Chapter Nine

CHAPTER NINE

S he was up early the next morning, bathing in warmed rosewater and dressing in a soft green woolen gown with contrasting silk trim. Because of the travel, Matilda wound Kellington's long blond hair in a plaited bun at the back of her head. The style emphasized her slender neck and lovely shoulders. In fact, there was nothing about the woman that did not reek of elegance. She was stunning.

As the sun turned the eastern sky shades of pink and purple, Kellington found her way to the solar to collect her box of quill and ink, and a fresh parchment that would be used to record the workers they hired and their pay. She was busy making sure she had everything when the grating of armor caught her attention.

Though she'd seen Jax in his armor many a time, the sight of him in full battle protection elicited a yelp of fear before she realized it was him. His enormous and deadly presence had momentarily startled her. He had his helm on, visor flipped up and dual-colored eyes fixed on her. After the events of the evening, Kellington wasn't sure how to react to him. They simply stared at each other for several long seconds. Finally, he lifted a dark eyebrow.

"You will have to overcome your fear of knights."

"What do you mean?"

"Screaming every time I walk into a room."

She pursed her lips irritably as she checked her box to make sure she had everything she needed.

"I am not afraid of knights as a whole," she eyed him. "Just certain ones who emerge from darkness like Lucifer himself."

The corner of his mouth twitched. "Are you ready?"

He seemed fairly normal for the turmoil that went on the previous night. In fact, he seemed to have some humor about him. It was a relief and a curiosity. Kellington nodded in response to his question, securing the box and handing it to him.

"Can you take this, please?"

He took the box. He also took the parchment she offered him. As they quit the solar, Matilda was at the door with Kellington's gray fur-lined cloak and she secured it about her lady's shoulders as Jax opened the great door. With the hood pulled over her head to shield her view from the crop of dead bodies in the ward, she emerged after Jax into the damp dawn.

The bailey was cluttered with men in armor and weapons. It was a complete escort party of at least thirty men. But it was also empty of the gruesome army of corpses. When Kellington realized they were gone, she came to a halt half-way down the steps, her gaze moving over the ward in astonishment.

Jax was off the steps and walking to his charger when he realized she was still on the stairs. He came to a halt.

"What is it?" he asked her.

Stunned, Kellington didn't know quite what to say. She descended the remainder of the stairs and caught up to him.

"My father's army…," she looked around as if missing something. "They're gone."

"You wanted them gone."

She looked at him. "But… where are they?"

His dual colored gaze moved to the north wall of the fortress as if to see through it. "You wanted them buried. They are buried outside of the walls."

Her jaw dropped. "There were hundreds of them. When did you do this?"

"Last night."

"All of them last night?"

He was either being modest or he didn't particularly want to talk about it; she wasn't sure which. He seemed particularly tight lipped.

"You wanted all of them buried, so I ordered my men to bury all of them last night," he replied, taking her elbow and leading her towards the gray palfrey that had been saddled for her. "It wasn't such a feat as you apparently think."

They had reached the palfrey but she still wasn't over her surprise. "I cannot believe…," she let out a blustery sigh. "Good God, you really did it."

"I told you I would."

She turned to him swiftly, her lovely, creamy face upturned in the weak morning light. "And my father?"

"I sent word to Foulburn last night. He should be here in a few days."

"And… and Lavaine?"

"Unharmed."

She stared at him, at a loss for words. When she blinked, fat tears found their way onto her cheeks. Jax's brow furrowed.

"Why do you cry?" he asked, his voice softer. "Is that not everything you asked of me?"

She sniffled, nodded, and then burst into soft sobs. "Oh, Jax," she wept softly. "I did not believe you would truly listen to me. But you did."

He bent over to look her in the face, unsure why the woman was crying. "Of course I did. I told you I would. Now why are you crying?"

She smiled at him, still tearing up, to let him know it wasn't because she was angry or hurt. Reaching out, a gloved hand touched his mailed cheek.

"Because I am pleased," she sniffled, trying to dry up the tears. "It meant so much to me. I am so pleased that you did it."

The glove on his face felt like heaven. That corner of heaven that he told her about. Unwilling to show any emotion in front of his men, especially in light of the confusion they had shown over burying the enemy army, he simply turned her towards the palfrey and lifted her effortlessly into the saddle. Then he moved to his silver charger, a menacing beast with big scars and gnashing teeth. Mounting, he lifted his hand to Amadeo, who bellowed the command to move out.

