His Forsaken Luna-Chapter 104: His Betrayal (1)

Cohnal always had tells when he lied. It was always amusing. I didn’t expect him to lie to me but he wasn’t one to lie in the first place, finding it hard and unnatural to deceive.

"Follow your instincts. Report to me after."

Faidon vanished in front of me, and I turned to continue my hunt in the woods, unwilling to venture too far away from Idalia.

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I returned to my palace, my garments different from before, my hair plaited back and resting over my shoulder as I strode through the halls, a dagger at my hilted at my side, returning to my breeches, boots and tunic. Cohnal’s expression was stoic, his shoulders rigid, his hand resting on his twin blades.

Theo took one look at my expression and my attire and bowed his head from the hallway. "Your Highness," he greeted. "What can I do to help you?"

"Where is Soren?" I had time to ready myself for meeting him, and my voice was a little icy, clipped, even at Theo. I wouldn’t apologise becaue tonight I would decide Soren’s fate.

"He hasn’t left your room. As much as I have tried to send him to his own," Theo replied, irritation flaring in those blue eyes.

"What has he been doing?" I asked, my gaze flicking to the bedroom door down the hall.

"He’s a boring sod who has been kneeling on the ground. He fell asleep in that position too," Theo mused, his eyes glittering at the memory, though it fell away when my expression didn’t change, realising something was wrong.

Theo’s expression completely dropped. "What has he done?" He noted the blade at my side. It was a gift from Cohnal.

I didn’t know how to wield it, but it offered me some form of comfort besides having Cohnal by my side as protection.

"You will find out." I had no plan to keep it from Theo any longer. Deyanira wasn’t in the palace and although she might have noble spies, I hadn’t come across anyone else that could be of a threat, or make a move to try and use Theo against me.

I strode to my door, forcing my shoulders down and chin up, pushing the door open and hiding my cringe when it swung back and hit in the wall at my outburst. My gaze swept the room as Cohnal stepped in first, surveying it before dropping his gaze to the man kneeling on the floor.

Soren was still in his armour, his forehead now on the ground, unmoving. I stepped inside, but Cohnal signalled for me to wait. Beside me, Theo was looking between us all, growing warier and frowning in Soren and Cohnal’s direction.

The Southern Beta walked around Soren and started checking him for weapons. When he stepped back empty-handed, he nodded once, granting it safe. I strode forward until I was in front of him. Soren hadn’t moved as he kept his head on the ground.

"Rise," I say, my voice unlike my own, as my eyes grew steely.

Soren answered my command, rising up, but Cohnal’s boot pressed into my knight’s back. "Not so quickly," he growled. I blinked a little in surprise at the Beta’s reaction. This had nothing to do with him, yet he was acting like he, too, was upset.

Cohnal’s gaze flicked to my questioning one and that’s when I realised why. Cohnal was a loyal man, Beta to Eryx, to see someone betray their master and to play a part in the role of framing the Southen Weres for the assassination attempt was unforgiveable. It was but I was giving Soren this chance.

His only chance to explain.

Theo looked between us again, walking to the side and leaning against the mantlepiece, crossing his arms, silent. Cohnal removed his boot, and my expression grew cold again as Soren sat back, keeping his eyes on the ground.

"I’m sorry," he began.

"I didn’t come here for your apology, Soren," I drawled. "I came here for your explanation. You betrayed me, you almost..." I trailed off, my voice thickening with emotion. I would not sound like an idiot like I did in the hallway. My voice hardened, "Explain. And lift your eyes; I want to see them."

It was cowardly not to look at me. I knew it had to do with acting submissive, to show he shows no disrespect but we are past that now and I want to read his eyes.

Soren’s hazel eyes slowly rose to meet mine. My heart squeezed at the sight, but my face remained impassive. I gestured toward him. "Why did you try to kill me?"

Theo’s sharp inhale of breath and step forward halted upon Cohnal’s warning glare. This was no time to be emotional. I wanted answers. Now.

Soren swallowed but held my gaze firm. "I was forced to. I missed on purpose."

My eyebrows rose. "I’m not sure how you are capable of missing on purpose..." I trailed off, easing my way out of the abrupt emotions surfacing from his words. "Continue."

"I never wanted to betray you, but the Queen Mother blackmailed me. She has someone very important to me under threat and said he could be killed anytime, any place if I didn’t abide her command," his eyes were pleading as his hands fisted in his lap. "I missed-"

"You cut her," Cohnal hissed from behind. "Her throat as well."

"If I didn’t cut her, Deyanira wouldn’t believe my attempt," Soren snapped back. I held my hand up to Cohnal as I thought back to the assassination attempt.

Unlike the others who tried to kill me, Soren only threw those blades and ran. Unlike the others, who wore leathers similar to the Southern Weres, Soren dressed in Northern armour. "Did you dress like that on purpose?" I whispered.

Soren’s gaze flicked back to mine, something like relief in his expression. "Yes. It was the only clue I could think of leaving."

I stared back at him, a nagging thought tickling the back of my mind as I came to a sudden realisation. "You don’t have any family..." Cohnal took a quiet step forward at my remark. "So who is ’he’, the one you are trying to protect?"

Soren noted Cohnal’s step but held my gaze. "My son."