Chapter 12 #2
“He’s unavailable, Astrid.”
Ah, there’s the gruff prince I’m used to, though his avoidance still feels strange. Is it because he wants to have Aleksander available to swap in when he needs a break?
As much as I want to push for him to tell me what’s really going on with his twin, we have more important things to worry about. “If I go to Fennor’s estate as hired security rather than on an official RIA mission, Virek’s not going to let me take any listening devices.”
“Let me worry about that,” Callum says. He isn’t looking at me, though.
He and Hex are now in an odd sort of staring contest—odd because I’m pretty sure Callum is winning based on the upward twitch of his lips.
“I’ll get you what equipment I can, but you’ll be on your own beyond that.
” He breaks his gaze with the prince to look at me while he closes his laptop and slips it back into his bag.
Was that really all he came here for? “I like you, Storme, but I like my job more.”
“I’ll take anything you’re willing to give me,” I tell him with a smile. “Thanks, Cal.”
“If there are any developments from Virek’s investigation, I’ll pass them along. I’d appreciate the same from your end. I’ll text you with details about handing off the equipment.” With a salute, he stands and hefts his bag onto his shoulder. “Cheers.”
As soon as he’s gone, I turn to Hex and narrow my eyes. He narrows his eyes right back, but I’m not about to waste time with a staring contest like the one he had with Callum. “Can I trust you, Hex?”
Some of the color drains from his face. “What? Of course you can.”
“Considering you trapped me in a stone box less than a week ago, forgive me for having some doubts.”
He groans and taps his fingers on the table again. “I’m a lot of things, Storme, but a traitor isn’t one of them.”
“I never said you were.”
“I agreed to help you with your investigation, and I’m going to help you. Whatever that entails. You should know me well enough to know that I don’t do things halfway.”
That’s true. Sighing, I slouch in my chair and rub exhaustion from my eyes. We have today and tomorrow to prepare for the weekend, and hopefully nothing goes wrong in the meantime. “When does Freya leave for America?”
Hex frowns. “This afternoon. But how do you know about that?”
I lift an eyebrow. “Because we always know her whereabouts? I know it’s the Palace Guard’s duty to protect the queen, but it’s ours to keep Candora safe when she’s away.
” Sighing again, I sit up straight and do my best to hide my trepidation.
“More than likely, several members of Parliament know she’ll be gone, and according to the patterns Callum found, there’s a good chance the anti-royalists will make a move in the next week.
I could be wrong, but I think Fennor’s retreat this weekend is—”
“You’re not wrong.” He flinches, like he expects me to get angry with him for interrupting. Maybe I would have if he’d said anything other than what he did. “If I were planning an attack on the crown, I’d plan it at a country estate, away from the eyes and ears of the city.”
That’s the same thought I’ve been having all morning, but if it’s true, that leads to several other questions. “Does that mean Fennor is the mastermind?”
Grimacing, the prince shrugs one shoulder. “It’s unlikely, but something about my conversation with Northam last night caught his attention. And if he’s hosting Bellgaard and Vardane, he’s a common denominator.”
“But would they bring in two new players like us when they’re so close to making a move?”
He considers that, his fingers tapping in more of a steady rhythm now than a nervous tick. “You were privy to the inner workings of the monarchy for six months,” he says with a nod toward me.
“And you are a literal prince,” I add with a wry smile. “I’d say you’re pretty valuable to whichever side earns your loyalty.”
“Yours.” He grimaces, but his expression is more confident than anything as he holds my gaze. “I’m on your side, Storme.”
Vitte, what am I supposed to say to that? I’m still not convinced he isn’t hiding things from me, but I have to believe him when he says something like that, even if it’s hard to think he would ever be on my side. “Thank you,” I breathe.
“For another week anyway.” Smirking, he gets to his feet. “I should get back to the palace before Freya and Elliot leave. Text me if anything comes up before Friday?”
“Of course.” I watch him go, studying the way he moves, but there’s nothing in his mannerisms to suggest he isn’t who he says he is. Yes, I trust him to help me, but that could come in the form of sending his brother in his place if that’s what he thinks will yield the best results.