Kellington wiped her tears away as they quit the fortress and progressed onto the open road. She was still in a good deal of shock over the morning's revelations, but it was elated shock. As the sun broke from the horizon and began its ascent, the world around them came alive with bugs, animals and soft May breezes. It was already turning into a very good day.

Kellington rode by herself in nearly the center of the group. Jax was to the front of the column; she could see his helmed head. Glancing around, she noticed that Amadeo was behind her by several feet. His visor was down but she knew it was him; she recognized him.

"Good morn to you, my lord," she wasn't sure he was looking at her but, just in case, she did not want to be rude. "'Tis a fine day."

Amadeo was indeed looking at her. In fact, he couldn't stop looking at her. He was still trying to figure out what she had said to Jax to not only spare the life of her friend, but to motivate Jax into burying her father's army. The Wales generals had been astonished as well but had wisely kept their opinions to themselves, even as they had been roped into the burial party for Pelinom's troops.

Whatever spell was lingering over de Velt, they did not want to break or provoke it. Amadeo had served Jax for six years and had never seen such behavior from the man. What no other man or woman on earth had been able to accomplish, this slip of a woman had.

"Greetings, my lady," he replied, hoping his voice did not convey his confusion.

She smiled faintly, the dimple in her left cheek deep. But for lack of anything more to say, she faced forward and gave a pat to her little mare when the horse jumped nervously at the snorting of the chargers. Another few feet and one of the chargers nickered loudly, starting her little mare into a panic. Rather than be thrown off, Kellington jumped and amazingly landed on her feet. The little mare bucked and bolted off the road.

The party came to a halt as Amadeo went in pursuit of the palfrey. Jax thundered his way back along the column.

"What happened?" he demanded.

Kellington turned to him but one of his senior soldiers answered in her stead; when de Velt asked a question, it had better be quickly answered.

"The lady's palfrey was spooked, my lord," the man replied. "Amadeo is going to retrieve it."

Jax's head turned in Kellington's direction and he raised his visor to get a better look at her. "Are you injured?"

She shook her head. "I did not fall off. I am fine."

He nodded, his gaze lingering on her a moment before going in search of Amadeo and the errant mare. But his second was already returning with the little creature, who was frightened into madness by the presence of the chargers. Kellington tried to comfort the little animal, but the mare was too far gone with panic.

"She will not ride calmly with these war horses," Kellington said to Jax. "Either I ride at the rear alone or I ride at the front and away from the chargers."

Jax thought on the situation a moment longer before extending his hand to her. "Amadeo," he commanded. "Lift her up to me."

Amadeo released the palfrey to the nearest soldier and dismounted his steed in the same motion. He was a silent, efficient knight. But as he drew close to Jax with Kellington in his grip, he lifted his visor to look at his liege.

"It would be better if she rode with me or someone else," he said quietly. "You make a very big target riding at the head of the column and the lady is without protection."

Jax's first reaction was to bite his head off for questioning his decision. But he stopped himself before the words left his lips, realizing the man was correct. Still, he kept his hand extended.

"Lift her to me," he said again. "I will ride in the middle of the column. You will take point."

Amadeo didn't argue; he lifted Kellington up to Jax and returned to his charger. As Amadeo pounded his way to the front and the column began to move once again, Jax settled Kellington across his thighs, holding both her and the reins with his left hand. He established position in the center of the squad as they traveled down the road.

Kellington thought it was an odd experience riding with Jax. First and foremost, he was covered with enough armor and weapons to single-handedly put most of London under submission. Secondly, his charger was enormous and she had a very good view of all around her. Thirdly, it was rather frightening and she wasn't sure she liked it. But she kept her mouth shut as they moved along the road towards the berg of Hadden, about an hour's ride from Pelinom.

The morning was soft and fresh, the sun warming the land slightly. Jax and Kellington traveled in silence; she was afraid to say anything and Jax would not let his attention be diverted by chatter, even if it was Kellington's chatter. So the hour's ride went rather slowly until the outskirts of Hadden came into view. Down a slight hill, they could see it in the distance, a cluster of brown within a vast sea of green.

