Chapter 4
Adrian moved in front of me.
It surprised me.
Harrow noticed too.
His smile widened.
"How noble."
Adrian's voice was ice.
"You followed us."
"No."
Harrow looked at me.
"I followed her."
I tightened my grip on the sword.
"How?"
"Did Helena never teach you that servants hear everything?"
My stomach turned.
Someone in the palace had reported our movements.
Harrow stepped closer.
"Give me the ledger."
Adrian laughed once.
"No."
"Your Highness."
"Don't call me that."
Harrow's expression hardened.
"I helped raise you."
"You also planned to replace me."
A flicker.
So Harrow hadn't known exactly what the ledger contained.
Good.
Adrian lifted the document.
"Prince Lucien."
Harrow's jaw tightened.
"Where is he?"
"Dead."
"Then why is he in your succession plan?"
Harrow said nothing.
Adrian stepped closer.
"You told me my brother died of fever."
"He did."
"You're lying."
Harrow's patience vanished.
"Give me the ledger."
The armed men raised their weapons.
I looked toward the open stone passage behind Harrow.
Another exit.
My mother had taught me something else.
Never fight for the ground your enemy chooses.
I whispered, "Lantern."
Adrian glanced at me.
I kicked it.
Flame shattered across the floor.
Darkness exploded.
Someone shouted.
I moved.
Not toward Harrow.
Toward the hidden passage.
Adrian understood.
He followed.
A blade sliced through the sleeve of my gown.
I slammed the iron vault door behind us.
Harrow roared.
"Get them!"
The passage twisted upward.
We ran blind.
Stone scraped my palms.
My skirts tore.
Adrian cursed behind me.
"Your mother trained you for tunnels too?"
"Mostly escaping arrogant men."
"Useful."
We reached another panel.
I shoved.
Nothing.
Adrian joined me.
Together we forced it open.
We spilled into a dusty storage room.
Above us, bells began ringing.
Alarm.
Harrow would claim intruders.
Or attack.
Or both.
"We need the king," I said.
Adrian shook his head.
"Harrow controls access to the royal wing."
"Then the guards—"
"Some are his."
"Who can you trust?"
He hesitated.
That answer terrified me.
"Captain Rowan."
"One man?"
"One reliable man."
"Wonderful."
He almost smiled.
"You're learning."
We found Rowan near the northern barracks.
He was broad, gray-eyed, and immediately suspicious of me.
Then Adrian showed him the ledger.
His face changed.
"Where did you get this?"
"First Crown vault."
Rowan looked at me.
"Lady Helena?"
"My mother."
He swore under his breath.
"She's alive?"
"Yes."
Before we could say more, horns sounded.
Three blasts.
Rowan looked toward the tower.
"Council emergency."
Adrian's face darkened.
"Harrow's moving."
We reached the throne room through a servants' corridor.
Too late.
The council had assembled.
Duke Harrow stood before them.
His clothes were immaculate.
As if he hadn't been chasing us beneath the palace minutes earlier.
When Adrian entered, everyone rose.
Harrow turned.
Relief appeared on his face.
Fake.
"Your Highness. Thank God."
Adrian stopped.
"For what?"
"We feared Lady Elara had harmed you."
Murmurs spread.
I almost admired him.
Almost.
Harrow continued.
"Two palace guards were found dead beneath the chapel."
Adrian stared.
"Your men."
"Royal guards."
"Private hawk mark."
Harrow looked confused.
Perfectly.
"I don't know what you mean."
Of course.
Lord Estevan stood.
"Your Highness, perhaps Lady Elara should be detained until this is understood."
I recognized his name from the ledger.
Paid.
Controlled.
Adrian looked around the room.
Now he knew.
So did I.
The conspiracy wasn't hidden anymore.
Not to us.
But we couldn't simply point at everyone.
Adrian lifted the red ledger.
Harrow's expression tightened.
"I found something more interesting than two dead assassins."
Silence.
He threw the ledger onto the council table.
Several men flinched.
That was useful.
"Anyone want to explain it?"
Nobody answered.
Harrow recovered first.
"A forged document."
"Convenient."
"Created by Helena Vale, perhaps."
I stepped forward.
"My mother hasn't entered this palace in thirteen years."
Harrow smiled.
"So you claim."
The chamber doors opened.
The royal physician entered.
His face was pale.
"Your Highness."
Adrian turned.
"Not now."
"Please."
Something in his voice changed the room.
Adrian walked toward him.
The physician whispered.
Adrian froze.
Then he ran.
I followed.
King Aldric was struggling to breathe.
His skin had turned gray.
The physician shouted instructions.
Servants moved around the bed.
I stayed near the door.
Adrian grabbed his father's hand.
"What happened?"
The physician didn't answer.
Then I smelled it.
Bitter almonds.
Faint.
My mother had taught me.
Poison.
I rushed toward the bedside table.
A cup.
Medicine.
"Don't give him anything else!"
Everyone turned.
The physician looked offended.
"What?"
I knocked the cup away.
It shattered.
Adrian stared at me.
"Elara."
"Poison."
The physician went white.
"No."
I grabbed his wrist before he could step back.
"Who prepared that?"
"I did."
"Who brought the ingredients?"
"The royal apothecary."
"Which one?"
His mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Adrian stood.
"Answer her."
"Master Verren."
Captain Rowan appeared at the door.
Adrian pointed.
"Bring him."
Rowan disappeared.
The physician worked.
Minutes felt like hours.
Eventually, the king's breathing steadied.
Barely.
Adrian stood over the shattered cup.
Harrow entered.
He stopped when he saw it.
"What's happened?"
I watched his face.
Not his words.
His eyes moved instantly to the broken cup.
He knew.
Adrian saw it too.
"Father was poisoned."
Harrow looked shocked.
This time, badly.
"Impossible."
I stepped closer.
"You said that about the ledger."
His eyes hardened.
Rowan returned alone.
"Master Verren is gone."
Adrian turned.
"Gone where?"
"His room is empty."
Harrow sighed.
"A frightened guilty man."
I looked at him.
"Or a dead one."
He smiled faintly.
"You see murder everywhere."
"My father taught me optimism."
His expression shifted.
A hit.
Good.
King Aldric groaned.
Adrian returned to the bed.
His father opened his eyes.
"Adrian."
"I'm here."
The king's gaze moved toward Harrow.
Fear appeared.
Raw.
He lifted one trembling hand and pointed.
"Him."
Every person in the room froze.
Harrow's face emptied.
Aldric whispered, "Lucien."
Adrian leaned closer.
"What about Lucien?"
The king's eyes filled with tears.
"Alive."
Adrian stopped breathing.
Harrow moved.
Fast.
He drew a dagger from his coat.
I saw the flash.
"Adrian!"
Harrow lunged toward the bed.
Captain Rowan crashed into him before the blade reached the king.
They hit the floor.
Guards rushed in.
For one second, chaos consumed everything.
Then Harrow shouted words that stopped the entire room.
"You fools!"
Rowan twisted his arm behind him.
Harrow laughed.
"You think arresting me saves the throne?"
Adrian stared down at him.
Harrow's smile turned vicious.
"Your brother has been alive all these years."
The room fell silent.
"And when he returns, Adrian..."
May you like
Harrow looked at me.
"He'll bring Helena Vale with him."
