His Highness's Second Wife
His Highness’s Second Wife Chapter 61

“So let me get this straight” Yulien said, leaning back in his chair and patting his lips with his forefinger. “My dear brother actually called for his favorite lover and ordered his guards to break her hands just because his wife said so? You saw this with your own eyes?”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Blaine nodded awkwardly, sending Kassian an apologetic look.

Kassian remained uncharacteristically quiet in his seat. He hadn’t said a word since giving his greeting and he looked even more frustrated than Yulien himself, who had spent the last thirty hours going over the final details of the reform for the new agriculture policy that was supposed to be implemented throughout the Empire two years ago.

“I was able to stop him before it was too late. Her Highness Raena figured he might really do it because she summoned me a few days prior and told me if he ever tries it, to stop him and tell him it’s the thought that counts.”

Yulien burst out laughing while Kassian closed his eyes and shook his head.

When Yulien had received Raena’s petition for divorce four days ago, he thought it had to be a ploy. But when Blaine came to tell him Kassian requested to see him urgently, it wasn’t hard to figure out his little brother hadn’t been able to patch things up with the daughter of the Prime Minister.

Denying her request was easy, but if she was bold enough to do that in the first place, she wasn’t going to just give up when she heard the news.

Especially when she found out who denied it.

“If I knew you had such entertaining stories to share, I would have found a way to see you earlier, Kass.” Yulien chuckled. “Gods know that I needed a good laugh.” Yulien adjusted in his chair, shifting his shoulders and ignoring his rumbling stomach. If his endless duties weren’t bad enough, not having any word from Arina or her father was even worse.

All he needed was a confirmation that they were safe and that he could stop being so cautious. Still, his worries were his own and he didn’t want to bother his brother with them. Kassian had to play his role too and to do that, he needed his house and his head in order. “How does it feel to be completely outplayed, brother? She can read you like a book. No wonder she fooled you for so long.”

“I’m glad you replace my situation so amusing.” Kassian sighed, scratching his neck.

“Sorry, sorry!” Yulien chuckled, raising his hands in surrender. “So, I gather you won’t b punishing her for deceiving you all this time?”

“Should I?” Kassian asked, finally meeting his eyes. It wasn’t a rhetorical question, his face said, and Yulien gave him a pitiful look. Sometimes it felt like they had more than just six years of age difference. While he loved his brother’s honesty and straightforwardness, Kassian was going to get himself killed one of those days if Yulien didn’t beat at least a bit of cunning into his head.

“Why are you asking me? She is your wife!” Yulien said, raising his eyebrows.

It was strange but somewhat refreshing, seeing his little brother so worked up. Usually, Kassian was much calmer and Yulien had never seen him spare more than a passing thought about his women. He took care of them, he gave them what they wanted, but he never actually cared what was going on with or around them, let alone show affection outside the bedroom. Sarea’s function was to be the cornerstone of his family and to deal with the internal matters in his stead while his concubines were fleeting fancies or more damsels in distress he couldn’t leave behind.

Yet, it seemed like the pretty new wife with a big smile and even bigger secrets found a way to shake those impenetrable walls and pieces of them were crumbling right in front of Yulien’s eyes.

‘How interesting,’ Yulien thought with a smile, shaking his head as he realized his brother was talking to him.

“What would that win me? More resentment?”

“Well, it’s your wife, so it’s up to you what you do. But keep in mind she will replace out I declined her petition and she might send another one once the Emperor gets better. I can’t stop her then and you know our father will give her what she wants. He only allowed that marriage because the Prime Minister requested it” Yulien said in his serious tone, running his hand over his desk. There were stacks of papers on it – both empty ones and others filled to the brim, and to his horror, most hadn’t been processed yet. Just the thought of going back to them gave him a headache. “So figure out a solution before that happens.

“Yes, I will,” Kassian said in a strained voice. Yulien gave him a lopsided smile. “Thank you.”

“What are brothers for if not for stopping their sisters-in-law from running away?” he chuckled.

“It’s just frustrating!” Kassian sighed. “She won’t answer any of my questions and she won’t agree to see me unless it’s an order. I can’t even have a conversation with her because she would only answer with one-word replies! And the fact that I obviously can’t threaten, torture or force her doesn’t help!” Yulien grimaced.

“That’s why she is not afraid of you.” Yulien shrugged, taking his cup of tea from the desk. It had gone cold long ago, but he didn’t want to bother with ordering a new one, then calling his tester again and wasting all this time. And these days, he couldn’t really risk drinking even water without it being tasted. “‘So you’ve seen her after that conversation?”

“Tried to.” Kassian scowled.

“Alright, let me give you some relationship advice,” Yulien smirked, leaning his elbows on the desk. He never thought he’d be giving Kassian of all people advice about women, but while his little brother probably knew how to woo a woman, he had no experience with actually keeping one. He didn’t have the luck Yulien had with Arina – while they weren’t madly in love with each other, they both held enough respect and affection to make things work. Even though Arina had made him mad more times than he cared to count with her tantrums and meddling. “Stop trying to see her.

Stop trying to talk to her. She said she wanted you to stop bothering her, right? Do what she wants. For a while, at least. There is no point in knocking on door when you know the person on the other side Won’t open it. Let her come out instead.”

“I know that. But do I just sit and do nothing?”

“That’s not what I am saying,” Yulien replied.