Kellington kept her eyes on the village as they drew closer. It didn't seem like anything out of the ordinary; she could see people moving about, farmers with their carts, and children running in the road. But as the army drew close enough to be within voice shot of the town, it was as if someone suddenly sounded an alarm; the entire village erupted in an uproar and people began running madly, slamming doors and windows and closing up shop. It very quickly occurred to Kellington what was happening and she hastened to staunch the flow of panic.

"Stop," she commanded Jax softly.

"Why?" he asked.

She craned her neck back to look at him, patting him heavily on his armored arm to emphasize her point. "Jax, stop your army," she commanded again, pushing herself from his grip and sliding to the ground. "Tell your army to turn back. Go back to the rise in the road and wait for me."

He would not flip up his visor to look at her; he was in battle mode. He always was when in an unfamiliar situation.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

She gestured to the village. "Look at what is happening," she said sternly, quietly. "The appearance of your men has terrified them. Word travels fast; undoubtedly these people know what has happened to Pelinom. They know that an approaching army cannot be a good thing. They believe you are here to raid the town."

He looked around, noticing that the once-busy berg was now eerily still. In his world, this was perfectly normal. But he realized they were trying to accomplish something other than total domination, so he shifted his thought processes to that regard. It was a struggle.

"I will not let you attend to this alone," he said, holding up a hand to stop her protests. "But I will order the escort to back away."

She wasn't sure it was a good idea to have him as her escort because it was mostly him that the people were afraid of. But she didn't fight him further, hoping her presence alone would be enough to convince the villagers that doom was not about to rain down upon their little town.

She waited patiently as Jax gave Amadeo the order. Amadeo, in turn, commanded all but four men, including himself, to retreat back down the road about a half mile and wait. When the army was on a reverse course, Jax dismounted his charger, removed Kellington's box and parchment from his saddlebags, and made his way to her. She eyed him as he approached.

"The broadsword," she said, nodding her head at the weapon strapped to his hip.

He glanced down. "What about it?"

"If you want these people to come out of hiding, you should leave it back on your horse."

He did flip up his visor, then. "I am not leaving my weapon on my horse."

She gave him a mildly impatient look. "Only a madman would move against you," she said steadily. "And we are not expecting a military offensive at this time. I think you can safely leave it behind. Moreover, I would suspect that broadsword isn't the only weapon you have on your person."

The dual-colored eyes glared but he wasn't doing a very good job of intimidating her. "Of course it is not."

"Then you may leave your broadsword behind and still have ample weapons to protect yourself."

He put his enormous hands on his hips. "I am not leaving my broadsword behind." He looked around, spying what looked like a tavern tucked back behind another building; there was a crude sign carved over head in the shape of a barrel. "I would suspect an inn would be the best place to find your laborers. It looks like one over there."

He was indicating for them to move towards it. But Kellington held fast. Jax took a few steps, noticed she did not move, and looked to her queerly.

"What is wrong?" he asked.

She lifted a stubborn eyebrow. "I am not going anywhere until you leave that weapon back on your charger." She looked around at Amadeo and the other three soldiers; they were armed to the teeth. "All of you. Go put your weapons back on your horses. Threats and intimidation will not be the order of the day. We are here to hire workers, not abduct slaves."

She looked at Jax as if daring him to challenge her. He glared at her a moment longer before swearing softly under his breath. With angry, jerky movements, he unstrapped his scabbard and ripped the bindings off his legs, tossing it to the nearest soldier. The man had fast reflexes and caught the weapon. Amadeo and the others were already removing their long blades. As one soldier went on the run with his arms full of weapons back to the retreating escort, Jax turned to Kellington.

"Now," he fumed, struggling to maintain his control. "Are you satisfied? Now may we go?"

She smiled sweetly at him, her dimple deep. "Thank you, my pet," she said quietly. "Aye, we may go."

All of his anger fled. My pet. She had called him something so simple, so sweet, and so unexpected that it blew the fury from him like the flame blowing from a candle. Aye, she had only said it because he had submitted to her will. But at the moment, he didn't care. He'd never in his life felt such a thrill as he had when that small, simple word spilled from her lips. It was absolutely idiotic. But he couldn't help it. For the first time in his life, it made him feel as if he belonged. It made him feel wanted.

He shook his head at her, weakly, as he took her elbow. "You are maddening."

She was still grinning at him. "I know."

An exasperated expression crossed his face but it was without force. "God's Blood," he muttered. "When I got it into my head to take Pelinom those months ago, I should have stayed well away. I would have been doing myself a favor."

