Chapter 54
Chapter
Fifty-Four
Sweat broke out on Gerard’s body as he entered the Draconian quarters.
Where was everyone? He scanned the corridor.
If Elias had attacked the guards, then their dead or injured bodies should still be present. Unless he’d moved them. But would Elias have the strength to move all the bodies on his own? Maybe Elias was working with others.
Or maybe it was someone else completely.
Fuck. I hope it is someone else.
Gerard didn’t want to believe Elias could have attacked them. His entire being rebelled at the thought. He crouched low as he slunk forward.
Then he stopped.
His stepmother, Queen Consort Adelina, stood in the large sitting room. At the sight of him, she ran forward.
“Gerard! I’m so glad you are here! Quick! Come this way. The king has been attacked! He fought them off, but he is wounded. You must come quickly!” Without giving him time to respond or process her words, she ran.
“What? Is he okay? Who attacked him?” He fired his questions as he ran after her slender form. He glanced in the direction of his own room, where he’d last seen Elias. But his stepmother led him in a different direction, towards the king’s bedroom.
“I couldn’t tell who they were. But it was frightful!” Adelina held up her skirts as she ran.
“And Elias? Where is he?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him.”
Gerard let out a breath. He should not feel relief. His father had been attacked and wounded. But at least it did not seem that Elias had been a part of it.
“Where are all the guards?” There should be guards everywhere.
“They are with the king in his bedroom,” she said.
“What? All of them?”
Without answering, she flung open the door to the king’s private sitting room.
It was empty. And silent. She strode towards the doors leading to the king’s bedroom.
Brows furrowed, he followed her. Something wasn’t right. “Adelina, is my father okay?”
Before the words had finished leaving his lips, he spotted movement in the corner of his left eye. He turned. Hands grabbed his arms and legs.
He struggled. He kicked. He yelled and shouted, hoping his siblings or father were near enough to hear him. His attackers wrestled him onto the carpet. Still, he kept fighting. He considered shifting. But the room was far too small.
Hands shoved his face to the ground. Someone yanked his arms behind his back. Shackles clamped around his wrists.
A chill ran down his spine. Shackles. He could not see them. But he knew he’d seen the type before. They were the kind used to cut someone from their magic, including one’s ability to shift. It seemed he’d be unable to turn into a dragon anytime soon.
He lifted his head from the carpet. The queen consort stood directly in front of him. She stared down at him, eyes wide, hand over her mouth.
Two sets of hands gripped him and yanked him to his feet. Gerard grunted.
“Don’t hurt him! Not any more than you have to!” the queen consort begged. “Please.”
Gerard gaped at her. “You betrayed us.”
She looked away, cheeks flushing.
“Why?” Gerard asked.
She did not meet his gaze.
Then a tall, lanky man stepped forward and shoved a gag in his mouth. He wrapped a cloth around Gerard’s head and mouth to secure the gag in place. Two individuals stood behind Gerard, holding him firmly. Two more stood slightly back, ready to move in if needed. Five enemies in total.
Six if he included his stepmother.
Those working with his stepmother didn’t wear any identifying uniforms. In fact, their clothes appeared rather … slovenly. Ragged even. They dressed like common thugs or bandits.
An individual standing by the wall took a step forward.
They’d been so still and silent that Gerard had not noticed them at all.
The individual wore long grey robes with the hood pulled up.
Grey gloves hid their hands. A black mask covered their face.
They watched Gerard. Gerard had never seen a get-up like this before.
So that makes seven enemies in total.
Footsteps approached from behind. Gerard began to turn his head. But one of those holding him grabbed him by the neck and forced him to keep looking ahead.
“Good. Very good,” a woman behind him said.
Once again, he tried to turn. But the hand on his neck squeezed, fingers digging in.
Adelina strode past him. “He’s hurt! You said he wouldn’t be hurt!”
Gerard almost scoffed. She’d betrayed him, and she was worried about him being roughed up a little?
“Unfortunately if he fights back, he must be controlled,” the woman said, voice smooth as silk.
Gerard recognised the woman’s voice. He just couldn’t place it.
“But do not fret, Adelina. I promise this will all be over soon. You only need to be strong a little longer. Then all this unpleasantness will be behind us. Then your children will get what they deserve.”
Gerard chewed at the fabric in his mouth, trying to get it loose. What did Queen Consort Adelina think her children deserved?
He couldn’t fathom why she’d be against the treaty.
Or why she’d turned against Gerard. She’d never been like a mother to him or his full siblings.
She’d never tried to take on that role with her stepchildren, and they’d never expected that from her.
But there had never been any animosity. At least none that he was aware of.
So why had she betrayed them?
“Now take him to the carriage,” the woman said. “I will go deal with Elias.”
Gerard tensed. So Elias was definitely not a part of this plot. But how was this woman going to deal with him? Gerard and Elias’s relationship had shattered apart. Still, Gerard did not want anything bad to befall him.
Dragon gods, let him be okay.
The woman’s footsteps departed.
Those holding Gerard gripped his arms and tugged him onwards.
Gerard took a slow breath through his nostrils.
Then he reared back, trying to break free so he could make a run for it, but the hands on his body tightened.
The two on standby moved in, grabbing him and stopping his struggle. Gerard could not get away.
“You done?” the lanky man said.
Gerard glared at him.
After a moment, the lanky man opened the doors to the king’s bedroom. They dragged him in.
Where were they going? There was nothing in this room. Unless they were going out from the balcony. But then the robed figure walked to the panelled wall. They ran their hands along the floral wallpaper. At two points, they pressed down.
With a click, a panel popped open, swinging inwards, revealing a hidden passage beyond.