A Brazen Duty (#2 BRAZEN series-part of the GOLDEN universe) ✔

•F I F T Y•

♪ Best believe we've gone forever
Don't be the reason ♪
{Rihanna—Good Girl Gone Bad}

The sofa in Emeric's room wasn't comfortable, and the blanket he gave Harriet chafed against her skin. She should have wandered back to her own quarters to sleep, but her limbs were too wobbly and sore for her to manage it without aid. And neither Axel nor Emeric wanted to leave Sir Geitz unsupervised for a single second.

So she settled on the couch to watch the remainder of the interrogations before she did something too rash. More than once she'd had to walk away from the Count's evil smirk and his snide stare. He replied to her questions with such ease, it irked her to the core. It was as if he was a professional captive and had no issue handling difficult situations. But it did make sense—he had been posing as a poised and respectable noble for decades. It seemed he had some skill with lying and working under pressure.

But that does not impress me.

She'd nearly ripped him to shreds after asking about Prince Jules, as his response left a bitter taste on her tongue.

"My dear daughter will not harm him, no," he had said, the words rolling out of his mouth as if he'd rehearsed them for years. He didn't slouch, didn't appear affected by his bound wrists or the cuts under his eyes from where Emeric and Axel had struck him. Nothing fazed the man. "The Prince is essential to our operations. Charlotte needs him... but I will say, she is enjoying torturing his mind and... miffing him up. He is a rather obedient little puppet."

That was when Emeric had to restrain her, and Axel had to guide her to the sofa to sit down for the first time.

"Why are you so animated?" asked the latter, kneeling by her, waving his hand to fan her face. "Why does this man have such an effect on you, Miss Thatcher? And why..." he lowered his voice, "why are you so concerned about the Prince?"

She'd forced herself to swallow down her true feelings, reeling from the impact of Sir Geitz's words. Axel was right; the Count had too big of an effect on her, and if she wasn't careful, her emotions would pour out. And they could not do that.

"He... is a friend. And I do not wish to see him played by that family of miscreants."

Luckily, Axel didn't push further, but ordered her to let them take over the rest of the questions. And she did—the Count of Belnau brought out a visceral, violent side of her she hadn't realized dwelled inside. He unleashed an anger that even her father hadn't drawn from her a few days prior at the jail. It scared her, and so she kept her distance, either lounging on the cushions or settling near the window to gaze outside.

Later, Sir Geitz admitted that though Charlotte had murderous tendencies, she didn't intend to harm Céleste or Julia.

"They are not her target," said the man, nonchalant as ever though bags swelled under his eyes and his cheeks seemed to droop with fatigue. Still, he didn't hunch, sitting as straight as possible for one with hands tied behind his back. "She has it out for the former King, naturally. He was not supposed to survive, and his life threatens her place as Queen."