She looked at him, the smile fading from her lips. That statement had a myriad of meanings to it. So many people would still be alive. Pelinom would still be a place of peace. But she would have never met this monster of a man who was so far showing he had a human side that was surprisingly deep. As much as she wished all of those people were still alive, she realized that she was not sorry she had come to know Jax de Velt. An odd sense of guilt swept her.

"Do you really think so?" she asked.

He cast her a side-long glance. "Nay," he replied softly, resignation in his tone. "In truth, I will probably curse myself for the rest of my life for not having taken the fortress sooner. I would have met you sooner."

She lifted an eyebrow. "Is that how men of your sort normally meet women? By laying siege to their homes?"

His eyes narrowed. "I doubt I would have met you any other way. You and I do not travel in the same social circles."

They came to a big trench of mud. Kellington lifted her skirt to pick her way through it, but Jax swung her into his arms and marched through the muck. Only when they were well clear did he set her down. He took her arm again.

"Jax," Kellington shifted her grip so that she ended up holding onto his elbow. "May I ask you a question?"

"God, what now?" he groaned.

She struggled not to grin. It was a serious question. "Do you plan to lay siege to any more fortresses? Or was Pelinom your last?"

His humor faded as he looked down at her. "That is my business, lady."

"I know," she replied honestly. "But I have an opinion on it."

"No doubt you do."

She met his gaze. "I do not want you to lay siege to any more castles," she said with some bravery, knowing it was ridiculous to make the statement but doing it all the same. "And I have a reason for this, too."

His expression went to stone. "I would suspect you are going to tell me what it is."

They were nearly to the inn and she wanted to say her peace before they arrived. She spoke quickly, quietly, and as humbly as she could. "If my father agrees to the marriage and I am not saying he will, but if he does, we can live at Pelinom quite comfortably," she lowered her voice so that Amadeo and the escort would not hear her words. "You said yourself that you already have six castles along the Welsh border that surely must be making you wildly rich, and you also said that de Vesci gave you a castle, so it my estimation, you have more wealth than you can ever spend. You don't need any more castles. And no one else needs to lose their life anymore, including you. You're not invulnerable, you know."

They had reached the inn. Jax did nothing more than open the door for her and Kellington didn't press him for response. She knew he would more than likely not give her one. But she had said what was on her mind and was not sorry for it.

The tavern was crammed with people who had fled inside to escape Jax de Velt. At the sight of him entering the establishment, half of the people bolted to their feet and prepared to dash for the rear entrance. Jax saw what was about to happen and grabbed the nearest chair, tossing it against the wall behind him so hard that the impact shook the entire building. Everyone who was preparing to run froze in their tracks.

"Stop!" Jax roared. "I have not come to destroy the place so take your seats, all of you."

As he spoke, he and his men walked into the room, throwing men back into their chairs and scaring a couple of women into tears. Kellington stood by the door, her eyes wide and her box and parchment clutched against her chest. When Jax finished tossing a couple of more men back into their chairs, he turned to her and held out a hand.

"My lady?" he said, looking an odd sight standing in the middle of a room full of terrified people. "Say your peace and get on with it."

Kellington swallowed as all eyes turned to her. She could feel the terror filling the room. But she took a deep breath and steadied herself.

"I am Kellington Coleby of Pelinom Castle," she said. "I need men to work an upcoming harvest and am prepared to pay a pence a day for this work. It should take no more than four days if I can have at least fifty men sign on."

No one stirred. They were still terrified, shifting nervous eyes to Jax and his men, now feathered around the hall in strategic places. They were like wolves waiting to pounce. Kellington was hoping someone would step up because she was afraid of what Jax would do if no one moved. Spying a nearby table, she sat down and opened her box. Neatly setting out her quill and ink, she carefully unrolled the parchment in preparation for writing names and having men sign their marks.

"It is a good wage I offer," she looked to the men closest to her. "Will you not sign your mark, sir?"

The four men she was singling out were pale with apprehension. One man finally spoke.

"We are just passing through this town, my lady," he said. "I have my own farm near York. I must get home."

"You are going to get home four days late," Jax kicked the man's chair and sent him sprawling. "Sign your mark on her parchment. That is not a request."

"Jax," Kellington said softly, shaking her head reproachfully. Then she lifted her voice again. "I can use women, too. It is a very good wage for four days work."

