Not knowing what else to do, she sat nervously on the bed, facing the door. After what felt like ages, the door opened and Alexander entered. He was still wearing the red and black from earlier. He eyes went right to her face and he smiled. Not a lustful smile as she had expected, but the smile of someone who is seeing an old friend.

"Auriel De la Rosa. The Rose of House Rosa," he said in a teasing tone.

If Auriel hadn't already been sitting on the bed, she would've collapsed onto it.

"You... you recognized me."

"Of course. I could tell August didn't though, the pompous idiot. What kind of fool doesn't recognize the woman he was in love with for ten years, when his own brother who hardly knew her does."

"August didn't love me," Auriel was proud of the indiference in her tone as she said it. 

"Of course he did. But he let his ambition ruin the only good thing he had in his life. His father was a tyrant, his mother was too lazy and unwilling to protect him from his father's abuse, and when I tried to protect him he belittled and rejected me. That left you as his only friend, and possibly the only person who truely cared about him."

"Yet he still betrayed me..." Auriel sighed. She wasn't sure how open she could be with Alexander, but given he just called his King an idiot, it was probably safe to say they weren't on great terms.

Alexander nodded. He stared at her for a while before saying

"I'm so... terribly sorry about what happened to your family. Just before everything happened, your sister came to me asking for assistance. She had been attempting to smuggle a prisoner out of the dungeons, one that had been kept there illegally."

Auriel perked up. Alexander knew about Cassia's brother. He flopped casually into an armchair and continued.

"After your so called 'trial', I tried everything I could to save your family. Your parents and siblings were gone so fast though, I could't prevent their executions. As for you and your sister, I could only save one. I... chose your sister."

Auriel's heart stopped. What did he mean save one?

"Auriel, I'm so sorry I couldn't save you." August's black eyes seemed to pierce through her, they were full of so much sorrow.

"You mean... Diana is alive?" the words came out as barely a whisper.

Alexander nodded.

"I was able to intercept the slave caravan on the way to the salt mines. Your sister is living on the coast in a small fishing town. She changed her name, married a blacksmith and has a son. Any physical proof of her being alive has been destroyed. And my father hated to admit he had been bested, so he just announced that she had been killed in a private execution."

Auriel stood and walked to him. She collapsed at his feet and he stared at her stunned.

"My lord please... don't toy with my emotions." she began to weep, "If my sister is truely alive, please, let me see her."

Alexander took her hands and pulled her to her feet. He guided her to another arm chair where she practically collapsed. He handed her a hanky.

"Auriel. I swear I'm not toying with you. Your sister is alive. I can't take you to her, not yet. It will take much planning to travel there without suspicion."

Auriel nodded, that made sense.

"I'm sorry my lord. I'm sure this isn't how you expected the evening to go. I mean this isn't very... romantic."

August chuckled.

"Actually, it is how I expected. I didn't ask for you because I had carnal intentions. I was worried August would recognize you, if not tonight then eventually. I wanted to protect you. And you may just be a godsend. I think you more than anyone can help me with my plans."

Auriel sniffed, "What plans."

"Well..." Alexander leaned in close, "I plan to kill August, and destroy the house of Deveroux."

Auriel's heart lept at the statement- one she had said to herself once. Destroy the house of Deveroux...

"But... how...?"

"Well, now that I have you my plans have changed. You may be the final chess piece needed to win the game. August has pushed me farther and farther away over the years, but you can get close to him, closer than I'll ever be able to get. He was attracted to you, every man in that room was, we can use that to our advantage."

"Are you asking me to seduce August?"

Auriel's stomach flipped. That was exactly what she had been happy to avoid, but now it seemed she couldn't avoid it.

"No! I mean... a bit? I want you to make him think you are seducing him. Get him to fall in love with you again. Only then can we execute my plan. It has to seem like he died of natural causes and that will take planning and stealth, more so than some uprising or bloody takeover."

"Then with August dead and no legitimate heir, you will become king."

Alexander nodded.

"Then I will have the power to remove the corruption in the House of Lords. Stop the war with Priya and the slave trade and drug smuggling and every other crime they profit from."

"And Lady Cassia's brother..." Auriel stopped herself, unsure how to finish.

"Lord Cassia can return to Priya and take his sister's place."

Auriel gave a small nod. 

"You were happy there weren't you?" Alexander placed his hand gently on her shoulder. She nodded again.

"I'm sorry. I heard there was only one survivor, you. You must've lost many friends."

"I did," Auriel didn't let the tears fall that were threatening to, "and when the palace ran with the blood of my friends, I swore that I would do anything to destroy the house of Deveroux. I will help you, I will do whatever it takes to kill August."

Alexander smiled a wide, wicked smile and held his hand out to her. She smiled too and shook it.