Broken Road (Fate's Intent Book 7) Page 22

  The door opened and I shifted my eyes up to see Marina tuck her brown curls behind her ears with a sad expression on her face and hugged her arms tightly to her body. “What do you want?”

  Her voice made her sadness clear and I sensed a bit of anger in it as well but stuck to my plan. I just wanted answers. “May I come in so we can talk?”

  Marina glanced around outside and stepped aside to let me pass and closed the door.

  “Thank you.”

  “And what is it we need to talk about? How you never once mentioned to me that you were married?”

  I sighed. “Look, I’m sorry about that, okay? I really wasn’t thinking about that when I saw you but that’s not what I came to talk about.”

  “Then what?”

  “What happened last night?”

  Marina laughed. “Oh, I see! She’s pissed at you, isn’t she?”

  “Marina! This is not a joke!” I shouted over her laughter. “I need to know!”

  “Oh, well, nothing happened as far as physical contact goes.” That gave me just a moment to let my mind sigh in relief. “But that’s not what I’m going to tell her.”

  My eyes widened and confusion struck. “What?”

  “I have it all planned out.” Marina smiled, feeling awfully confident and proud of herself. “You see, I had a wonderful night as I always had with you. I thought that I was getting everything back. I thought you wanted me back but you just strung me along the whole way.”

  “No.”

  “So, I’m going to go to your wife sometime. You’re not going to know when, you’re not going to know where and I’m going to tell her of what a lying, cheating and completely self-centered man you are and I’m going to tell her in explicate detail of how willing you were to give my body the greatest pleasure you have to offer and hope that she never forgives you.”

  Who was this woman in front of me? I was disgusted by her words and just shook my head. “Why? That would be stupid of you. You say that to her face and she’ll just—”

  Marina laughed. “Oh, I’m well aware of who she is. I’ve asked around. This whole ridiculous thing of peace. You’ve went and knocked up some Kaluian tramp.”

  “Don’t.” I tried to keep my anger under control while Marina disrespected the woman I loved but she just seemed to keep provoking me. “You don’t know her and I won’t let you get anywhere near her.”

  “I know enough and you won’t stop me. I’ll make sure you stay miserable like you’ve made me.”

  I didn’t want to go on about it. I knew if I did, something bad would happen so I just turned away to leave.

  “In reality I feel bad for you. You’ve lost the chance at a child with full blood. Instead, you’ve spawned a little bastard mixed breed that could never live up to anything great.”

  I stopped in my tracks before I could reach the door and her words were all it took. My anger overtook every nerve, every muscle in my body and I was tense all over as I turned to her with a look of complete hatred. My eyes were narrowed, my jaw clenched behind my closed lips and I thought of doing things I never would have considered before. “Don’t you ever say shit about my family. You don’t know anything.”

  “Oh, Troy—” She stepped closer to me with this caring voice and looked me over. “Look at what they’ve done to you.”

  She reached her hand out to my chest but I just pushed it away. “Don’t touch me.”

  “Oh, baby. It’s okay. It’s me. I know you’re scared and confused about all of this but I can make it all better.”

  I relaxed and was beginning to see her as I once used to. “Can you?”

  “I can.” She put her hand on my chest but this time I didn’t push it away. “You don’t deserve all of this stress she’s brought on you but you and I, we can change all of that.” Her hands slid up around my neck as she took a step into me so our bodies were touching. “We can have everything we once shared all back. You’d like that, wouldn’t you? All we would have to do is end her and that little mistake, well, you wouldn’t need that. I could give you something better. Let it end with her.”

  I gripped around her back tighter and held her even closer to me. “I’m sorry, Marina.”

  “For what, my love?” Her breaths were instantly halted with a light gasp of pain and she slowly stepped away. “Troy?”

  I was holding a bloody dagger in my right hand and had a slightly regretful face as I looked into her eyes.

  Marina held her hand down by her stomach and there was blood just pouring from the wound. She collapsed down to the floor with quick heavy breaths. “Why?”

  “You threatened my family.”

  Tears started coming from her eyes as the blood kept spilling out all over the floor. “But we—”

  I was getting a little frustrated and kneeled down to her, gripping tightly at the back of her neck. “You must understand. I couldn’t let you get in the way.”

  “But you loved me.”

  “No.” I looked down at her wound and moved her hand so the blood wouldn’t be stopped. “I cared about you once but that’s over. I never loved you.”

  Marina was getting worse and her last words hung on me as she faded away. “Some friend then.”

  She was still and breathless with her eyes up on me. I was beginning to feel the regret hit me instantly and panic shot through me. I laid my head down on her for a moment and sucked in my emotions as best I could. “I’m sorry. I truly am.”

  I lifted my head from her lifeless body and struggled to get back up to my feet. I had blood on me and the dagger was still in my hand. I looked down at it in shock for what I had done and tossed it towards her to get it away from me. My whole body was shaking as I backed towards the door and I knew I had to get out of here.

