Free Web NovelChapter 6: Bleeding Heart
FIVE HOURS EARLIER...
NATHAN STONEHART
"Sir? Sir?"
I blinked awake. I couldn’t catch my breath, and for a moment, my vision was too blurry to make out my surroundings.
I grabbed my chest, expecting blood to fill my hands. Where was the blade? Had I pulled it out after I stabbed myself?
Sophia!
I stood up, and the desk chair flew backwards, hitting the wall.
"Are you all right, Your Grace?"
My heart slammed against my ribcage. I looked into the wide eyes of my assistant, Bartholomew Hune, and said, "Where am I?"
"In your office, sir. We’ve only been in the Capital for a few hours and you insisted on doing paperwork. But no worries, sir. I’ve already booked travel for the country house in the Whisper Mountains. We leave this evening."
"What? No." I drew in shuddering breaths. A fresh wave of panic overtook me. "What’s the date?"
"Sir?"
"Damn it, Hune. The date."
He told me.
Three years. I’d been reborn three years before I lost Sophia. I should’ve never let that bastard Jace Willowmarch marry her. But ... she loved him. Her eyes sparkled when she was with him. And I thought Jace would be good to her. That she would be happy.
I’d been wrong. So wrong. And by the time I figured out how much she’d suffered, she was gone. Dead. I’d gotten to her too late.
Her body had been recovered from the lake and she lay, small and helpless, a broken doll, on the bank.
Murdered.
The ache in my chest was so great, I staggered backwards. The back of my knees hit the chair and I landed in it with thwump.
I didn’t want to live in this world without her. Even if we weren’t together, as long as she was alive, I could feel at ease. But Jace hadn’t protected her.
His mistress had killed my sweet Sophia.
Even as Jace begged for that bitch’s life, I put my sword through Penelope Shire’s black heart. I watched her choke on her blood as she died. Then I lay next to my Sophia. My darling, beautiful girl.
I rammed my dagger into my chest.
I died holding Sophia in my arms, tears falling as the darkness overwhelmed me.
And now ... I was here. In the Capital. I remembered this day. I didn’t want to return to Silverkeep. I didn’t want to witness Sophia in love with another man, especially because that man was my cousin. So I’d gone to Whisper Mountains. And after that, I accepted the permanent post in the Western Realm.
I’d stayed away for three years.
Three years in the Western Realm, my heart hollow with grief. For me, there would only be Sophia. In this life. And in the next. In my past life, if I hadn’t returned for Grandfather Willowmarch’s funeral, I would’ve never stepped foot in Amaranth Manor again.
Hune was staring at me strangely. "Do you need a doctor?"
"I’m perfectly healthy," I snapped.
"I meant a mental health professional," Hune stated with a straight face. "To check your brain."
"Do you want me to throw you out the window?"
"I’ll get you some tea, sir." Hune left the study quickly.
I met Sophia when she was five years old. I was nine. I had escaped into the Willowmarch garden, bleeding from the wounds inflicted by my uncle. His way of teaching me to fight, with fists, with blades, with pikes, always ended with me bloody and him disappointed.
We were staying at Willowmarches for reasons I don’t remember, but Uncle never missed a day of training me. Afterwards, he’d thrown his sword to the ground, disgusted. And I had run into the garden.
She was chasing butterflies. There were many, different sizes and colors, happily flitting from air to butterfly bushes. She was laughing as she leapt and spun, little hands reaching for what she no doubt thought of as magical creatures.
When she saw me, she smiled. "Brother!"
"I’m not your brother."
Undeterred by my grumpiness, she reached inside her dress sleeve and pulled out a pink handkerchief. Before I could protest, she pressed it against the cut on my arm.
"Does it hurt?" she asked.
"No," I said, even though it did. "I’ll do it." I took the cloth and put pressure on the wound.
"Here." She reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out a wrapped candy. "You’ll feel better if you eat this."
"What is it?"
"Strawberry. It’s my favorite."
"I’m not a baby. I don’t need to be coaxed with candy."
"Don’t be a grumble-bunny," she said. She unwrapped the treat and placed it against my mouth. I had no choice but to eat it.
She patted my cheek, eyes shining. "Is it sweet, brother?"
"Sweet," I admitted. "What’s your name?"
"Sophia Marie Pagemoore." She offered an adorable little curtsey. "What’s yours?"
"Nath---"
"Sophia!" freēwēbηovel.c૦m
"That’s mommy. I have to go." She spun around and ran. Butterflies burst into the air, following her as she disappeared among the flowers.
"Sir? Your tea." Hune put a cup of steaming tea on the desk, pulling me out of my memories. "Should I continue preparations for settling into the country house?"
"No. I’m going to Silverkeep." I paused. "We’ll stop at the Willowmarch estate on the way."
"It’s in the opposite direction," said Hune.
I glared at my assistant. He was exceptionally good at his job, which is why he got more leeway than most. However, I sometimes wanted to heave him into the dungeon for a good whipping.
"There’s no point in going to see the Willowmarches," said Hune. "It’ll take four hours by carriage to get there. And everyone will be at the Hunter’s Ball."
"Who’s hosting it this year?"
"The Velles, sir."
"We should leave at once. We won’t take the carriage. Prepare the airship."
Hune’s eyes widened. "The airship?"
"Yes. We’ll take the airship to Velle estate. I will attend the Hunter’s Ball."
"You hate balls, sir."
"Irrelevant. Go, Hune."
"But the airship...?" freewёbnoνel.com
Hune hated the airship. He always turned an alarming shade of green, and spent most trips with his head in a bucket emptying his stomach.
I suddenly felt better, and less inclined to toss my assistant out the window. "Hune. Go."
Misery etched his expression as his shoulders drooped. "Yes, sir."
"I’m coming for you, Sophia," I murmured. "Wait for me."