But it’s Hex I need for this investigation. Hex with his charm and recklessness and easygoing nature.
Groaning, I grab my phone and pull up a number I haven’t called in months. I need someone to tell me I’m not losing my mind, and he might be the only person who can do that.
He answers after only a couple of rings, his cool, American voice a welcome sound. It’s been too long, but I’m surprised he answered only hours before he’s supposed to leave the country. “Astrid.”
“Your Majesty.”
The king chuckles. “Don’t even think about it. I’m always Elliot to you. Are you calling to tell me you finally snapped on Hex and murdered him?”
“Not yet, but the day’s still young. I was…” This is probably a bad idea, but I forge ahead anyway. “I was actually calling about Aleksander.”
“Literally no one calls him that except his mother, Astrid. You can call him Sander.” He pauses in the way he always does when he’s thinking hard. “What about him?”
There’s something about Elliot’s bluntness that I really love. He’s not the sort of man I would have picked to become ruler of a country, even as a king with limited power like he has, but he’s been good for Candora. Good for Freya. And he won’t lie to me, which is why I called him.
“Hex just told me that Sander is on assignment for the Palace Guard, and I was curious if he could be spared for a weekend.”
“Aren’t you already using one prince? Now you want them both?”
“Both would be preferable.” In part because I want to compare the brothers. They’re generally easy to tell apart when side-by-side, but I haven’t interacted enough with Sander to have a good read on his mannerisms the way I do with Hex.
The way I thought I did with Hex.
“Unfortunately it’s not going to happen,” Elliot says lightly. “Sander’s unavailable to join Hex this weekend.”
I hold back a groan. I got to know Elliot well when I worked with his wife, which means I’m almost certain he’s telling me the truth.
But something still isn’t sitting right with the situation.
Elliot is incredibly close with his brothers-in-law, so there’s a chance he knows about the twin-swapping scheme and is covering for the princes. “Where is he?”
“Can’t tell you that.”
“Because you don’t know or because you won’t tell?”
“Can’t,” he repeats. “But I’m sure your prince can handle whatever you’re about to throw at him.”
“He’s not my…” I don’t bother finishing that sentence, and I’m especially glad I’m not having this conversation face-to-face. Elliot would read far too much into my blush. “I’m sure you’re right,” I say slowly, “but I could really use them both on this one.”
“I’m sorry, Astrid, but you’ll have to make do with one. The other isn’t even in Candora.”
I nearly drop my phone. “What?”
“He’s been out of the country for almost a week now.”
But that would mean I’m wrong. And while one of the reasons I called Elliot was because I wanted to find out the truth, the truth isn’t sitting well. If Sander is away from Candora, then all the strange things Hex is doing is just…Hex.
All of the soft looks and hesitations and moments when he seems to genuinely like being around me…
“Any chance you’re close to putting an end to the anti-royalists?” Elliot asks, pulling me from my terrifying and exhilarating thoughts.
“I hope so,” I reply honestly. “I’d be more confident if I had two highly trained princes at my disposal, but apparently I’m stuck with one.”
“He’s smarter than you think.”
“I know Hex is brilliant,” I argue. “That’s not the problem.”
“Then what is?”
Nothing I can put into words.
Elliot chuckles at my silence. “Trust me, Astrid. The prince is going to do everything in his power to make sure your mission is a success. He won’t let you down.”
“I’m choosing to believe you, Elliot.” Choosing to trust Hex when he says he’s on my side.
“Good. Look after him for me, will you?”
It feels strange for someone to ask me to look after the likes of Hex Alverra, the man who can’t be beaten unless he chooses to be, but I agree and wish Elliot an enjoyable trip to his home country and end the call.
I can’t help but wonder where in the world Sander is when, to my knowledge, he and his twin have never gone anywhere without each other, but there’s not enough room in my brain for something I can’t control.
Neither can I dwell on Hex’s potentially changing feelings for me.
No, I need to stay focused on the anti-royalists and find a way to stop them before it’s too late.