  I left her house in a hurry and tried to walk in a non-suspicious fast pace back towards the palace. The blood on me was obvious but luckily no one stared long enough to notice. I wouldn’t even have noticed if they did. I was lost in my mind. I was still stricken with what I just done and accepting it wasn’t working. I broke the rule; the one rule I’d obeyed over the years as a Great Seni Fighter and I broke it in an instant.

  Ashamed of myself, I made it back to the palace and hurried to get up to my room before anyone saw. I bursts through the door, quickly slamming it behind me and Jaylyn was jumped by the window. She looked back and saw me leaned up against the back of the door with the blood on me. She probably thought it was mine and rushed over. “Troy! Are you okay? What happened?”

  “No. It’s okay.” I tried to explain. “I’m okay. It’s not mine. I’m fine. Everything’s fine.”

  “Everything’s not fine. What happened?”

  I started getting emotional and slid down the door as I shook my head. “No. Everything’s not fine.”

  “What happened?”

  “She’s dead.”

  “Who’s dead?”

  “Marina.”

  “You found her?”

  “No.” I looked into her eyes with that regret still consuming me. “I did it. I killed her.”

  “What? Why? What did she tell you?”

  I took a breath to calm myself down and spoke in a more normal voice. I had to tell someone and Jaylyn would be the one to understand most. “Last night, nothing happened between us.”

  “Then why—”

  “She was going to tell you that something did so you’d leave me and I’d be miserable like her.”

  “Is that—”

  “No. She spoke ill of our family, calling our son a mixed breed bastard. I couldn’t control myself after that. I didn’t go there with that plan at all. I just wanted to know but now she’s dead and it’s my fault. You couldn’t imagine how sorry I am.”

  Jaylyn got closer and put her arms around me. “You don’t need to be sorry, Troy. You did what you had to. You didn’t want her getting in the way of us.”

  “No, I didn’t but I still saw her as my friend. I feel terrible; a horrible friend.”
>
  Jaylyn pulled away and got me to look at her. “You’re not. This wasn’t all your fault. She should never have provoked you in the first place.”

  “But I deserved it. Through all of our conversations last night, she never knew that I was married. I apparently never mentioned it. She was under the impression that we’d get back together. I hurt her when she found out the truth.”

  “But she didn’t have to go about getting back at you the way she did. Troy, you’re my husband and you were protecting me, protecting our son. No one would blame you for wanting to do that. Do you see what I’m saying?”

  “Yeah, I do. I’d never want anyone to get between us.”

  “And no one will as long as you’re looking out for us. Don’t hold regrets for that.”

  I leaned right in and hugged her. “I’m sorry you had to see me that way.”

  “It’s all right. I’m not going to hate you for wanting to mourn a friend. You let me do that once and I’ll let you. Just don’t regret it. Don’t ever regret protecting your family.”

  “I won’t. Are we okay?”

  Jaylyn smiled. “Of course we are.”

  “Thank you but I know you only say that because she’s forever out of the way. I know you’re happy about it.”

  “I won’t lie to you, Troy. I am but it’s not because I was jealous that you had a past thing with her. I’m happy because you chose the right thing, no matter what you may think about it. It’s family that’s more important than anything and I know I can always count on you to be there.”

  “Okay. I just want this to go away. I know I can’t undo it and don’t know if I really would anyway. You are more important to me than anything and I’ll always do whatever I can to keep it that way.”

  Jaylyn smiled and kissed me before pulling me back up to my feet. “I love you and consider it all forgotten. I just want us to get back to our lives. We have much to look forward to.”

  I smiled back and slid my hand down to her stomach. “We do and I’m greatly looking forward to it.”

  I still felt some regret for killing a longtime friend but agreed with Jaylyn and knew she was right. Family was more important and I wasn’t going to look back on what I’ve done as shame. I felt I needed to protect her and our life together and I did that. Everything felt right again and I was determined to always keep it that way no matter what I had to do.

  Chapter 50

  Jaylyn

  Things he does for me. The list keeps growing. This time it was killing someone who posed a threat, not to the world but just to us personally and I loved him for it. I knew he was still upset and he had every right to be but what he did was the right thing and I would never punish him for it.

  Our bond was stronger than ever and we showed it while we ate dinner in the dining hall that night. The guests were finally gone so it was just our family that remained.

  “So, how does a year older feel?” Aleksander asked.

  “Is it supposed to feel different?” Zayden replied.

  “I suppose not until you reach my age.”

  “Or you could do what he does and pretend to be much younger.” Izin said. “Be with younger women, have younger friends.”

  “I was only that way just so I would never get attached to anyone.”

  Adele’s fist hit the table. “Is there really nothing else to talk about?”

  “As you can see the main reason.”

  “I wouldn’t guess there would be any recent event that anyone would like to talk about.” Izin said. “Unless you changed your mind on that.”

  Though I was proud of him, I most certainly didn’t want to bring up what Troy had done. I’m sure it would have been reviewed negatively and I didn’t want him to be punished.

  “I didn’t think so.”

  “Your majesty?”

  A man came in with a letter and walked briskly to the King.

  “What is it?”

  “News.”

