Beautiful Rogue

Chapter 03

"You can't do this!" Ashton shouted. "My wife and children are innocent! Leave them out of this."

"Sorry, but no can do." Edwin shrugged, displaying his lack of remorse and sympathy. "Once you are announced guilty, you and your family will be publicly executed for the citizens of Elysium to witness. No one would want a traitor's kin to survive. Who knows what kind of conspiracies they can scheme up in the future," he remarked, cocking a brow up in a taunting and provoking manner.

Ashton's body immediately went up in flames. Anger flooded his entire being as he tried to break free from the chains attaching him to the wall. He would have transformed into his wolf form already if it hadn't been for the enchanted collar locked around his neck. The collar prevented him from shifting back into his true form since a witch had cast a spell on it. These special collars were the only things with the ability to suppress the inner beast of a werewolf from appearing. He wanted desperately to mutilate the man before him but, at this point, he didn't have the capability of doing so and he hated himself for it.

"Now if you don't mind, I have to go and check how the guards are doing," hummed Edwin. "I can't believe they allowed your daughter to get away. She's not even able to transform yet. How incompetent of them."

"Wait!" Ashton gasped, mouth agape. "You mean Irina is still out there?" He felt a flicker of hope ignite within him. Perhaps their family still had a chance. Perhaps the people of Elysium still had a chance.

Edwin peered over his shoulder and rolled his eyes. "If she hasn't been killed by the Rogues yet, I can assure you she will die in my hands. I will not be cruel and separate your family. So don't you fret over it." And without another word, the man strutted out of the dungeon.

The king's chest caved in as he stumbled back. "My daughter is still out there," he whispered breathlessly. "Please be brave and live on so that one day you can claim what is rightfully ours. You're Elysium's only hope now, sweetheart."

* * *

"What do you mean your father has been accused of corruption and treason? What in the name of heavens is going on in there?" Gideon exclaimed, shocked. His booming voice echoed through the place, causing Irina to flinch and cower back in her seat.

"I-I don't know either, sir," she stuttered. "It all happened so quickly. However, I must return at once to see if my family is all right." She couldn't abandon them at a time like this. She had to go back for them. They were her everything. Irina couldn't afford to lose them. They were a family.

Kaleb looked warily at the girl, knowing very well she was determined to go back, before he shook his head and sighed. She might be as pretty as a flower but she was obviously not the brightest star in the sky. Was she not aware of what could ensue if she returned to the kingdom? The kingdom which had deserted her and her entire kin. She must be brave, stupid, naïve or all of the above. Kaleb was leaning toward stupid and naïve. Although, in his opinion, they basically meant the same thing. He'd leave this one to his father because Irina would be more likely to listen to the old man than the boy who almost took her life.

"You cannot do that, princess," Gideon denied. "If what you are saying is true, once you set foot inside the kingdom, you will no longer be seen as a member of the royal family. You will be considered as a fugitive just like your father is now if he has not yet been arrested. The same goes for your mother and siblings as well."

"But my family is innocent!" Irina shouted defensively as she shot up out of her seat. Her jaw tightened and she fisted the dress she was given in her hands. She was seething, blood boiling, enraged with everyone and everything at the moment. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Gideon wanted her to sit idly and do nothing while her family was being wronged, blamed for things they'd never do? As if she'd allow that to happen. The fury burning within her was so potent that Irina felt like she could rip a fully matured oak tree in half with her bare hands. Then that flash of golden auburn flickered behind her eyes, enthralling both father and son.

"You really are your father's daughter," the elder muttered as he tore his gaze away from the poor child.

Kaleb took this as his cue to step in. "Breathe," he prodded. "Being angry and rash at a time like this will help no one. If anything, it will only end up hurting you. Just think and listen to my father. He's right." Next, he stood tall and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"And you don't think I'm hurting now?" Irina croaked brokenly as she shrugged him off. She closed her eyes and felt her heart crippling. When did everything go wrong? Yesterday they were all together, smiling and laughing around the dinner table. "I have to know that they're okay. I have to know that I'm not alone."

"And you will, child. I will send a message to a friend of mine in Collier. Do not worry. She is very fond of your father so she will surely cooperate," Gideon said. Climbing up to his feet, he walked over to Irina and Kaleb, a gentle countenance painted over his face. He inhaled and patted the girl's head before he looked at his son.

In his eyes, Kaleb could decipher his father's secret message. He was ordering the boy to stick by the princess for now in case she decided to do anything reckless. He exhaled loudly and then nodded his head subtly as his father brushed by him and exited the room. I guess I'm on babysitting duty, he groaned mentally, shoulders slumped. Kaleb didn't necessarily dislike Irina but the idea of having to watch her, like she was some type of toddler, was not how he wanted to spend his time. He had better things to do. A life to live. After, he recalled his hunting plans with his friends and his jaw flexed. He had to make a decision and he had to make it fast. "Look," he began.

Irina didn't utter a word and stood there as stiff as a statue. Kaleb noticed this and let out a frustrated and strangled grunt. Next, he grasped onto her wrist and began dragging her with him. The girl was so devastated and crushed with the sudden fall of her family that she allowed herself to be pushed around like some ragged doll with no soul at all. Her mind was blank as her body stumbled side to side, trying to keep up with Kaleb's long and fast strides. "This is so burdensome. Why couldn't I have just slit her throat when I had the chance?" Kaleb grumbled under his breath, thinking the girl couldn't hear his snarky remark. He didn't really mean it. It was just the annoyance speaking. 

Snapping out of her thoughts, Irina roughly yanked her wrist away from his hold and Kaleb stopped. With arched brows, he peered back at the girl whose face shone with hurt. "If I'm such a burden, then perhaps you should have slaughtered me when you had the chance." Irina didn't meet his eyes but could tell he was surprised with her shift in attitude. Hell, even she was surprised with her own behavior. "If you don't want me here just say it. If you don't want to guard me then don't. You think I wanted to end up in a place like this? You think I wanted my father to be accused of crimes I know he would never commit? I thought you were good because you spared me and brought me to your home. I thought you could understand and prove to me that all the things I've heard about your people were nothing but false claims, but now I know for myself that they were true."

A gentle breeze swept by the pair as silence consumed them. Kaleb felt a wave of guilt crash harshly against his conscience and watched Irina turn away. She took a step forward and halted. She glanced over her shoulder and he was able to catch sight of a lone tear gliding gracefully down her pale cheek. People often said girls never looked pretty when they cried but Irina... she was the exception. And to see her like that made him feel helpless and, not to mention, insensitive. She appeared so fragile but a word like that didn't exist in Kaleb's world. Therefore, he didn't know how to handle the situation. The girls around him were always hard-headed and stubborn. None of them were like Irina. In fact, no one he had ever met was like her. What was he supposed to do?

Suddenly, though, Kaleb remembered who he was and all traces of guilt vanished as he plastered on a stoic and stale expression. Two could play this game. Rogues didn't care about emotions and this was exactly why. He couldn't feel sorry for her. He couldn't afford to pity or sympathize her. If he did, that meant he had weakened and, in the world of the Savage, weakness was not welcomed. Weakness was what got you killed. No one ever comforted him when he was growing up and he sure as hell wasn't going to do unto others what he had never received. If Irina wanted to get through this adversity, she would have to do it on her own. She had to be strong whether she wanted to be or not, whether she was capable or incapable. It's not his problem. It's hers.

"Fine," Kaleb snapped icily. "But don't forget you were the one who told me to leave and don't you expect me to lend you a shoulder when you need it either." He whirled around and felt his chest heaving up and down rather heavily, his breathing short and labored. And trust me, you're going to need it.