Chapter 7 - Commander Jayden 3

Mina was not versed in what happened between men and women when they retired to their chambers, but even she knew that men always knew if a woman was pure on the night of the consummation. If Rosalyn had been with Commander Jayden, how is it that Prince Liam didn’t find out she wasn’t a maiden when she wed him? Whatever the case, it was a small mercy from the Gods, as the family would have fallen in disgrace if Prince Liam had learned of Rosalyn’s indiscretion. If only she had watched Rosalyn more closely, this could have been prevented.

“Even if that were true, she is the future queen of this nation.”

“And what of the promise she made to me?” Commander Jayden wanted to know.

Mina was starting to get a headache. “What of it?”

“We can compensate you,” Hugo said quickly. “We only ask for your discretion.”

“Discretion?” Commander Jayden let out a cackle. “All my men know of Duchess Castex and me. How long until everything comes to light?”

Hugo turned pale as a sheet.

How many people knew about Rosalyn and Commander Jayden? If word got out…

“We can use the money my parents left me,” Mina suggested. “I am sure it is enough for everyone.”

“The only way to silence my men and me is for me to wed Duchess Castex,” Commander Jayden snarled.

‘Is he deaf?’ Mina wondered. “But…that’s impossible.”

“Is it?” the Commander angrily asked.

“Commander Jayden,” Hugo made another attempt to calm the Commander, “I have no idea what my sister promised you, but she is not only a wife but a mother as well. Forget about her. You are the great hero of this nation, you can marry anyone your heart desires.”

“Good. The one I want is Rosalyn.” The Commander turned on his heels and marched out of the Drawing Room. “Aksel, we are leaving,” he said, and the wolf followed him.

Under no circumstance could Commander Jayden go to the Royal Palace until he agreed to not say a word about him and Rosalyn. So many lives would be destroyed….

“Wait!” Mina yelled as the Commander and his wolf disappeared down the hallway.

Commander Jayden did not stop walking. In fact, he was walking so fast that she had to lift the skirt of her dress in order to run after him. Hugo followed her. The Commander moved so fast that he was out the front door by the time Mina made it into the hallway.

“Commander Jayden!” Mina yelled as hard as she could.

“I don’t think we can stop him,” Hugo said what Mina already knew.

She grabbed Hugo’s hand. “If we can’t stop him, we must arrive at the Royal Palace before him.”

When Mina and Hugo exited the mansion, Commander Jayden was already on top of his horse, galloping down the street, his black wolf running beside him.

“Damn it!” Hugo cursed. “Father took the carriage when he left.”

“We could rent one,” Mina suggested.

The Castex mansion was in the upper part of Athea, close to the bank, populated by influential merchants and other wealthy families. Most days, carriages could be found in front of the shops, but not that day.

Mina let out a curse. At any other moment, Hugo might have said something to her, but, like her, his main focus was to get to the Royal Palace and stop Commander Jayden from doing something mad.

“If we are lucky we will find a carriage further down the street,” Hugo said as he dragged Mina after him.

Those living in the upper part of the city usually had quiet lives, most days following a similar routine. The young Duke Castex and his cousin running down the street as if demons chased them was something that never occurred, and most likely, it would be gossiped about for days until something new to talk about arrived.

A carriage was in front of the bank. Hugo opened the door and helped Mina get in.

“To the Royal Palace,” Hugo instructed the coachman before getting inside. “And hurry!”

The carriage started moving.

Hugo drummed his fingers nervously on his right knee.

It was around forty-five minutes from the Royal Palace to the Castex Mansion. The carriage would have to pass the bank, turn left at the marketplace and keep straight on Artisans Street. Before reaching its destination, the carriage would cross the bridge over the Eyor River.

The Eyor River, born from the great Ucias Lake, split Athea in two—the upper-class district and the poor district. The Royal Palace was built right in the middle of the two districts, close to the shore of Ucias Lake. In the middle of the lake was Isyleon Island, home to the Lyra bird—a bird that, as legend said, united the hearts and souls of those who truly loved each other.

Another legend said that three thousand years ago, the Ucias Lake did not exist. Instead, a great Elven city, Athalon, stood proud. Elemental Elves lived and ruled Athalon. They were not only wise, but their magic was the strongest of all Aylarra, and soon, Athalon became the most advanced city ever to be built. When the Elemental Elves started boasting, believing they were greater than the Gods, tragedy struck.

One night, Addanos sent a flood, Inoss a great earthquake and Beliar beasts to destroy Athalon and the Elemental Elves—it was the only time the three God brothers agreed on anything. Shouts and wails were heard that night. When the Sun rose where Athalon once stood, there was a great lake with an island in the middle. People called it Ucias Lake, in the Gods’ language, ucias meant wrath. Springs flowed from the biggest mountain in Nodor, Athlas, to feed Ucias Lake.

Before the carriage could cross the bridge, it stopped.

Hugo stuck his head out the window and yelled at the coachman, “Why did you stop?”

“There’s been an accident, my Lord. I’m afraid I can’t continue until the road has been cleared.”

Hugo uttered a series of curses before saying to Mina, “We’ll have to run the rest of the way.”