Their Wife

Thirty-Seven

I stood in Julia's hold, dumbfounded by the words that left Mia's lips.

I was too distracted and confused by the sudden change in behaviour of the two women and by the approaching footsteps to notice Mia step towards me and mimic taking the cane away from me with a hard yank. Henry and Cassius had rounded the trees at just the right moment for it to look like she had just pulled it from my hands. They were followed closely by Zev, Ezra, Axel, and Jaxon in that order respectively. They came to a jogged stop, seemingly stunned at the scene before them.

Mia threw the cane off to the side away from me. She threw herself at Cassius, clutching at his arm. "Cassius," she desperately called, forgoing his formal title. "Please, help! Please, save him from your wife!"

My mouth dropped at her words. Surely she must have been kidding, right? Who would believe that I would harm a soul? Who would believe that I was capable of harming someone? I was more likely to drop a knife through my own foot than stab someone in the back with it.

Clearly, that wasn't an issue for these two.

Luckily, I wasn't the only one with that train of thought. Cassius looked down at Mia as she clung to him, a small frown playing at his lips. I could see a hint of doubt and suspicion on his face. There were no signs that he believed her words. There were no signs that any of them believed her words if the furrowed brows and frowns of confusion were anything to go by.

Zev was the one to break the awkward atmosphere that had descended. "I'm sorry, but could you clarify what happened, Lady June?" he asked her calmly, his eyes briefly darting towards Kirk as he lay on the ground in pain.

Mia pulled her face out from where she had buried it into Cassius's arm. "Lady Riar and my servant had fallen behind as Lady Rose and I continued ahead while in conversation. We had returned to see what was holding the two up when we noticed they had fallen behind only to find your wife trying to force herself on my servant as he begged her to stop. In a rage, probably at being discovered in the act, she grabbed my walking stick and started taking her frustration out on the poor boy. She turned her attack on me when I attempted to help him," she lied with fake tears in her eyes. "I heard the women on the council speaking of how powerful you men were. I never expected anything like this from a wife you would have chosen after so much care and deliberation, but surely you can stop her from harming him further, especially if you truly do advocate for other men!"

Ezra was quick to reply. "There must be a mistake," he said as he stepped forward. He looked tired, light bags could be seen forming under his eyes. While the events of this morning seemed to have drained Ezra, Axel, who stood behind him to the side, looked better than he had in days. He looked... too good, like his head was in the clouds.

"Nea wouldn't do something like that," Ezra continued, shaking his head. The others seemed to agree if their expressions were anything to go by.

My brows furrowed in confusion. If they didn't think I was capable of doing what I was being accused of, then why did I have to face what I did on a daily basis? Why would they harm and assault an innocent? They were no better than the women they condemned- no, they were worse. They knew the damage that treating others like that could do to a person yet they chose to still engage in the behaviour. Or...

Maybe it was just me. Maybe they just loved tormenting me.

I almost snorted inappropriately. I had to stop daydreaming and getting caught up in main character syndrome, especially at times like this.

Mia's grip on Cassius's shirt tightened. He didn't react, just looked down at her with a blank face that gave nothing away. But that in itself gave a response.