His Forsaken Luna-Chapter 105: His Betrayal (2)

His... Son.

I reared back a little at the statement. He didn’t have a son. When I looked into him all those years ago, when I started to become familiar and somewhat comfortable, I conducted my own research, needing to know if there might be any weakness Deyanira could use against me.

The file stated all of his family was deceased. It lightened the weight on my shoulders.

That was years ago though. Soren rarely left my side to the point I urged him to take breaks and spend time with friends, socialise. No, he couldn’t have a son. Soren was an honourable man... Well, I’m not sure about that now.

What if he found a mate... My hand covered my lips, eyes widening at the realisation. Goddess, was I the other woman?! Am I a homewrecker?!

Cohnal took another step forward, reading my expression for only the first betrayal and sensing Soren’s son wasn’t real.

I think I’m going to throw up. I’m the Deyanira in his family’s story!

"No!" Soren’s hands shot up waving, eyes wide as he read my expression. Then a sword was pressed at the back of Soren’s neck. Cohnal had been so quick it took me a moment to register the glint of steel.

Soren ignored the blood pooling at the back of his neck where the Beta dug into him. I gave Cohnal a warning look and he eased off slightly, but didn’t remove his sword.

"It’s not like that," Soren pleaded again. "Calix is my sister’s son."

I froze, my mind flitting through to the pages of that report in seconds. He did have a sister and there had been an infant. "Explain yourself, Soren. I don’t have all day," my tone was cold again, my mask back in place.

"You know I grew up in the slums. I took Calix under my wing when his mother died." His eyes grew weary with grief. "As you know I couldn’t always be there for him, my job is here and I didn’t want him to grow up in the palace. Not after..." He trailed off, looking at me sadly.

No, the palace wasn’t safe and Deyanira was always lurking and searching for ways to weaken me and any that might be by my side, no matter how small their role might be.

"So Calix is your nephew," Theo confirmed, glowering at him. "Say that in the first place so there isn’t any confusion!"

"Where is he now?" I ask calmly. "Deyanira told you to choose correct? How did she react when you returned without my head?"

"Calix is in the academy. All my coin goes to his education." The tightness in my chest began to loosen at his words. That was the Soren I know. I nodded at Cohnal to remove the blade from his neck.

Soren swallowed and continued. "Deyanira wasn’t pleased but by wounding you, and there being reports of that wound, and how you rested, she believed my story that the Alpha Prince defended you well and I had to leave before being discovered and exposing her scheme. She was still displeased by the failure of the task."

"How did Calix get into the academy?" Cohnal asked from behind him, observing my knight. My eyes shot to him. I’d missed something so simple. The wages of a knight wasn’t enough to bribe your child into the academy. It was only for those of incredible wealth or nobility to become a knight.

Soren looked down then, shame coating his features. "He is in the academy thanks to the strings Deyanira pulled the first time I agreed to only spy on Idalia."

"Only spy on her?" Cohnal growled.

"I knew about it," I said quickly, waving it off though I understood more now why Soren agreed to report to her.

"You set yourself up from the beginning then," Cohnal clipped, and I knew he was speaking to both of us. Soren for choosing to make a deal with Deyanira and expecting it to end there and myself for keeping a traitor by my side.

"We were naïve," I murmured, my eyes locked on Soren’s. I believed him, I realised.

"No," Cohnal shook his head then pointed his chin at Soren. "He is naïve. You were just playing the game."

My eyebrows rose at his words, surprised he was defending me when we both know I had made a few poor choices. But I didn’t comment only searching Soren’s hazel eyes. "Where is Calix now? If he safe? What is the situation?"

"One of the maids work for her. She lives on campus and can get to him at any time," Soren repeated what Deyanira must have told him. Cold skittered down my spine. I know Deyanira is horrid but would she really go as far as killing a nobody’s child to get to me?

My skin pebbled at the news and I rubbed at my arms. "We will figure a way to get you free from this."

’I’ll deal with the boy.’ A voice whispered on the wind. I froze the same time Cohnal did. Our heads snapped to the window to see a glimpse of Faidon before he faded into darkness.

More goosebumps rose on my skin. He’d known my behaviour was suspicious. I did as well! Ugh I should have know the shadow would spy on us.

Faidon would report Soren’s assassination attempt to Eryx. Before either of us could act, Theo startled me by draping a blanket over my shoulders, his hands lingering on them to calm my uneasy heart, glaring at Soren and stepped back.

I will deal with Faidon and Eryx later. For now I focused on Soren. "Why try to kill me now?" I voice aloud, wondering if Soren might have more insight to Deyanira.

"She doesn’t want the alliance," Soren replied, his brows tugged together sternly.

"Why?" I asked.

"I don’t know," Soren admitted, guilt stricken.

"What does she get from this?" I begin to pace, clutching the blanket tighter on my body.

"Are we forgetting the part where he tried to kill you?!" Theo blurted out, outraged, unable to contain himself any longer. I stared at him, a little shocked. "How can you trust him?!"

"I don’t," I said simply, without looking at him, nor feeling guilty about it.

"Get out," Theo hissed, looking at Soren.

I blinked back.

"Get out!" Theo grabbed Soren by the arms and pushed him back. "Both of you!"

Soren and Cohnal glanced at me and I nodded once. I’d asked what I needed to for now. Theo had a right to be outraged.