them.

  “Who are you?” Owyn asked the man.

  “Why are you helping us?” Elsa asked.

  “My name is Angus, My Lord, and I’d care that you keep that to yourself. Angus McBride. If ever a day would come for someone to need me, I will be there. I am helping you because the queen does not deserve this. It was originally to be her father in her place. The plan was moved up a full year because she became queen. I feel bad that I wasn’t able to stop the plan in time. I feel shame every day because of it. That’s why I help you. I want to atone for my mistake. I fear I never will though.”

  Through the darkness, Owyn and Elsa could see him shake his head.

  “Atone now, sir, and tell us where the queen is,” Elsa said, looking down at Angus.

  “I cannot tell you exactly where she is. I am still afraid I might become a target myself, and I am much easier to reach than any of you. I can however give you this.”

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out another piece of paper.

  “This will tell you what you need to know.”

  “Just tell us what it says and we will leave you be,” Owyn said, refusing to take the paper.

  Angus shook his head.

  “I cannot. Have her translate it. I thank you, My Lord, for meeting with me. I’ll be on my way now.”

  Angus put the note down on a small ledge sticking out of the wall of the nearest mine to him, weighing the small piece of paper down with a rock before taking off.

  Owyn went to head out after him, but couldn’t see much of anything in the dark. The grounds were much too dangerous.

  “Grab the paper before it blows away!” Elsa said, watching as a gust blew up against the wall, wiggling the paper from its precarious perch.

  The small rock holding the paper down blew off, letting the paper free. Owyn reached out and grabbed it before it was lost. He looked down at the little piece of paper that held the answer they needed and sighed.

  “Let’s get back to Greenlyre so we can get the answer to this,” he said, getting back onto Blizzard.

  Elsa turned her horse around and followed him back to Greenlyre, ready to figure out what the new note said.

  Chapter Eleven

  Owyn and Elsa walked through the front door to Greenlyre more co
nfused than before.

  “I think that this night has had enough surprises. I am going to head to bed right now. We can go over the rhyme tomorrow morning,” Elsa said, heading to the stairs.

  “All right. I will see you in the morning,” Owyn replied, giving her a smile.

  She smiled back and headed up the stairs, Owyn following a few steps behind.

  When they arrived at her door, he leaned over and kissed her cheek.

  “Good night.”

  She smiled and headed into her room.

  “Good night.”

  A few hours later, Elsa sat up in her bed, unable to sleep.

  The meeting with Angus should have been on her mind, but the scene with Owyn was what occupied her thoughts, making her as excited as she was when it had happened. She rolled her eyes as she got out of bed, donning a dressing gown and sliding on her slippers to avoid getting cold feet.

  Easing the door to her room open, she headed down the hall and down the stairs to the library, hoping to find a book or something to get her mind off her earlier encounter with the lord of the house.

  She giggled, amused by thinking of him as the lord of the house. She slowly opened the library door, trying to avoid making any noise. Satisfied that no one had been bothered by her venture out of her room this late, she headed over to the large mahogany shelves. She ran her fingers over the spines of the books, loving the smell of the books that filled the room.

  Old books and new pages filled the room with a comforting smell, like the library at home. Elsa had loved books since she was very young, and was an avid reader. Excited now, she kept walking, noticing that Owyn had a lot of poetry. Intrigued now, she looked harder, wondering if she could find her favorite book, “The Poet’s Guide to Disappointing Love,” also by Sean Biddick.

  Disappointed not to find it on the shelves, she sat down at the desk where she had noticed a large stack of books had been set. Searching through them, she made a triumphant sound of victory when she found the book she was looking for.