The Sorrow of Shadows (Crimson & Shadows #1)

Chapter 40

CHAPTER FORTY

OPHELIA

I t’s nearly midnight when I hear the door to my father’s chambers creak open and a click as the door shuts again. Elijah behind me, I slip out of my own room to face the young female exiting his room. Her hair is disheveled, and she looks exhausted, but I see no physical injuries.

“Are you okay?” I ask quietly, and she nods.

“He didn’t hurt you?” I ask just to be sure.

“No, not really. He was rough, but the sedative in the wine took hold of him before he could do any real damage. I ensured he drank plenty, so he will think it was just too much wine that knocked him out.” She straightens her hair, wrapping a cloak around her shoulders. I had paid her an exorbitant amount to drug my father under the ruse of sleeping with him. I had paid her even more for her silence in the matter.

“Good,” I say, nodding. “Thank you so much for your help. Speak of this to no one.”

She visibly shudders. “Please, I would never tell a soul I bedded Lord Seamus. I’d like to forget it myself. ”

Elijah stifles a laugh behind me, and I dig my elbow into his ribs. I drop the last half of the coins into her hand and watch her leave the castle.

Once she’s gone, Elijah nips my ear and whispers, “Clever minx. I can’t believe you pulled this off on such short notice.”

I lean into his touch and respond, “I almost didn’t. I was hoping I could just sneak in when he left the palace, but the bastard has been hiding in his study almost all day. This was my last resort.”

“Either way, you still pulled it off. You’re brilliant, O. Now, let’s go break into his study.” Elijah pats my side, then leads me into my father’s rooms. I can hear him snoring heavily from his bed and know that he’ll be out until morning. Still, it’s best to keep as quiet as possible.

We move from the sitting room to his study, and I reach for the handle.

“Shit,” I mumble when the handle refuses to budge. “It’s locked. I’m going to have to sneak into his bedroom and look for the key.” I nearly groan at the thought.

“Not to worry,” Elijah whispers. He pulls an iron key from his pants pocket and kisses my forehead. He slides it into the lock and turns it until it clicks open. We step into the study, shutting and locking the door behind us.

“How did you get a master key to the castle?” I ask.

“Oh, you know...” he looks at me mischievously, “I swiped it off Commander Nolan like two years ago.”

“Why?” I ask.

“Why not?” He shrugs.

I shake my head in disbelief at him.

“Okay, you go through the desk drawers, and I’ll go through the records in the cabinet. He keeps very detailed notes, but I’m not sure how they’re organized. He rarely lets me see this room.” I don’t add that he does that because he doesn’t believe females have a place dealing with finances, business, or any real decision making.

“You got it, doll,” he says and goes to work opening the desk drawers. I open the cabinet, trying to decide where to start. I finally pull out a stack of parchment from the top and start reading through the records. Most of this seems like correspondence with business contacts in other cities and countries, but nothing comes off as suspicious.

Nearly an hour passes in silence as we read through his records but find nothing. I sigh in frustration as I drop another letter that proves to be a dead end. Elijah sets down what he’s reading and moves behind me. My heart beats fast as he wraps a muscled arm around my waist from behind, pulling me into his chest. His cinnamon and chocolate scent wraps around me, and I relax into his hold.

“We’ll find it eventually; we just have to keep looking.” He places a kiss on my cheek, then one behind my ear and squeezes me tightly.

“I know, I’m just so frustrated, and my eyes are going cross from looking at all these letters and numbers.” I let my fingers trace a pattern over his hand as he runs the other over the curve of my hip.

“I can feel how tightly wound your muscles are, Ophelia. Do you want me to help you relax? We can take a quick break from looking.” His tone borders on seductive.

“What do you mean?” I ask softly, unsure of where this is going.

He kisses down my neck, while running his hand down my leg. The skirt of my dress begins to rise as he slowly bunches it up one side and whispers, “Let me help you release some of that tension. Maybe once you’re relaxed, you’ll be able to look at this with fresh eyes.”

My cheeks flame at his meaning, and I gasp as my skirt is lifted high enough for him to slip a hand between my legs. His finger traces around the spot at the apex of my thighs that makes me see stars.

“We c-can’t.” I stutter, trying to maintain my focus as he continues to tease me. “Not here. Surely my father will hear and find us.”

