Unspeakable Secrets The Alchemist Series (A Dark Medieval Progression Fantasy)

Chapter 6 The Chamberlain

When Connor arrived back at his uncle's mansion on the palace grounds, he expected an angry Victor to confront him the moment he stepped through the door.

But, there was no sign of him.

"Is my uncle home?" Connor asked one of the manor guards.

"No, my lord. He left shortly after you did," the guard said.

Connor sighed. He wanted to get his groveling over with and resolve everything as soon as possible, but fate, it seemed, was not on his side.

Rather than brood inside the manor, waiting for his uncle's return, he walked out into the palace gardens.

He strolled along gravel pathways lined with hedges trimmed to look like beautiful women and flowers that blossomed from the first kiss of spring.

He sat on a stone bench beside a bubbling fountain and closed his eyes, taking deep breaths. Victor was his family. It'd all work out, wouldn't it?

The crunch of boots on gravel disrupted his thoughts.

Couldn't he get a single moment of peace today?

He cocked his head and looked at the source of the disturbance.

A portly man in fine silk clothes stormed toward him, flanked by two royal guards in shining plate armor without their helmets.

Great. Chamberlain Davison. What in the hells did he want now?

"Where is your master? I demand to know why he is digging into the affairs of the nobles," The Chamberlain said. His every word dripped with venom.

"You mean the nobles with ties to the slave trade and corruption?" Connor asked, " I'd think as someone loyal to the city you'd be glad that they got what they deserved."

"Listen, boy," Chamberlain Davison said as he wagged a sausage-like finger in Connor's face, "I've heard about how you've been causing trouble for Elgar. Things like that can have dire consequences. You tell your uncle to keep his nose out of other people's business."

Connor scoffed. "If you could do anything to me, you'd have done it already," he said.

The Chamberlain's face twisted in anger and he pushed his finger hard against Connor's chest. "Now you listen to me—ye-argh!"

His words were cut off when Connor grabbed the man's hand and twisted it almost to breaking point as he leaned in close.

"No," Connor said in a voice that chilled the air, "you listen to me. I don't work for you. I'm not one of your servants. You don't boss me around, and if you ever touch me again, you'll lose that hand. Now run along and harass one of your maids, snake."

Chamberlain Davison's eyes bulged, and his lower lip quivered. His guards grasped the hilts of their swords.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Connor said with a nod to behind Davison's guards.

They turned around and saw they were surrounded by men and women in dark clothing. Their weapons were already drawn and only a hair's breadth away from the guards' throats.

"This is an outrage!" spat The Chamberlain even as he kept his eyes on his hand.

"As I was saying," Connor said as he released his iron grip, "Victor isn't here. Perhaps you should come back another time."

The Chamberlain cradled his hand to his chest and massaged it tenderly. He looked at his guards and at Connor, his eyes filled with rage.

Connor stared at him with a mocking smirk on his lips, daring him to attack. To give the order to cut Connor down. To finally step too far and give Connor an excuse to end him.