Chapter Two

Palace Cafè

Jacob smiled sickeningly sweet as Arturo as he looked at the Man's flushed and drunken face.

Jacob pointed to an empty chair and bared his teeth in a smile, Have a seat. Ebony and I were discussing a job I have available."

Arturo plopped down unceremoniously in a chair and glared at Ebony, "Why would you and he be discussing a job?" Arturo reached for her as he growled, "I told you–"

Jacob waved a hand and Arturo's head slammed into the table. "You are not allowed to do that," He warned.

Arturo raised his head and nodded toward Ebony, "What exactly is the job you have accepted from his Lordship."

Jacob cocked his head at him before he answered, "You needn't worry about that. Ebony's position doesn't require your presence nor am I overly fond of it. I believe you should return to Mizu and await word from her."

Arturo licked his thick lips as he could hear the royals as they rolled in, "And if I decide to settle here with her and her daughter–"

Jacob's smile tightened, "Isn't Kayo your child also?."

Arturo waved a hand at the question and he slurred, She is mine but of no use to me at this time."

Jacob cocked a brow to this, That's interesting. She is about the same age as my friend's children and I believe they would like a playmate. Does that make her of more value to you?"

Arturo turned to look at Jacob, "Are you speaking of the heir apparent and those two girls?"

Jacob wanted to kill him immediately. With a sneer he sat forward in his chair, "Does it matter which child she amuses."

Arturo could see his death in Jacob's eyes and wondered if he had pushed him to the limits of his good will. Quickly he nodded so low his head thumbed against the table, "It would be an honor for our daughter to play with the Sinclair children."

Jacob smirked at him, "I thought it would be." He swung his eyes to Ebony as he rose, "Stop by my home office before you retire for the evening so that we can discuss your position in detail." At Ebony's nod he turned to Arturo, "I don't expect to see you again without Kayo." When Arturo wanted to speak he continued, "Leave today on the transport for Mizu and return within two weeks with her."

He exited the alcove and went to the server to make sure the bill was paid before he left.

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Ebony plucked at her dress as she realized her and Arturo were the center of attention with Jacob gone. Ebony rose to leave the Cafè before Arturo could cause another scene. Quickly she nodded to the server and hurried out with the hope that he would follow suit.

Instead Arturo relaxed as he was left alone in the exclusive restaurant. He called loudly for the server and started to wave until he came over,  Is Lord Jacob taking care of the bill?"

The waiter stared at Arturo as if he were a disgrace of a man and shook his head, "His grace took care of the bill on his departure."

Arturo sneered as he mocked the waiter, "His Grace! Well add the most expensive bottle of port to the bill and a meal fit for King Isaiah Sinclair."

Oliver stared at the man as if he were crazy and walked away. He pressed a few buttons on his hand held to place the order and alert Lucas of the new charges to the bill.

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Inside the Palace

Lucas stared down at his device as Jacob walked into their new shared offices. With a frown he turned it toward Jacob, "Why did you order the most expensive bottle of port and the king's feast and tell the server to charge it to me?"

Jacob brow furrowed before he started to laugh, "That man obviously has a death wish."

Lucas cocked a brow at him and asked coolly, "What Man?"

Smirking he sat down, "Arturo Talisman, husband of my new assistant."

Lucas head shot up as a slow smile spread over his face, "Why do you need an assistant."

Jacob glanced toward the door as Kaelen walked in. He flicked a piece of lint from his jacket as he drawled, "My mother thinks I need someone other than the cleaning staff to wake me up. She complains of the lines outside my room." With a nonchalant shrug he watched Kaelen sit down,

"Therefore I hired an assistant."

Kaelen frowned as he heard the end of the conversation, "An assistant for what?"

Lucas chuckled, "Jacob has a very interesting morning routine. I believe he hired someone to assist him with that."

Kaelen frowned and nodded, "What routine could you have that calls for an assistant" Lucas and Jacob smiled, he  shook his head quickly, "Never mind!" He held up his hands then he continued, "I don't want to know."