“Your father is passed out cold until morning, doll. He’s not going to find us. But if you’re that worried, we can be very quiet.” Elijah continues kissing my neck, peppering soft bites in between.

As I open my mouth to speak, a moan leaves my lips instead when his fingers finally press down on my clit. All ideas of denying him are gone as he begins rubbing in slow circles.

“That’s what I thought,” he chuckles, moving his finger further to my opening. “Gods, Ophelia. You’re soaked for me.”

His words have me groaning quietly as I roll my hips back into him, feeling his erection pressed against my lower back. One of his fingers enters me slowly, and I suck in a breath.

“Elijah,” I whimper, reaching a hand back to find his erection. “Are you going to make love to me right here?”

The thick digit inside me moves in and out, and a second joins it. I groan louder as his thumb circles my clit and I roll my hips again, savoring the friction between us.

“Fuck, Ophelia. You’ve got to be quiet,” he says, covering my mouth with his hand. “No, I’m not going to make love to you here. Because when I take you, you will scream and there will be nothing quick about it.”

I nearly scream out of frustration at this male. I don’t know how else to express that I’m ready and want him. Since our first last encounter, I’ve thought about it several times. More than once I had to find release with my own hands as I imagined what it would be like to be taken by him. And he was denying me—again.

“Soon, Ophelia, I promise.” He picks up his pace as his fingers slide in and out of me, working me closer to the edge of bliss. “Tonight, you will come on my tongue, and I will savor every fucking drop of your release.”

A shutter rolls through me at his words. Keeping his fingers still inside me, he moves us to my father’s desk. After quickly shoving aside some papers, he lifts me and places me on top. His lips find mine in a fevered kiss that has me gasping for breath when he breaks it. He places a hand on my chest and pushes me back so I’m lying on the desk.

Elijah pulls my undergarments down my legs and slips them into his pocket. What does he do with them... I wonder, but the thought is quickly lost when his hot mouth finds my center. His fingers slide back inside me as he licks me from opening to clit. He was slow and tender the first time he did this, but I find none of that now as he works his fingers in and out of me, quickly building speed.

I writhe beneath him, covering my mouth with a hand to keep as quiet as possible. Elijah flicks his tongue over my clit repeatedly as his fingers continue building that sweet pressure inside of me. He sucks my clit into his mouth right as he curls his fingers and hits that perfect spot inside me. It has my back arching off the desk.

“Elijah,” I pant, completely lost to the pleasure of his touch.

He continues the motion of curling his fingers until I’m finally about to burst, then nips my clit, forcing me over the edge of bliss as wave after wave of euphoria washes over me. I’m lost in the sea of his pleasure, my breaths coming in short pants as I see literal stars dance across my vision.

“Fuck, Elijah,” I say when I can finally breathe again. Just as my heart rate comes back to normal, I feel his tongue make long, slow strokes up my thighs. He alternates sides, thoroughly licking every inch of me. “What are you doing?” I ask in confusion.

“What I told you I would do—savoring every drop of your release,” he replies with a smug look on his face. Despite what just happened between us, I find myself still blushing at his words.

He stands up, pulling my dress back down, then brings me to a sitting position. “Now let’s get back to work,” he says, kissing my lips softly. This male just made me come on his tongue in a matter of minutes, but I find myself still wanting more of him.

Another hour later, we finally stumble upon something helpful. I pull out several letters all bearing my father’s signature and several with wax seals I don’t recognize. Carefully, I open the first letter and read over the flawless script that implicates my father. The further I read, the more my stomach churns. I’m both relieved to have found something to help Breyla, but nervous for what this means for Layne and me.

These letters undoubtedly prove my father is a traitor. The letters aren’t signed by the other party, instead they just bear an unknown seal in red wax. Every single letter is addressed to Lord Seamus Delencourt. Swallowing hard, I turn to Elijah.

“Elijah, I found something,” I say, my voice barely more than a whisper.

His concerned eyes find mine, and he takes the letter from my trembling hands. Reading it over, he sighs. “Well, this is what we were looking for. This doesn’t just prove your father is trying to overthrow Queen Genevieve, but that he’s working with another country to do so. I don’t recognize this seal, but maybe the pieces will all come together once we turn this over to Breyla.”

My heart thuds rapidly in my chest at the implication. Not only is my father a traitor to the crown, Layne and I will be marked as traitors by extension. I knew this was a likely possibility, but now I had to face what this meant for me. What my next steps would be. Could I stay here? Would Layne and I ever be safe again if we ran?