  Izin was handed the letter and the man left without a thank you, though I guess he wouldn’t need one from the King. It was his job.

  We waited in silence while he opened it and read it to himself.

  “Izin, what is it?” Kathryn asked.

  “I’m afraid I’ll have to take back what I just said. Troy, where is it you went this morning?”

  My heart raced and I feared for him. Someone must have found Marina’s body and this was Izin’s way of getting it out of him.

  “This morning?”

  “After all the guest left, you left.”

  “I just walked.”

  “You walked?” He already knew; I could see it but he must have just wanted Troy to tell the truth and I still feared there would be a punishment involved.

  “Yes. Walked to think.”

  “Walk by your friend Marina’s house by any chance?”

  Troy’s heart started pounding just as mine did and now I knew I had a reason to fear this if he was afraid of his father’s tone in asking.

  “Father, what happened?” Zayden asked.

  “She was found dead earlier today.”

  Zayden’s head snapped towards Troy and he was showing the same disapproval. “You killed Marina!”

  “No! I mean, well, I—”

  “I did!” I stood up from the table with my heightened voice just so everyone would see me. “I killed her.”

  “You?” Izin asked.

  “I didn’t want her in the way.”

  His face hardened and Troy took my arm and pulled me back down into my chair. “Father, no. She’s just trying to cover for me. I’m the one that did it. It was me. That’s where I went this morning when I walked.”

  “I thought you stopped doing that.” Izin said. “You assured me that you did.”

  Troy became awfully quiet and I didn’t know what was going on. He didn’t seem like he was angry about this exact situation but something about the generalization of it.

  “Stopped doing what?” I asked.

  Izin looked between us. “You didn’t tell her?” Then he looked around at others sitting quietly. “No one told her?”

  “Told me what?” I was more confused than I’ve ever been and looked to Troy for the answer.

  He turned his head to me and seemed very uneasy about telling me. “You probably remember hearing about what it was like for us after we got back from a long trip away.”

  “Killing, you mean?”

  “Yeah, except I never really did it on accident. It was just a short phase because of all of my traumatizing mother issues. I would do it after I intimately—”

  “Fucked them.” Darius said to finish his sentence.

  “Yes. Thank you but I did it because I didn’t want any one of them to mother my child and be a poor one like mine was to me.”

  It was surprising news but I wasn’t mad. Why should I be? It’s not like he was ever that way with me. “It’s okay but maybe you should explain one thing.”

  “What?”

  “Not to me, to them. Your father seems to think that you did it because you slept with her.”

  Troy’s eyes widened just a little bit and he turned them to Izin. “Oh, no. That’s not why.”

  “Then why?” Izin demanded.

  “I firstly went there to get answers because I didn’t even know what happened last night. She gave me reassuring news followed by really horrible news that led to me basically stopping her proceedings.”

  “So you didn’t sleep with her and revert to your old ways?”

  “No, of course not.”

  “What was the horrible news?” Adele asked.

  “She was going to tell me differently so I would leave him.” I said. “And that led to a discussion of who I was and what I’m therefore carrying right now. She called him a mix breed bastard, Troy killed her and I’m happy. Any more questions?”

  “No but Troy, you will visit her family and give your sincere condolences.” Izin said.

  “But father—”

 
“No! They will get much quicker closure hearing it from you.”

  “Hearing what exactly? That I killed her?”

  “No, that she committed suicide. She was found in a puddle of her own blood, no signs of forced entry or foul play and the dagger was right next to her only an inch from her hand. It’s all believable.”

  “Except for the reason.”

  “That’s easy. She returns after spending months away to find the love of her life married and no hope to rekindle an already dead flame so she feels she must die herself.”

  Troy abruptly excused himself from the table and stormed out of the dining hall, slamming the doors behind him as a sign of his rage. Izin made things sound like it was going to be easy to just do but I knew Troy didn’t feel that way. He just wanted someone to understand.

  “Is that not what would have happened?” Izin asked.

  “Possibly.” Zayden said. “But we couldn’t know for sure. She’s the one that chose to leave.”

  “Perhaps but he’s the reason she came back.”

  “Yeah but—”

  “Don’t quarrel over the what ifs.” I said, standing up. “And believe that if he didn’t do it—I would have.”

  They were looking at this the wrong way and I couldn’t listen anymore. Troy didn’t need to be alone right now. He needed me and I followed.

  “Troy?” He was alone in the room just gazing out the window in a chair. He looked like he completely hated himself and I did what I could by my presence to ease his guilt.

  “I’m all right.” He finally said.

  “I know you’re not.” I sat on the arm of the chair and leaned comfortably toward him.

  “I’m not going to bore you with my troubles.”

  “You won’t bore me.”

  “But I know you have a different opinion on the matter.”

  “That you did the right thing?”

  “It doesn’t feel like it now, not when I have to talk to her family. I’m sure they thought we were going to be together too.”

  “I don’t want to lie but that’s probably true from what I saw.”

  “But I wouldn’t take this back. You know that, right?” He turned urgently and put an arm around me.