Devoted Nobility

Chapter 67

Alexander

I spoke with my father. He had no opinion about what I should do with Matthew. As much as I now hated to think it, he was a part of the royal family. I couldn’t bear to make the decision to have him killed. I just couldn’t do it. He was my brother. I also couldn’t let him go free for I wouldn’t risk him finding his way back to Sophia. I needed to speak with him to hear his side of the situation. Nothing he could say would make it better, but maybe I would find my brother in that monster. I went down to the dungeon after dinner. Matthew was being held in the back cell. When I arrived, the two guards bowed and pulled open the locked door. I stepped inside to find it empty. There wasn’t a soul inside. The small cot was empty as was the entire area. I backed out of the cell.

“Is this some sort of joke?” I asked the guards.

“We beg your pardon, my lord. What joke are you referring?”

“My brother. He is not in there.” I said coldly.

They looked at each other for a minute before walking inside. They came out a few seconds later with flustered looks on their faces.

I was getting angry. “How could this happen? He is a rapist who tried to harm my wife. How could let him escape? Another good question is if he’s not here, where is he?”

I didn’t give them a chance to answer. I turned and went running through the dungeon, back up the stairs. I burst through Sophia’s door as soon as I got there. She was sitting on her bed with a book in her hand.

She looked up and stared at me. “What is it? Is everything alright?”

I rushed to her side and began checking her body for injuries. “Are you okay? Has he been here?”

She shook her head. “Matthew? No. The only person who has been was Lucy a few hours ago. Did Matthew escape?”

I calmed down and nodded. I just hoped that wherever he was, he wouldn’t come back. With that, I let him fade from my memory. Sophia was what was important and as long as she is safe, everything is fine. I kissed her and in no time, we blew out the candles.