CHAPTER 198: THE MERCHANT SIBLINGS [6]

Delphine pushed herself up from the floor. Her movements shaky. Unsteady.

Her face was streaked. Eyes red-rimmed.

"Please—" Her voice cracked. She swallowed hard. Tried again. "Please, my lord. We’ll do anything. Just, please don’t report us. We can’t—"

She couldn’t finish. The words stuck in her throat.

Teryn had managed to sit up now. His own face pale as death.

Meanwhile Alaric just kept studying the documents in his hands. His expression thoughtful.

This... could actually work.

His mind turned over the possibilities. Fast. Calculating.

I need to undermine Valtair’s operations. Create chaos in his supply chains.

I’d need intermediaries I could trust not to trace back to me.

His eyes lifted. Tracked between the two terrified merchants.

And these two... they’re already criminals. Already skilled at forgery and deception.

And now they’re completely compromised. Desperate. Controllable.

The smirk widened slightly.

Perfect.

"Anything?" He repeated Delphine’s word back to her. Let it hang in the air.

She nodded frantically. "Yes. Yes, anything. We’ll pay restitution, we’ll leave town, whatever you want—"

"I don’t want you to leave town."

The statement stopped her mid-sentence. Confusion flickered across her tear-streaked face.

"I... What?"

Alaric gestured toward the back room with the documents still in his hand.

"Inside. Both of you."

He moved toward a door at the rear of the workspace. Pushed it open without waiting for permission.

A small room beyond. Barely more than storage. A single chair. Some crates. Dim light from a high window.

He stepped inside. .

Delphine followed. Her movements mechanical. Terrified. She didn’t know what else to do.

Teryn hesitated. Looked between his sister disappearing into that room and the street outside.

"Close the stall." Alaric’s voice carried from inside. Not loud but absolutely commanding. "Then come back."

Teryn’s jaw clenched. But he moved.

Went outside. Pulled the canvas covers over their merchandise with shaking hands. His mind racing through impossible scenarios, running, fighting, begging.

But none of them will end well.

He locked the tables. Secured everything. Then went back inside.

Closed the door behind him. Locked it too.

Walked to the back room where Delphine stood frozen near the doorway.

Alaric had settled into the single chair. Legs crossed. Completely at ease.

Like this was his space. His domain.

The forged documents lay on a crate beside him.

His crimson eyes tracked Teryn’s entrance. Waited until both siblings were inside. Standing. Uncomfortable.

Then he spoke.

"You’re going to work for me."

Not a question. A statement. Final.

Delphine’s mouth opened. "My lord, I—"

"I have a problem." Alaric continued like she hadn’t spoken. "Count Valtair is squeezing merchants in this region. Controlling trade routes. Raising fees. Making himself very wealthy and very annoying."

His fingers drummed once against the chair arm.

"I need his operations disrupted. His revenue streams cut. His reputation damaged." His eyes fixed on them. Sharp. Calculating. "And I need it done in ways that can’t trace back to me or my family."

Understanding started to dawn on Delphine’s face. Horror mixing with it.

"You want us to—"

"Forge documents that redirect his shipments. Create fake contracts that tie up his warehouses. Impersonate his agents and make deals that fall through spectacularly." Alaric’s voice stayed calm. Pleasant even. "You’re already quite good at deception. I’m simply giving you new targets."

"But—" Teryn found his voice. Rough and trained. "If we get caught... if Valtair finds out—"

"Then you’ll hang." Alaric agreed easily. "Probably after some very unpleasant interrogation."

He leaned forward slightly. His expression hardening.

"But if you don’t work for me? I’ll report you to the magistrate myself. With evidence." He gestured at the documents. "Forgery. Fraud. Theft. Attempted robbery of a noble."

His crimson eyes gleamed.

"You’ll hang either way. At least with me, you have a chance of survival. And compensation."

The silence stretched. Suffocating.

Delphine’s hands clenched at her sides. Her mind spinning through options that didn’t exist.

Teryn stared at the floor. Jaw working. Fists tight.

They were trapped. Completely and utterly trapped.

