"I say that because I heard my father ranting about this before he went missing. I've never seen him that mad before. After that, he went missing, and my uncle took over faster than you could blink. The following day, they called off my engagement with Alfred and forced me into marrying Fraser." Aurora looked tormented.

Darius frowned. He didn't want to admit it, but… "This situation is more complicated than I expected. I'll look into it, but I don't think there's a way to ensure your safety, even if Fraser's your only source of danger." He sighed.

Alfred looked bitter. Then, his eyes lit up with determination as he said, "I think there's another angle to this." The hopeful look on his face reminded Darius of the young man in his memories, and he smiled.

He walked over to Alfred, put a hand on his shoulder, and looked him in the eye. Darius' eyes were calm, but Alfred felt empowered. Then, Darius said, "I want you to know I'm in far more trouble than you—my life is on the line."

Alfre