Chapter 68: Confiding My Suspicions About Deliveries to Dimurah

“Why does he look at you?”

“I’ve never figured that out…I always wondered if in some way he’s apologizing…Or at least trying to warn me…I don’t know.” She shrugged. Sighing.

At least he warns someone. I wasn’t even sure he knew when he was going to kill someone.

“Dimurah?” Alazar said quietly. Peering sideways to verify Savage Jack hadn’t reentered the room.

“Hmm?” She moved some dishes. Inspecting the finery curiously.

Hasn’t she seen enough of them by now?

“Do you know what Savage Jack is doing in Ardae?”

She turned to look at him fully. “What are you asking me, Nauvree?”

He sighed and glanced toward the doorway. “Can you call me Alazar, while we’re here?”

Red brows lifted but she nodded. “What is it you’re asking me, Alazar?”

“What is he doing in Grier?”

“In?” She looked at him quizzically.

“Do you know why he’s feeding the commoners?”

“Feeding them!” She looked more shocked then when she’d heard Savage Jack was at Rhyers House. “Why is he doing that?”

If I knew, I wouldn’t be asking.

“That’s what I’m asking you!”

“Everything he does is based on a carefully planned strategy. He says he’s always playing chess.”

Chess?

An apt word for it.

“That I believe.” Alazar nodded grudgingly. “Is it possible he may be very different than any of us think?”

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

Kinder? More honest?

“Could his ulterior motives be pure?”

“No.” She shook her head firmly. “They can’t be. He’s never-he would’ve-no, he wouldn’t have-Maybe…” She subsided in confusion.

Maybe what? Now I’m confused.

“So, why would he do it?” Alazar persisted.

“I don’t know!” She huffed. Stomping a blue slippered foot. “He doesn’t tell me anything. Nothing regarding his plans!” She subsided into tears.

Uh…oh…Alazareth looked around slowly.

He won’t like coming back to find his woman alone with me, in tears. He glanced every direction for a way out. Feeling like a cornered animal.

Why do I have this effect on women? He was very frustrated. Feeling a bead of sweat emerging on his forehead. I should just avoid the bloody lot of them.

Just as Alazar had worried would happen, Savage Jack returned to the room to find Dimurah with hands over her face. Sobbing uncontrollably as she sat hunched in a chair.

“What’d you do?” His head whipped to Alazar.

Nope. No. Na-uh. Lifting his hands, he shook his head adamantly.

Pointing at her, he explained. “I had nothing to do with that!”

“Don’t you dare blame him!” Dimurah leapt to her feet. Pointing at the ground in her fury. Blue eyes accusing on Savage Jack who looked utterly baffled.

Savage’s brows lowered. Scanning from her to Alazareth.

Her defending me looks all the worse!

He knew what the man was thinking. No. No. That’s not true. I do not want your woman! This is going downhill fast!

“This is your fault!” She insisted, shouting.

Oh, he’s not going to react to that well. Alazar felt his stomach sinking. Movement in the doorway, slightly behind Savage Jack drew his eye.

Rhyers stood there shaking his head in disgust.

He hates emotional scenes. Alazar sympathized. He and I were always very much alike…

“Oh, is it?” Savage Jack asked dangerously. Gaze fixing on Alazar. “What pray, may that be?”

Rhyers looked up and exchanged a prolonged glance with Alazar who was evading Savage Jack’s glower. How do we get out of this?

“What precisely is my fault?” Savage Jack demanded. Icy gaze landing back on Dimurah.

Careful. Alazar strode toward the doorway, willing her as he retreated. Walking by Savage Jack.

But a flat palm against his chest stopped him. Savage Jack’s head turned slowly to settle that vicious blue gaze on him. “Where are you going, Nauvree?”

Anywhere but here.

“My Brethren need a word with me.” He tossed his head toward Rhyers.

Savage Jack’s head rotated so slowly, the beads in his hair creaked. He glanced over his shoulder at the slim man in the doorway.

Rhyers stared jaw agape before composing himself. Clearing his throat with a fist over his mouth, he linked his hands behind his back. “Quite so.”

You’re a terrible liar! Alazar realized. How can you be a spy and be that bad of a liar? He glared at Rhyers.

Savage Jack finally withdrew his hand.

He doesn’t want me to leave him alone with her. Alazar realized, feeling a quick pang of guilt for leaving a brother in need. Alazar tossed him a sympathetic glance before striding from the room in pace with Rhyers.

“Why are you upset with me?” His tone was chilled.

What does he feel when she rants at him? Alazareth wondered, not for the first time.

“Because you never share anything with me! You know this is the divide between us. You’re feeding the people of Ardae?” She dropped it like a wisp of fire on a room full of oil.

Alazar pushed Rhyers’ back, urging him to walk faster. We need out of range for him to catch us.

He won’t appreciate me spilling his business.

The long silence from inside the room was confirmation of that.

“Dimurah…” Savage Jack’s voice dropped.