"So." Alaric leaned back again. Casual. "Do we have an understanding?"

His tone suggested there was only one acceptable answer.

Delphine swallowed hard. Looked at her brother.

Teryn’s eyes met hers. Both seeing the same hopeless reality.

Finally, Delphine’s head bowed. "Yes, my lord."

Her voice came barely above a whisper.

"We understand."

Alaric’s smile returned. Satisfied.

"Excellent. Now let’s discuss exactly what I need you to do..."

They spent the next half hour mapping out the plan.

Alaric laid out specific targets, merchants Valtair was squeezing, shipments that needed "redirecting," contracts that required forging. He was precise. Methodical. Left no room for confusion about what he expected.

Delphine and Teryn listened. Asked questions when necessary. Their terror gradually giving way to grim understanding of their new reality.

By the time they finished, the light through the high window had dimmed further. Evening approaching.

Alaric stood.

Both siblings remained on their knees. Hadn’t dared move from that position throughout the entire discussion.

He stepped toward Delphine. His boots stopping directly in front of her.

She looked up. Those brown eyes still carrying traces of fear. Exhaustion.

Then his hand came down.

She closed her eyes, bracing for impact.

But instead.

She felt his fingers brushed her cheek.

She blinked.

"You don’t have to worry." His voice carried reassurance that felt both genuine and dangerous. "As long as you’re with me, you’ll be safe."

Then his hand moved higher. Patted the top of her head. Once. Twice.

Like she was something precious he was promising to protect.

Delphine’s face flushed immediately. Red bloomed across her cheeks, spread down her neck.

"I-I... yes... thank you, m-my lord."

The words tumbled out. Flustered in a completely different way than before.

Her brain couldn’t quite process the shift. From terror to... whatever this was.

Alaric’s smile lingered for another moment. Then he turned and walked out of the small room.

The door opened. Closed.

And he was gone.

The silence that remained felt different. Heavier somehow.

Teryn let out a long, shaking breath.

Then his entire body gave out.

He collapsed backward. Sat flat on his ass with his back against the wall. Head tilted up toward the ceiling.

"That was terrifying." His voice came out rough. Strained. "I thought... fuck, I thought we were dead."

He dragged both hands down his face. Rubbed at his eyes.

"We’re working for a noble now." He laughed. Short. Bitter. "How is this our life?"

Silence.

"Del?"

No response.

He turned his head. Looked at his sister.

Delphine hadn’t moved. Still kneeling. Still in exactly the same position Alaric had left her.

Then her hand come up. Fingers touching her cheek.

Her other hand lifted slowly. Touched the top of her head. Her face was still flushed. Deep red. Her brown eyes distant. Unfocused.

Lost in whatever thoughts were spinning through her mind.

"...Del?"

Teryn’s voice carried concern now. She didn’t answer. Just kept touching her face. Her head.

Her blush deepening with each passing second.

Teryn pushed himself up slightly. Leaned forward to look at her properly.

"Hey. You okay?"

Delphine blinked. Her hand dropped quickly.

"I’m, yeah. I’m fine."

"You sure?" He studied her face. The flush. The distant look in her eyes. "You look... weird."

"I’m fine." She said it too quickly and looked away.

Silence stretched between them.

Teryn’s eyes narrowed as realization dawning slowly.

"Del. No."

"What?" Her voice came out too innocent.

"Don’t..." He sat up straighter. Disbelief creeping into his expression. "He just blackmailed us. Threatened to have us hanged."

"I know that." Delphine’s fingers touched her cheek again. Unconscious. "I was there."

"Then why are you—" He gestured at her. At the blushing. The dreamy expression. "Doing that?"

"I’m not doing anything."

"You’re blushing!"

"I’m not—" But her face went redder. Betraying the lie immediately.

Teryn stared at her. Then groaned.

"You’ve lost your mind. Completely. We’re doomed."

But Delphine wasn’t listening. Still touching where Alaric had touched her.

Still blushing like some naive girl who’d just met her first crush.

Instead of the terrifying noble who now owned them completely.

Teryn closed his eyes. Let his head rest against the wall.

"We’re so fucked."