Elijah must sense my warring emotions, because the next thing I know, I’m being pulled into his hard chest. A soothing hand runs down my back as I tremble in his arms. Tears stream down my face while I cling to his chest, my lungs burning as I struggle to pull in air. The room around me spins, and I sob hysterically into his chest.

“Shhhh,” he says, trying to soothe me. “You’re panicking, Ophelia. I’m going to help you through it, though.”

I’m too lost to my panic to respond verbally, but I nod.

“I need you to tell me five things you can see in the room,” Elijah says in a firm but kind tone.

I glance around the space, trying to focus on anything I can. “Desk, c-candle, chair, tapestry, parchment.”

“Good. Now, four things you can touch.” He gives the second command with the same gentleness as the first.

“Um,” I start, trying to feel for four things, but all I feel is him against me. “Your shirt,” I say as I grip it tighter. “My dress,” I add, running a hand over the sleeve. “The rug, and your muscles.”

He chuckles softly. “I shouldn’t count that last one, but I’ll take it. Now give me three things you can hear.”

I take in a breath, finding it easier now. “The wind outside, my father’s snores...” I struggle to find a third when it hits me. There’s a steady beating I hear coming from his chest. “I can hear your heart beating.”

“Good girl,” he praises. “Now give me two things you can smell.”

“Cinnamon and chocolate,” I blurt without thinking.

“Cinnamon and chocolate?” he asks, clearly confused.

“It’s what you smell like,” I explain. I feel his chest move slightly as he stifles a laugh .

“One thing you can taste, now.”

“I-I don’t know.” I haven’t had anything to eat or drink in hours, and I don’t typically go around just tasting the things around me.

“Here, I’ll give you the last one,” he says as he tilts my chin up, so we’re making eye contact. Then he places the softest of kisses on my lips. It’s a kiss so tender, I never want it to end. But it does, and when he pulls back, he smiles at me.

“There she is,” he says softly.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

“You never have to thank me for that, or anything. Except orgasms, you can thank me for those any way you like,” he says with a wink.

I roll my eyes and take a step back from him. “Elijah, I have to leave.” It takes everything in me to utter those words, because I know he can’t come with me.

“No. You don’t.” His words are firm and leave no room for argument.

“But, I?—”

“—No, Ophelia. Your father is a traitor. That word does not apply to you. You had no part in this, and I won’t let them touch you.”

His words should be comforting, but they’re not. “It’s not up to you, Elijah. And what about Layne? You can’t protect me, let alone both of us.”

“Do you honestly believe your brother had any part of this?” he asks.

“Layne would never,” I say resolutely. I had absolute faith in my brother.

“Then you have nothing to fear. I know Breyla better than anyone. She would never hold you—or your brother—accountable for your father’s actions. That’s not how she thinks.” He says this with the same certainty I had about Layne.

“But the law dictates that Layne and I should share his fate. History would tend to agree,” I argue, referring to the story of Myer, Elythia, and their children.

“Breyla is the law, Ophelia. She would never let something happen to you. I promise.” I don’t know if I’m totally reassured, but it’s good enough for now.

“There’s something else I found—I think.” He says this cautiously, I’m sure to keep from triggering another episode in me.

“What is it?” I ask.

Elijah pulls me over to the desk and the record he was looking at. It’s a ledger of all my father’s accounts. Something I wouldn’t have thought to look over.

“At first, I almost looked over it, but I’m glad I didn’t,” he starts, running his finger down the page. “Here—just a week ago there were two suspiciously large transactions made close together. One is recorded as ‘H’ and the other as ‘M’. I’m fairly certain the ‘M’ is for the services of the Midnight Brotherhood, but I’m wondering if he did pay the Howard family.”

I scan over the records, trying to make sense of them. My eyes snag on one other transaction, dated several weeks prior. “Here,” I say pointing to it. “It looks like he paid the salary of Delilah Howard shortly before Aurelius's attempted poisoning.”

Elijah’s eyes widen. “I’m not the royal treasurer, but I can tell you that is far more than any other servant makes, Ophelia.”

I pull the ledger sheet out, folding and tucking it carefully in the bodice of my dress. Elijah then slips the letters into his pocket, and we return the room to its original state. “We need to get these to Breyla, immediately.” I say it with more confidence than I feel.