Chapter 41: The Sterling Summon
The steaming water suddenly felt freezing. Esme’s heart was racing fast. She could feel Eveyr’s magic swirling in the bathroom, agitated and hungry.
She knew if she told him the truth that a cosmic entity was living in her mind and draining her soul to sustain itself, he would lose his mind. He would tear everything apart, and perhaps the very reality itself where she desperately wanted to escape.
"It is a residual curse," Esme replied instantly.
She turned and looked into his eyes. She looked completely calm and unbothered, using every bit of her willpower to keep her pulse steady.
"One of Julian’s assassins carried a cursed relic," she lied. "When his sword touched my shoulder, the curse latched onto me."
"I should have taken his head," Eveyr growled, his voice filled with self-hatred. "I had the chance. I shouldn’t have listened to you. I should have snapped his neck right here in front of everyone. How dare he put a curse on your body?"
"He is already paying the price, Eveyr," Esme replied, and held his hand. "We took his pride, along with his mines in front of everyone. The curse will fade in time. Don’t worry."
Eveyr leaned down and kissed the scar gently, making Esme shiver.
"It’s not enough, Esme. He will have to pay for this!"
By the next morning, the Aldric Townhouse was transformed into a fortress just like their estate in the north. The shadow guards had doubled their patrols, and the air was filled with even more defensive wards.
Esme sat in the sunlit solarium, dressed in a beautiful silver gown. She was quietly sipping her morning tea when Commander George stepped into the room, and bowed to her, ignoring Eveyr deliberately.
"Your Grace," George said. "Lord Sylas, the crown’s spymaster, has arrived at the gates. He is alone, and he wants to see you."
Eveyr, who had been standing by the window, assessing the security outside, immediately turned.
"He surrendered every weapon at the gate and requested permission to enter under a white flag."
Eveyr thought about it for a moment before giving him a curt nod.
A moment later, Sylas entered the solarium. He looked even more exhausted than yesterday. Esme’s eyes immediately dropped to his hand. He was carrying a heavy lockbox.
"A very good morning, Duke Aldric. Duchess," Sylas greeted them and put the lockbox on the table in front of Esme, sliding a small key along with it.
"The deeds to the Southern Iron Mines, as requested, Your Grace," Sylas said, as his eyes moved between the two of them.
He could feel the new, unified dynamic between them now. Sylas intentionally gave the box and key to Esme. It was one of his calculated moves.
In the rigid, patriarchal society of the kingdom, handing a military asset to a wife instead of her husband and that too when he was present in the same room, was an insult to the husband. Sylas wanted to see how Eveyr would react to his wife holding the key of the kingdom’s most valuable resource.
Esme picked up the key, unlocked the box, and pulled out the deeds. She read the documents carefully, assessing every detail. Eveyr didn’t even flinch. In fact, he was amused and proud.
He leaned against the window frame, crossed his arms and watched Esme inspect the documents.He didn’t feel threatened by her power; he felt intoxicated by it.
"Everything appears to be fine," Esme said, putting the deed back into the box. "You may tell Julian his apology is accepted."
"Yes, Your Grace," Sylas nodded. "But a word of caution, Duchess. Crown Prince Julian is not the kind of man who accepts public humiliation gracefully. He lost his pride and mines to you in front of every high ranking noble. He won’t let you both go so easily."
"Let him come," Eveyr rumbled from the window.
"He won’t come with swords this time, Your Grace," Sylas warned, turning towards Eveyr. "He has tried both magic and assassins, and failed at both. Next time, he will not attack you directly. He may be a fool but his father is the Emperor."
Then he took out a folder from his coat pocket and put it on the table.
"A warning, Duchess," Sylas said. "From me, personally."
With that, Sylas turned and left the solarium. Eveyr walked towards the table and put his hand on the lockbox, looking at Esme instead of the lockbox.
"You made Julian surrender something he has guarded for years and that too without drawing a sword," Eveyr smiled.
Esme shrugged.
"People like Julian think power only comes from armies. But I think...power comes from making your enemies sign away their own future."
Eveyr’s smile widened.
"I pity anyone who underestimates you."
"Me too," Esme said and reached for the folder Sylas had left for them.
Before opening it, she looked at Eveyr. Eveyr gave her a small nod. She nodded back and untied the ribbon around the folder. Inside was a small stack of letters.
Every letter had the crest of the Sterling’s—the original Esme’s abusive, and manipulative family. Esme read the first letter, and her stomach churned.
"What is it?" Eveyr asked, looking at her terrified expressions.
Esme dropped the letter on the table as if it had burned her.
"Julian has summoned my family to the capital," Esme replied, gritting her teeth.
Eveyr’s eyes widened in shock. He knew exactly what the Sterling family had put her through before he bought her contract.
"My father has filed a legal petition with the High Clerics of the Imperial Church. He is claiming that you have placed me under a dark, mind-control spell. And you are keeping me with you by force."
Eveyr clenched his fists, his dark magic swirling around him angrily.
"Julian is using the Church to bypass your military authority," Esme explained. "My family is coming to our home today. They have an Imperial order to take me back to the Sterling estate for a religious cleansing ritual."