Jacob chuckled as he watched Kaelen send dirty looks towards Lucas as he pressed buttons on his hand held.

Lucas glared down at the report's they had just received from their two full analysis, "We need to do something about the families that are knowingly working against the Alliance."

Jacob shrugged as he swiped his finger deftly across his hand held, "One of the families must have gotten nervous after medic Holmes death." He glanced up from the report he'd just condensed, "They have relocated to Olliyum  under the guise of  sending their daughter to the Academy there."

Kaelen nodded as he sat down. "What do we plan to do about the one's still on Ah'Taria?."

Jacob rolled his eyes, I think we should elimin–"

Kaelen sighed as he shook his head, "One suicide or random accidental death is a tragedy but eight or nine is too many to be believed as a coincidence. It will lead those working against the Alliance to do something hastily."

Lucas chuckled as he looked up from the report on the family that had relocated to Olliyum, I'm going to have to agree with Kae on that."

Jacob turned to look at Saia as she covered her mouth, "Since you seem to be in a good mood what do you think we should do?"

Saia turned to look from Kaelen to Lucas and finally at Jacob, wincing at his acidic smile she hurriedly turned back to her screens.

Saia and Anton's family had been working for the palace since before her father's father was born and she knew nothing pleasant laid behind any of Jacob's smiles. With agility and confidence she pressed buttons as she said, "I think you should invite them all to a gathering and everyone should mysteriously have a change of heart."

Lucas frowned at her idea and shook his head, "Saia, when have you known either of us to believe traitors should be given the option to have a chang of heart."

Kaelen reviewed the names for a second time, "Has Anyone checked to see if these families have connections that are not readily available?" He looked toward Lucas and Jacob and turned the device toward them, "On the surface there is nothing but I think we should dig deeper."

Anton Maddox looked to his twin sister and whispered, You ran a trace on all of the people before we'd left yesterday yesterday." He sent a look her way and nodded back toward the three that sat at the table and then shook his head.

Jacob missed the quite conversation Between Anton and Saia and threw his hand held on the table. He rose and stretched as he yawned. Calling the twins he said, "Don't you both believe that, was something one of you should have looked into?"

Anton tilted his head toward his twin, She was supposed to look for their connections; while  I tracked that family that left for Olliyum."

Saia turned a pleading look to Anton but when he shook his head and continued compiling data she knew she was being left to handle her lapse on her own. Turning to see the glowering face of Jacob she hurried to find the research she'd done on the connections between the families, I'm sorry Lord Jacob! I was sure I included that in the reports."

Jacob smiled tightened, "Don't make me believe I made a mistake in keeping you on staff Saia."

Saia nodded as beads of sweat broke out on her forehead, Goddess he is scary when He's angry! I hope his new 'assistant' can help him with that, she giggled out loud at that thought.

Jacob smirked as her thoughts that came clearly to him but he remained quiet as he walked behind her. He'd grown up with the twins working for his family; he and Lucas had played many pranks on them as they had grown up. She and Anton were the closest things he and Lucas had to childhood friends, but he'd never tell them that.

"Saia how long do we need to wait for the information?" Jacob asked as he placed his hands on the back of her seat tilting it and her back and forth.

"I know I compiled it I'm just locating it. It should be only one more minute." She giggled as he played with her seat.

Jacob smirked, "You always were easily entertained."

Flushing bright red, she nodded her head remembering how Jacob and Lucas used to 'entertain' themselves and sometimes her and Anton by playing pranks on anyone unlucky enough to come to the place. They also would play them on her and Anton but nothing too serious.

Lucas chuckled as he rose and walked behind Jacob, "Leave her alone so she can work. You have to remember she gets the worst motion sickness."

Rolling his eyes at the memory he turned to Kaelen,  When we were around 12 we took her to a festival with rides and she threw up on the spinning one."

Kaelen arched an eyebrow, "I thought it was just you and him."

Lucas nodded and smirked, "It was just Jacob and me technically. Saia and Anton's family make up the majority of the Sinclair and Lawson staff."

