"Played for a fool?" The Duke repeated, feeling a bit irked. His previous emotions dwindled his as pride came to the forefront of his mind. He would never allow anyone to belittle him.
Especially not his FEMALE daughter!
"That's quite a rude and improper statement to utter to your own father, Felicia. Where are your manners?"
Felicia looked into his eyes and was met with coldness. She felt the familiar urge to shrink come back to her, but she quickly straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath. She would not cower before this man. He did not have the power to scare her. Not after all she had endured.
The Duke's cold green eyes were nothing compared to the events of the last 24 hours.
And who knew what else was to come?
Straightening her shoulders Felicia looked her father straight in the eyes. "I do not say that to offend or disrespect you. I only say that because I still love you and I do not want you to die filled with regrets."
The Duke's was completely confused. He was about to ask her what she meant when he remembered the real reason for this conversation.
"I am not interested in listening to you ramble cryptically, Felicia. Tell me who attacked you? What happened to the two of you during the earthquake? Where did you go and why did you return in such a state? And what was the Young Marquis Liam doing with you? What business does he have with you?"
Well, I'm deeply in love with him. Felicia thought. Bu that was besides the point.
"It was the Pope who attacked us. And as for our location we went deep underground in the church before travelling to Lake Joan then returning back to the church." Felicia blandly replied.
The Duke was taken aback. He looked from Felicia's exhausted eyes to Alex who was seated with his arms folded, staring at the floor.
Why wasn't his son speaking?
"Why...why would the Pope attack you? What nonsense is this?" The Duke didn't believe them. But at the same time he also didn't know why they'd involve the Pope's name into a lie.
But it didn't sound like a lie.
"The Pope attacked us because he wants me and Alex dead. He can't risk getting exposed and he knows we have the means to do so. And now Liam has become a target as well because he saw the truth and is working alongside us."
Felicia took in a deep breath as the urge to cry over Hildegarde surfaced once more. She rubbed at her aching chest and felt the mark the Pope had branded her with. Yet another problem that would have to be dealt with. How long before it would cease to simply ache?
"Felicia? Felicia? Why are you not speaking?"
Alex, seeing Felicia had gone silent and was rubbing at her chest decided to speak up. The Duke had called her name repeatedly, but she looked fully zoned out. Had the Devil's mark done something to her? Or did she realize something?
"Your grace, the reason the Pope wants us dead is because he practices the Devil's magic. He made a pact with a Demon Lord decades ago in order to cement his place as Pope. The Goddess deemed him unworthy so he turned to the Devil for help. He has been killing people and offering their souls as payment for power. He can mimic the effects of holy power but he is---"
"Alex! Stop! Enough! What?" The Duke looked from him to Felicia and back again. "What nonsense are you spouting? How is--"
"It is not nonsense, father." Felicia spoke up. "It is the truth. The Pope is an imposter. And so is Helena. Both of them are actively working to undermine this empire and diminish the Goddess's impact. And Helena doesn't know it. She doesn't know that the power she has is a gift from the Devil not a blessing from the Goddess."
"Enough!" The Duke shot to his feet, his face painted into a scowl. "Do you even understand the consequences of what you are saying right now?! Have you two completely lost your senses? If word got out you would be hanged as blasphemers! I want to know where you two went and who attacked you, not this nonsense!"
"Lower your voice, your grace." Alex cautioned. "Our walls are safer but they still have ears."
The Duke briefly looked to the door before looking back at them.
"Sit down, your grace. Calm yourself and open your mind to what we are telling you. We have no reason to spout nonsense. As you said we would be executed if word got out. We speak nothing but the truth. We would never lie to you about something so serious."
"If you do not wish to believe then let me show you." Felicia lifted her hands. Immediately they lit up, first glowing white before sparking with bursts of purple lightning from her fingertips.
The Duke jumped back in shock. He let out a yelp and tripped over a chair, crashing to the ground.
-------
Outside the room, Tyren and Helena, who were trying to get closer to listen also jumped at the noise. The guards stationed had forbade them from getting closer but the ladies refused to listen even though it was the Duke's orders. The most they could do was prevent them from pressing their ears against the door.
Undeterred, the mother daughter pair had done their best to try to hear what kind of conversation was unfolding inside the Duke office. Unfortunately, they couldn't hear anything. Suspecting Alex and Felicia of whispering secrets to the Duke, they grew frustrated and were about to walk away when the sudden sound of a crash came from behind the closed door.