The man Jax had unceremoniously dumped from his chair picked himself up, brushing off his knees. He eyed Jax warily before looking to his companions at the table. It was evident that they were silently discussing what they should do. As Kellington looked hopefully around the tavern, Jax suddenly kicked over a table and splintered it.

"If you do not want me to burn this tavern over your heads, then you will all stand up and sign the lady's parchment," he boomed. "If anyone is still seated by the time I finish my directive, then I will personally use them as kindling."

Everyone in the room shot to their feet, stampeding their way towards Kellington. It was a herd of frightened animals. She shrieked as men jostled too close, unsettling the table and spilling her ink. The drops ended up on her skirt and she gasped with great disappointment.

"Oh, no," she stood up with big black splotches on her gown. "It's ruined!"

Jax was on her in a minute. "Who did this?" he demanded. "Point him out to me."

She looked up at him, her face red with frustration. Then she pointed right at him.

"You did this."

"What?"

"If you hadn't threatened these people, then they would not have panicked."

His jaw ticked dangerously; he did nothing more than eye the gown and turn his back on her.

"Make a neat line," he began to walk back along the crowd of frightened people. "No pushing. You shall all be able to make your mark in good time."

Kellington sighed heavily, watching him treat the patrons like a herd of cattle, before settling back down and reclaiming what was left of her ink. The first man she signed up was shaking so badly that his "X" looked like two wriggly lines.

And so it went into the morning. In little time, Kellington had forty six men and fifteen women signed to labor in the harvest. Their instructions were to arrive at Pelinom in two days and she promised them that they would be paid in full at the end of the harvest.

By the time she finished signing up the last woman, the place was empty. Jax stood several feet away, watching her like a hawk, as Amadeo covered the front door and the two remaining soldiers covered the rear entrance. When the ink on her parchment was properly sanded, he approached the table.

"Is all satisfactory?" he asked.

She nodded, carefully closing the lid on her box. "I believe so. We have more people than I hoped for."

He watched her lovely hands seal up the parchment. "Are you hungry?"

She blinked in thought. "I suppose so. Do they have anything to eat in this place?"

He was already turning for the bar back. "We shall soon find out."

"Jax," she called in a tone that made him stop. When he looked at her, she lifted her eyebrows at him. "Nicely, please. People respond quite favorably if you are polite."

He exhaled sharply; she saw it. But she smiled sweetly and all of the bluster went out him. He winked at her as he turned once again for the bar.

The innkeeper was a fat man with a red face and thick legs. He and his wife were in a panic with Jax's request no matter how politely he asked, which wasn't terribly considering he had never been polite in his life. But it was his first try at it. Leaving the soldiers posted at either door, he and Amadeo sat down with Kellington and enjoyed boiled apples and a huge slab of pork. The innkeeper served the men ale but Kellington didn't like ale, so the man offered her boiled water with rose petals and cranberries. Happy with her drink and stuffed with the food, she sat back in her chair as Jax and Amadeo finished off what was left of the pig.

Jax licked off his fingers, his gaze moving over her. In fact, he'd done nothing but stare at her throughout the entire meal. His eyes kept being drawn to the big black stains on her gown.

"We should find someone to repair your gown," he said, pointing to the mess. "Perhaps there is a seamstress in town."

Kellington fingered the blotches. "This is beyond repair. I will have to dispose of it."

"Then we should buy you material for a new garment to replace it while we are here."

Kellington was never one to turn down the opportunity to shop; such occasions were few and far between. She agreed and the three of them, followed by the two soldiers, quit the inn and made their way onto the main avenue. By this time, the merchants had reopened their shops and children once again played in the street.

Kellington was prepared for all that to change when Jax appeared, but to her surprise, everything remained busy and open. She looked around at the vendors and stalls.

"Words must have made the rounds that you are not here to destroy the town," she said, taking Jax's arm as they walked. "People seem in a better mood than they did earlier."

He grunted, feeling vastly uncomfortable; he had no charger, no broadsword, and his mission in the town was not one of destruction. It was a disorienting sensation, but with Kellington on his arm, it was also a surprisingly satisfying one.

"Stupid sheep, all of them," he growled.

She had to laugh at him; he was so dour that he was funny. But she sobered as they moved down the street.

"Jax?"

"What is it?"

"I am sorry I spoke so rudely to you earlier," she said quietly, looking up at him. "You may as well know I have a bit of a temper. I can snap at times."

"I know. I have seen it."