Kaelen nodded slowly as he could imagine why they hired Saia and Anton as part of their staff. They'd ignore or  overlooked almost all their tendencies because they grew up with them and were privy to them everyday. Glancing at Saia he chuckled at her red cheeks as she rapidly pressed the keys to run a new trace on the names. Rising he laughed as Jacob rocked her chair with more force, "Jacob you really should give her a break! She and Anton just celebrated their marriages,"

Jacob turned and smiled tightly at him before replying, "I am giving her a break." As he said this the chair flipped backwards with her tumbling to the floor and Jacob looking down coolly at her. As she scrambled to her feet and rushed to the garbage can to throw up he mumbled, "Sorry Saia."

Lucas threw his hands up mumbling, "How is it possible that seeing Ebony and hiring her has put you in such a sour mood."

Waving a hand and sending a chair flying he growled, "I can't even understand why she looks at me like that. Even as I was helping her she stared at me like that."

Saia turned her chair right side up and sat back down. With a calm that belied the fact that he had just flipped the seat she said, "I've compiled the information and It was sent to you, Lord Jacob."

Jacob patted Saia's shoulder as he turned away from her to allow her to finish whatever she was doing prior to running a trace on their connections.

Kaelen brow furrowed as he stared at Jacob, I'm sorry I don't understand how you can say that. Ebony stares at you with the same look Mia stares at Lucas with on occasion." Pointing towards Saia he said exacerbated, "You almost hurt Saia."

Lucas smirked as he tilted back into his chair, "Saia didn't say anything about it plus how would you describe that look your beloved little sister gives me?"

Kaelen walked over to the toppled chair and turned it right side up, "Like she's afraid you may hurt her if you don't control yourself." Pointing to Saia, just like Jacob almost hurt Saia."

Lucas smirk grew as he listened, Saia did Jacob almost hurt Saia."

Saia glanced at Kaelen and shook her head. "No, I'm used to it. He throws temper tantrums like a child." Smiling toward Jacob and Lucas she giggled, It's part of their charm once you get to know them."

Kaelen raised an eyebrow to that and shook his head, obviously she fell on her head during one of their little pranks. Sighing he hoped that their perversity wasn't part of the gift he'd received after waking from his coma. Looking down he reviewed that data that Saia sent to them mumbling, "Do either of you ever notice that Saia looks at you like that?"

Jacob turned to Saia and with a honey smile called, "Saia, could you turn around so Lucas and I can get a look at you?"

Saia turned and looked at both Lucas and Jacob with trepidation in her eyes.

Lucas stared into her fear laced eyes and shrugged, "I don't see it." Turning to Jacob he asked, "Do you see it?"

Jacob shook his head as she stared at Saia intently, "Nope. I don't see it."

Kaelen stared at both of them as if they were crazy. "Let me ask you something?" Pointing toward Saia he asked boldly, "Does her expression show fear."

Lucas and Jacob both looked at Sais intently and both shook their heads slowly. Lucas smirked, "I wouldn't say fear per say more along a sign of self-preservation."  Turning to Kaelen he laughed, Did you not see her tuck and roll when the chair fell backwards."

Jacob nodded in agreement with Lucas as he watched Saia stare at them with a blank face. " She knows neither one of us are going to kill her." Waving his hand towards her he rolled his eyes, "Saia you're fine get back to work."

Saia nodded as she glanced at Anton with a questioning expression, glancing back at Kaelen she wondered why he was trying to explain something they would never quite understand.

"You know we can hear you right," Lucas said as he looked over toward Saia.

Giggling, Saia looked back at Lucas, I didn't say or think anything Lord Lucas."

Lucas rolled his eyes at her as he turned to Kaelen again, "I really don't see anything."

Kaelen threw his hands in the air and stared at Saia back before asking the room, "Is she a Masochist?"

Jacob laughed as he sat down so they could finish working, "I'm supposed to meet with Ebony in a little while. Shall we finish this?"

Kaelen looked at his handheld wishing he could be a fly on the wall when Jacob told Ebony her responsibilities. Looking up at Jacob he saw him smirking. Damn I wish I could be there to see her pass out.

E

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