Chapter 9
Civil war began with a lie.
That seemed fitting after everything else.
Estevan's declaration spread faster than the truth.
Villages in the north closed their gates.
Two military commanders hesitated to obey Adrian.
A third openly joined Estevan.
All because Lucien's name appeared on a forged order.
Adrian wanted to ride north immediately.
My mother stopped him.
"An angry king is still an angry boy with more soldiers."
He glared.
"You enjoy insulting monarchs."
"I've survived several."
Lucien leaned over the map.
"We need to prove publicly that I stand with Adrian."
"You already did at the amphitheater," I said.
"To the capital."
He pointed north.
"They didn't see it."
Adrian looked at him.
"What are you suggesting?"
Lucien smiled.
"Give them what they want."
I frowned.
"A royal dispute?"
"Exactly."
He explained.
Estevan expected Adrian to march north.
So Adrian would.
But Lucien would travel separately.
Publicly.
Announcing he intended to negotiate his claim.
I stared.
"That's dangerous."
"Yes."
Adrian shook his head.
"No."
Lucien laughed.
"You've known me four days and you're already bossy."
"I'm your king."
"Unfortunately."
They looked like brothers now.
Not because of their faces.
Because they argued naturally.
Helena nodded slowly.
"It could work."
Adrian turned.
"You're encouraging this?"
"Estevan needs Lucien."
She looked at him.
"Let him think he can have him."
I hated the plan.
Which probably meant it was effective.
We traveled north.
Adrian with the royal army.
Lucien with a smaller delegation.
I went with Lucien.
Adrian objected.
I ignored him.
Before we separated, he caught my hand.
"Come back."
The words were simple.
His eyes weren't.
"I plan to."
"Elara."
"What?"
He looked like he wanted to say something more.
Then he released me.
"Nothing."
Coward.
I smiled and rode away.
Estevan accepted Lucien's request for negotiation.
Of course he did.
We met inside the northern treasury fortress.
Helena remained outside with hidden First Crown scouts.
I entered as Lucien's adviser.
Estevan greeted us like honored guests.
He didn't recognize me immediately because my hair was hidden beneath a travel hood.
When I removed it, his smile died.
"Lady Elara."
"Still ugly."
My mother's line.
I couldn't resist.
Lucien coughed to hide laughter.
Estevan's face reddened.
"You brought her?"
"I like her."
"Poor judgment."
"I hear that runs in my family."
We were taken to the great hall.
Hundreds of soldiers occupied the fortress.
Too many.
Estevan believed he had won.
He poured wine.
Lucien didn't drink.
"I want the throne," Lucien said.
Estevan smiled.
"Naturally."
My pulse quickened.
Good acting.
"Adrian won't surrender."
"He doesn't need to."
Estevan leaned closer.
"You are the younger son, yes. But his conduct has made him unfit."
Lucien pretended to consider.
"And after I become king?"
"You appoint a stable council."
"Led by you."
Estevan smiled.
"Someone must guide the realm."
There it was.
Same plan.
Different prince.
Lucien looked at me.
I gave the slightest nod.
He continued.
"What about Harrow?"
Estevan's eyes hardened.
"A failure."
"He's imprisoned."
"For now."
My blood chilled.
"You plan to free him?" I asked.
Estevan laughed.
"No."
Something in his tone mattered.
"Then what?"
"Dead men create fewer problems."
Harrow was supposed to disappear before trial.
Destroying evidence with him.
I stored that.
Lucien leaned back.
"And King Adrian?"
Estevan smiled.
"Same principle."
My stomach turned.
"You're asking me to murder my brother."
"I'm asking you to save Valoria."
Lucien's expression changed.
Not acting now.
"You sound exactly like Harrow."
Estevan's smile vanished.
"Careful."
Lucien stood.
"No."
He removed the royal ring Adrian had given him.
Then put it on the table.
"I spent seventeen years without a brother."
His voice grew stronger.
"I won't spend the rest of my life becoming the man who kills him."