"Do you forgive me?"

He shrugged. "There is nothing to forgive. You were correct."

"I know I was, but I am trying to apologize for being rude about it."

He looked sharply at her, seeing that she was gently teasing him by the smirk on her face. He shook his head at her, a massive glove moving to cover her small one that clutched his elbow. He squeezed lightly.

"If I think you are being rude, I will tell you."

She just grinned and coyly looked away. He was enchanted. But the spell was broken when Amadeo walked up next to him.

"Look there," the man said, pointing an enormous mailed finger. "That merchant has bolts of material in his shop. Perhaps the lady wishes to look there."

Kellington nodded eagerly, let go of Jax's arm, and skipped happily to the stall. Jax stood there and watched her, every move she made, like he was just seeing her for the very first time. As each minute passed, he was growing increasingly smitten by the woman. And it was growing increasingly obvious to everyone.

Amadeo stood next to him, his blue eyes watching the lady also. He could not help but remember Henley's words, thinking that man to be completely correct in every way. Almost every way, at any rate. The woman wasn't a witch, but she certainly had Jax under her spell. He wouldn't have been concerned with it but for the fact that Jax had a very specific schedule planned out for the siege of the next castle along this stretch of the border. With Pelinom secure, the siege of White Crag was less than a week away. He wasn't sure how to bring that up without Jax taking his head off, but he knew he had to.

"My lord," he turned slightly towards Jax, crossing his mailed arms. "A question, if I may."

Jax's eyes were still on Kellington. "Speak."

"About White Crag, my lord," he said. "I have been trying to figure out the security of Pelinom while we are away."

Jax did look at him, then. "How so?"

"Because we cannot leave Pelinom open and unsecured," he explained. "But with this harvest that must take place, we cannot lock down the castle. The gates must be open to transfer the goods into the warehouse. Have you given any thought as to how this harvest can still take place even though we must secure the fortress at our departure?"

Jax eyed him; he knew Amadeo well enough to know the man was driving at something, but he would wait to see what it was.

"With the troops from the Welsh generals, we will be able to leave two hundred men behind at Pelinom to guard the fortress," Jax replied. "They will maintain tight security as the harvest is conducted."

"So we will take White Crag with eight hundred men?"

"I believe that will be sufficient. The configuration of White Crag is a disadvantage to the defenders; you've seen an outlay of the place. The walls are only twelve feet high in some places. She will not be able to withstand much of a siege."

Amadeo nodded faintly, his gaze moving to the lady as she discussed material with the merchant. "But what of the return of the lady's father?"

"What about it?"

Amadeo faced him, eyebrows lifted. "I mean just that. You are returning the man who formerly commanded the fortress. In my opinion, my lord, that is like leaving the fox in charge of the chicken yard. You took it from him; he will want it back."

"He has no army to accomplish this."

"But he is de Vesci's garrison commander and de Vesci commands thousands," Amadeo couldn't honestly believe that Jax did not see the situation for what it was. "Who's to say that Coleby hasn't already sent word to de Vesci about all of this? He could have very well requested de Vesci's help in regaining the garrison. You know that the man is going to want it back; it's rich and strategic."

Jax gave the man his full attention. "Coleby has been my prisoner for the better part of two weeks. Even now, he returns to Pelinom under escort. He's had no time or means to send a message to De Vesci. Even if he does, I can guarantee you that De Vesci will think twice before attempting to regain Pelinom. He'll be lucky if I don't lay siege to Alnwick Castle and seize his seat."

Amadeo shrugged in agreement. "We could do it just for entertainment."

Jax tried to maintain a firm stance but ended up with a smirk. "Any other concerns, Amadeo?"

"Are we still departing for White Crag by the end of the week?"

"Have you ever known me to deviate from my plans?"

"Never, my lord."

"This will not be the first time."

"What of Coleby when he arrives?"

"He will be watched by Caelen, who I will leave in charge of the fortress when the army moves out."

"By your command, my lord."

Kellington picked that moment to wave Jax over; she had evidently found something she wished to purchase. He went to her, leaving Amadeo watching his liege, not completely convinced by their conversation that Jax was still as focused on his border conquest as he once was. The man had displayed behavior far out of the ordinary as of late and Amadeo knew the time would come when steps would have to be taken to ensure that de Velt did not lose his concentration.

Amadeo would have to be prepared to act for the good of all of them.