Chapter Five

Zephyria had pulled Brenna back but she was unsure if Lukas had seen her or not. How could Lukas, their own brother, be the reason the king was dead? What did Rueben mean the Prince got away? Most of all, why was Lukas working with the invaders?

Unfortunately, Lukas had seen her, and the two men were walking towards the tent. "Hello sisters," Lukas said. He went towards Brenna, but she shrank back.

"Don't touch me," she snapped. "Murderer!"

Zephyria was now at the other side of the tent, crying silently to herself. "What did you learn in the Americas how to murder the people who are close to you? You're a monster, and quite frankly you are not my brother! I am unsure of who you are anymore!" She then clamped her hands over her mouth, she had never been so disrespectful and rude but she knew it was true.

"Dear sister, you would be surprised at what I learned in the Americas. For instance, did you know they have invented machines that can fly? Our country is centuries behind in technology, and I'm just helping bring it back to speed. If father wasn't so weak, we would be the royal family, did you know?"

"How dare you call father weak!" Brenna hissed, slapping him across the face. "He's a better man than you!"

"Did you ever think maybe our father didn't want to be the royal family because he thought it was more important to be loyal?" Zephyria was so upset her body was trembling, she concentrated on her sister sitting across the tent from her. She had always found that concentrating on her sister calmed her.

"Father is weak, and you know it as well as I. He was weak before the illness even struck. I know what had to be done, and I did it. The king was an even bigger fool then father, and his son isn't any better. By the end of the week, I'll be king, and after me, my son."

"Christophe is twice the man you will ever be Lukas. He would never think of being that disrespectful to his father in the manner you are to ours. I pray for my Issaic's sake he takes after his Grandfather and not his monster of a father." Zephyria spat the words at Lukas. He had gone too far by insulting Christophe.

Lukas laughed. "If I didn't know any better, I would say that you're in love with him!" Silence filled the tent, and he realized the truth, and laughed even louder. "What a joke! You really think he loves you? He's engaged to Brenna, and they're even having a child! Or didn't you know?"

"Yes I know they are engaged. Did you know their engagement was arranged by father and the king? Did you know that love isn't always what is expected of you it is what the heart desires?" Zephyria was trying to buy time by talking in riddle and rhyme. She was waiting on Brenna to say something, anything.

"How dare you!" Brenna whispered, anger filling her voice. "You know nothing about us, Lukas! And how DARE you insult father, when he's been nothing but kind to you! He took you to that horse race when he was so ill he could barely move, and you know what it cost him? He got so sick that night it damaged his heart, and it's YOUR FAULT!" she was screaming now. "Father is a great man!" tears ran down her face. "And if he dies because of you, you will regret it! I swear that I will never rest until you're dead." Brenna's rant shocked Zephyria, who had never known it was because of Lukas their father was so ill all the time. "Never. And you dare to call him weak."

Lukas stared at Brenna in disbelief then turned to Zephyria, "Come on, Zeph you know I am not why dad is sick. She is talking crazy because she is with child. I promise we will all be happy in this new life I am building.

Zephyria winced at the sound of Lukas calling her Zeph then she heard her own shaky voice, "We were happy with Jasper as King. You will never make as good a king as he was. I do not know who you are now but you are not Lukas... You're a...a...murderer and a liar and I will never serve such a king."

"No," Brenna whispered, brushing away her tears angrily. "He's not just a murderer. He's a monster." The tent went silent. "Let us leave, Lukas. Unless you wish to be the one to deliver this baby when it is born."

Their brother narrowed his eyes, and was about to answer when a noise sounded. "What the hell?" he growled, going outside. There came the sound of fighting, and Christophe and Jesse hurried in.

"Jesse!" Brenna cried, throwing herself at him and kissing him with everything she had, not noticing their father standing right behind him until he cleared his throat.

"Daughter, this is not the time. We need to leave. Now. The army has them distracted, but not for long."

Zephyria grabbed Christophe's hand as they all ran out of the tent. She wiped away tears from her face with her other hand. Then, she remembered their father knew nothing about all the secrets the girls kept. She didn't care at this point she was with the man she loved and they were all headed for safety. She took a deep breath and the shaking ceased.

Before long, they reached a cave, where an entire group of people were waiting. "No one is to disturb us," Lord Henrie stated. "My daughters and I have a great deal to discuss." The two girls were led into a separate area. "Now, what happened after we separated yesterday at the castle?"

"Rueben told us that his 24 year old son had no heir and that one of us was to give him one, because we were ladies." Zephyria began unsure what to say next.

"They brought us back to their camp," Brenna took over. "They didn't leave us alone until this morning, so we didn't have a chance to talk, and then..." She didn't want to finish. "It was Lukas," she said finally, avoiding looking at their father. "He plotted the entire thing, including..." she swallowed, glancing over at Zephyria. How were they supposed to tell him that his best friend since childhood was dead because of his son?