Estevan stood too.
"Then you've wasted my time."
"No."
I smiled.
"We've wasted yours."
Trumpets sounded outside.
Estevan froze.
The gates.
Then shouting.
Helena's scouts had opened the eastern entrance.
Adrian's army rushed in.
Estevan stared at us.
"You planned this."
Lucien grinned.
"I had help."
The hall erupted.
Soldiers drew weapons.
Lucien pulled me behind a stone pillar.
Fighting spread through the fortress.
Estevan ran.
I followed.
"Elara!" Lucien shouted.
But I knew where Estevan was going.
The treasury vault.
Evidence.
Money.
Escape tunnels.
I caught him on the lower stairs.
He turned with a sword.
"So much like your mother."
"I'll tell her you said that."
He attacked.
I blocked badly.
He was stronger.
I was faster.
Training mattered.
So did rage.
He drove me backward.
"You think restoring your father's name changes anything?"
I struck.
He blocked.
"He died weak."
I attacked harder.
"He died refusing you."
"Same thing."
"No."
I moved inside his guard.
"My father died with something you never had."
"What?"
"A conscience."
I struck his wrist.
His sword fell.
He grabbed me.
We crashed against the wall.
His hand closed around my throat.
My vision blurred.
Then someone hit him from behind.
Adrian.
Estevan dropped.
Adrian struck him once.
Twice.
Then stopped himself.
Breathing hard.
Estevan laughed from the floor.
"There he is."
Adrian froze.
"The violent little prince Harrow made."
I touched Adrian's arm.
He looked at me.
Then stepped back.
"Bind him."
Guards took Estevan.
The fortress fell by sunset.
The northern commanders surrendered when Lucien publicly denounced the rebellion.
No civil war.
No thousands dead.
Just one final collapse of Harrow's network.
Back in the capital, trials began.
Not queen trials.
Real ones.
Harrow.
Estevan.
Corrupt judges.
Officers.
Councilors.
Evidence from the vault was matched with original records Helena had hidden across Valoria.
The truth became impossible to bury.
Harrow was convicted of treason, conspiracy, murder, and the poisoning of Queen Marianne and King Aldric.
Before sentencing, Adrian allowed him one final statement.
Harrow looked at the king he had tried to shape.
"I made you."
Adrian stood.
"No."
His voice was calm.
"You hurt me."
He glanced toward Lucien.
"That is not the same as making me."
Harrow's face changed.
For the first time, he had nothing.
No control.
No clever answer.
Justice was carried out according to Valorian law.
House Vale was restored publicly.
My father's portrait returned to the Hall of Honor.
My mother's name was carved beside the other members of the First Crown.
When she saw it, she cried.
So did I.
Then Adrian ruined the moment.
"Lady Elara."
I turned.
He stood behind us holding something.
A crown.
Small.
Silver.
I narrowed my eyes.
"No."
He smiled.
"I haven't asked anything yet."
"You brought a crown."
"It's symbolic."
"It's suspicious."
Lucien appeared behind him.
"He practiced his speech."
Adrian glared.
"You promised not to say that."
"I lied."
I laughed.
Adrian took my hand.
Then he became serious.
"The queen trials were corrupt."
"I know."
"They're abolished."
"Good."
"So I have a different question."
My heart started beating too fast.
He looked at my mother.
Then Lucien.
Then back at me.
"Elara Vale."
He lowered himself to one knee.
The king of Valoria.
In front of half the royal court.
I whispered, "What are you doing?"
"Trying humility."
Lucien snorted.
Adrian continued.
"You challenged me when everyone else flattered me."
My eyes burned.
"You saved my father."
"Briefly."
"You helped return my brother."
"Technically Mother did."
"You are making this difficult."
"You knew that."
He smiled.
"Yes."
Then the smile softened.
"You also made me want to become someone worthy of standing beside you."
Silence filled the hall.
"Not above you."
He squeezed my hand.
"Beside you."
May you like
My throat tightened.
"Elara, will you marry me?"