“Let Raena calm down. Without divorce, she can’t go anywhere, so she’ll have to change her strategy. While she figures out what game she’ll be playing next, focus on something else – on someone else.” Kassian frowned, but Yulien quickly waved his hand. “Not your other concubines. I think you should focus on Madam Lydia.”

Kassian gave him a confused look. “Excuse me, what? Where did that come from?”

“I think your wife and Madam Lydia have more in common than we think. They are both sharp, good at dealing with people and they have more secrets than they lead on. They seem to look very alike too, at least from where I stand.” Yulien smiled. “So since your wife doesn’t want to talk to you, talk to the one who does. You said that during the Empress’s birthday party Madam Lydia was being extremely friendly, didn’t you? Then go be friendly with her.”

Kassian stared at him fora minute, then glanced at Blaine, who just shrugged.

“Are you saying those two are the same…?” Kassian started, but trailed off while studying his brother’s face. Yulien smiled.

“l am not saying anything. I’ve only met both ladies briefly, so to judge now would be foolish. Don’t tell me the thought didn’t cross your mind. Especially with Raena’s connection to that restaurant.”

“Of course it did!” Kassian frowned. “But so far we couldn’t replace any proof and.”

“If your wife went through all the trouble of creating a new identity, she probably didn’t leave much proof to replace.” Yulien interrupted him. “So go to the only proof we know about – Madam Lydia herself. If she acts cold and angry like someone else you know, you have your answer. If she acts sweet, be sweet and replace what’s under that veil, will you? Just imagine that it’s Raena underneath and use the opportunity. If somehow we’re wrong, consider it practice.

“Fine.” Kassian sighed. His expression had changed and despite looking at Yulien, he didn’t seem like he was seeing him.

“Now. While it was truly amusing to listen to your love troubles, that’s not why I called you here today.” Yulien got up from his seat, motioning for Kassian to follow him. “Blaine, I’m expecting Visitors soon. Please let them in once they are here.”

Kassian’s aide nodded, his eyes following them as Yulien led his brother to the door hiding the backroom where he usually met with his Shadows or advisers. The place was at the very end of the tower, surrounded by nothing but thick walls and open air, so the chances of anyone listening in were minimal.

Yulien stepped next to the big square table in the center of the chamber, looking down at the documents, maps, and letters on it. After staring at a map of the city and the Imperial Palace grounds, he turned to face his brother, who was watching him with a tense expression.

“The Empress is going to make a move soon. The Shadows have brought me numerous reports of her meeting with different noble ladies, all wives or daughters of people in Rissen’s faction or the neutral party. Not to mention she has reactivated her lady-in-waiting recently and the poor woman has been working nonstop, asking all kinds of questions. She barely even attends the Empress these days.”

“Do you think she might try to kill the Emperor while he is sick and blame it on his condition?” Kassian frowned, the worried, hesitant man from before disappearing in an instant. His brother moved closer to the table, eyes darting curiously over the papers.

“She is not that stupid, she already has him wrapped around her finger. Besides, he is constantly attended by at least five people and I have my own spies among them, so there is no way she got them all.” Yulien said thoughtfully. “I think her target will be someone else.” His eyes stopped on Kassian’s face and his younger brother raised an eyebrow.

“Me?”

“I think she’ll try to take you out first, to weaken me. Then if she succeeds, she’ll come after me. That’s why I’ve sent Arina and the child away. If she takes you off the board, she can kill me in broad daylight and with the Emperor being sick and my connection to the army destroyed, nobody would dare dispute when she labels it ‘an enemy assassination.”

“Why now?” Kassian asked. “The only new development is Sarea’s condition, but even if she dies, that doesn’t necessarily mean her family will stop standing by my side. And with the Prime Minister’s support still behind my back, it makes even less sense to attack me now. She knows that a handful of assassins won’t be enough to take me down.”

“But what if she goes after Sarea and Raena? If she kills them both, their families might turn on you for failing to protect them,” Yulien whispered more to himself than to Kassian, biting the inside of his l*p as different outcomes flashed inside his mind.

“Or there might be some other reason we are not aware of.”

The two of them stared at each other.

“I’ll double the guards at home,” Kassian said, and Yulien nodded in approval. “Will you be fine with just one bodyguard?”

“Oh, yes, don’t worry about me!” Yulien forced a smile. “We are practically sleeping together now, he isn’t leave my side even during the night. Ah, I miss the touch of a woman’s body next to me…” Yulien suppressed his laughter as he saw his brother’s expression.

“You’re still not funny, Yulien,” Kassian sighed, his annoyance turning to worry. “Are you sure you’ll be fine? You look tired and worried.”

“I’ll be fine,” Yulien said, patting him on the shoulder. “Here. I need you to go over those.” Yulien turned around and raked about the papers on the table until he found what he was looking for. He piled them in Kassian’s arms, who shuffled through them.

“It’s the Craidal Royal Family tree, as well as detailed descriptions and some sketches of each member. Go over them and mark which ones are dead for sure so we can narrow the search for the rebels’ so-called leader,” Yulien said quietly, glancing toward the door.

A knock came just as he did that.

“I have another important meeting, so you should be on your way.” Yulien threw a hand around his brother’s shoulder – or tried to, considering Kassian was taller than him and led him to the door while another impatient knock echoed through the room. “Do keep me updated on how things go with Madam Lydia. I feel like this might turn into another amusing story.”