“I mean you no disrespect, I merely wanted to protect myself,” she said, looking back at me with a noticeable trembling in her body. “I have wanted my sister out of power for years, we all have.”
“Then go out and tell one of your men to take the message back that you’ll be home before dawn. What we have to discuss may take more than an hour. He can use one of our horses.” I replied, yanking my arms away from Jacob’s bruising grip.
“May I please see my son after?”
I nodded my head toward Jacob and the others, walked back into the study and took a seat behind the desk. A few minutes later, after she had come back inside, Inara looked in at me and lowered her eyes as Cates took her elbow and led her up the stairs. Alex did have marks on him, nothing of substantial damage, and it would show her that we stood on our word; not like herself and those she wished to be rid of. I could hear Alex cry out from where I was sitting. I saw Tammy look up the staircase as she and Tanda walked in to join me. Garvin came in and sat on the edge of the desk with a worried look on his face.
“Something on your mind?”
“I wish to speak to you but I do not wish for you to take it in the wrong meaning.”
“Just say it Garvin, you can tell me anything,” I replied, getting a little worried about what he had to say.
“What you did just now…was the very thing that I had seen Yvette do a hundred times,” he glanced back at me. “I heard her tone in your voice.”
“That wench had it coming,” I swallowed, running my fingers over the desk, “undermining me in my own home.”
“That too sounds like what she would have said,” Tanda added, holding herself at the entrance.
“I’m fine, Tanda. I didn’t mean to scare you. I don’t even know what came over me. I just heard her say that our house would fall and I lost control.”
“You will always have to fight the urges of the ancients, Renee. But, to be honest, I was very proud of your leadership.” Garvin’s words made me feel better about what I had just done.
“Yeah, I bet she thinks twice about giving you an ultimatum,” Sydney added, leaning on the door as Tanda came closer.
“Pretty little thing, wonder how much she looks like her sister?” Tammy said, stepping back into the foyer.
“Well, that’s one more thing to ask dear old Alex after she leaves,” I snickered, hearing the ill tone of my own voice. “Sorry, that just slipped.”
“I can barely imagine what runs through her thoughts at seeing you dressed in that gown, along with the rest of us,” Jacob smiled, walking into the room, “hearing you were a demon and all.”
“She tastes weak. I can’t feel any power in her blood, not like I did when…” I let my words trail off.
“It was Angelica that took the power of London, Renee. Her sister gained status by name alone. And as to your question about their appearance, they are identical.”
“How we gonna tell them apart at this gala thing?” Derek asked.
“Does it matter?” Tammy replied.
“One will be watching for us, the other will be entertaining the crowd,” Jacob explained, sitting down on the other edge of the desk. “I am more than sure that Inara will make sure we know the difference, thinking that she would be mistaken could be disastrous for her campaign.”
“Like I said…does it really matter?” Tammy raised one brow looking back into the room at us, then turned and went into the family room across the hall.
“Her pain shows deeply,” Jacob said in a low voice.
“You should have seen what we saw. I can understand why she hates these breeders so much and knowing women are behind it makes it even worse,” I cringed at the thought of Tammy lying face down in a puddle of her own blood. “I’m glad she’s on our side.”
Cates had Inara’s elbow up at shoulder level, as she gripped the banister as they came back down the stairs; the look on her face was not too happy. He brought her into the study and sat her down in a chair that Jacob had slid in front of my desk. He and the others stepped a few feet behind her. “How dare your servant treat me so poorly! I merely wanted to hug my son.”
“And how rude of you to allow my maker to suffer like an animal. He would have joined us but his feet are bothering him somewhat,” I replied, adding a snap to the ‘somewhat’, and watched her face pale under the powder. “Would you like to see Martin as well, Inara?”
“No, that will not be necessary,” she laced her hands in her lap, looked down, gathered herself, then looked back up at me. “What can I do to help you?”
“First, never take for granted that I will not do exactly what I say. Second, never, and I mean the word never…step in my home and think that you are better than anyone in here. I’m no mistress to those behind you. I am their friend and they have free will, not like those who are beat down at your feet. If you do not swear to change your ways of leadership, Inara, we will cut you down just like we’re going to cut down your sister. Do I make myself clear?” She nodded once. “We will need entrance to your sister’s castle the night of the gala, but we won’t be coming through the tunnels. We'll be coming through the front door.”
“That’s impossible. She’ll kill me if she knows I had anything to do with your arrival.”
“And I will kill you if you don’t,” I replied, never blinking an eye.
“How do you expect me to get you through her guard? They check everyone and have since before your rage began.”
“I suggest you think of something or Alex will come home looking like Martin, or worse. I keep my word to the very end, Inara,” I responded by leaning up on the desk with my elbows and smiling down at her.
“You’re as crazy as she is,” she said, turning her head to the side. “She doesn’t pay heed to all who pass under the threshold, not if they are peasant to her. I suppose a name could be given as a guest of long past, if you keep yourselves covered.” Then she straightened, proud of her attempt, and looked back at me with her chin snobbishly in the air.
“See, now that wasn’t too hard, and it didn’t take too long. Jacob is the main leader of our ranks and the one who knows this land best. He and Cates will accompany you home, followed by my other men, of course. You are to give them the count of Angelica’s guard, as well as Lord Cheree’s. Send back the information that we will need the night of the gala, and please do not provide anything that will hinder us. I would hate to see your son pay for your stupidity.” I stood, offering her my hand. She got to her feet and daintily placed her hand in mine. “A woman’s word is her bond, Inara. Don't make me regret taking yours.”
“I will do my best not to fail you, Lady…”
“My name is Renee, Renee Lebrun. Martin is not only my maker, he is my husband,” I replied, squeezing her hand just enough to show her that I noticed the widening of her eyes.
“A pleasure, Lady Lebrun. I hope that all will end on a pleasant note and you will see that I am not my sister and can run London with a firmer hand, as you see fit.” She did a small curtsy and turned with Cates taking her arm. “I believe I know the way to the door.”
“My boys are gentlemen, Inara. Like I said, they’ll be escorting you home.”
She didn’t turn around, just lifted her cloak over her head and nodded once before leaving the house with Jacob and Cates on each side of her, and Garvin, Derek, and Sydney right behind them. Both Sydney and Derek in their old clothes, having changed sometime in between her being upstairs and in the study with me. Fala closed the door and slid the lock in place, then stood by the door. I told him he didn’t have to stay there, but he said that Master Jacob told him to guard the entrance on the chance that the woman was followed and they saw them leave. It wasn’t planned that they go, the idea was to have her let those she had waiting the hour for her return to be told she would be staying longer, but my temperament was just too unstable around her. Taking a chance of her setting up a plan with her sister to trap us once we entered the castle was too big to take because of my big mouth. So we told her what we wanted and kept our key plan to ourselves.