Chapter Ten
A Muffin on Trial
This couldn’t be happening. Out of all the scenarios my men and I’d anticipated for the night, being accused of poisoning the king hadn’t been one of them.
Two guards approached from the left. Another rushed from the right, cutting through the sea of nobles. I shuffled back a few steps on impulse.
And then, my face pressed to something warm.
“Stand aside,” Maddox told the guards. He had stepped in front of me and reached behind with one arm to hold my side, keeping me close to his back. Shielding me. “Lay a hand on him and you’ll lose that hand.”
“You are in no position to give orders,” Captain Vander said. “Quite the allegation has been made against that boy.”
“An allegation, yes,” Maddox growled in response. “There is no evidence to back that claim. Until it’s found, no one will touch him. Do I make myself clear?”
“How dare you speak to a superior officer in such a way,” Prince Cedric spat. “Then again, considering the company you keep, I must say I’m not surprised.”
Maddox tensed. I knew it didn’t come from fear, but rather, from him using every ounce of self-restraint to keep from telling Cedric to go fuck himself.
“Your Highness.” Captain Vander bowed his head. “What are your orders?”
Cedric found me in the crowd, and the slight curve to his lips told me nothing but trouble would follow his next words. “Bring him to me.”
Another body pressed close to my side, acting as a shield between me and the approaching guards. Callum. He and Maddox refused to budge. Defying the orders of a prince would see them both thrown into chains. Or worse. I couldn’t let that happen.
“Let me pass,” I told them.
“No,” Maddox said.
“Not a chance.” Callum faced down a guard. “If they want you, they’ll have to go through me.”
The man visibly shrank beneath his glare, probably recalling the stories about Callum’s swordsmanship. My cinnamon roll was currently weaponless, yet he could easily disarm an opponent and take theirs. I’d seen that firsthand when he’d done it to me during our mini training session.
Knowing my men would risk not only their jobs but their freaking lives to stand between me and the guards, I wiggled past them.
“Ev.” Callum reached for me. “Don’t.”
“It’s okay.” I grabbed his outstretched hand and nuzzled his fingers. “This is all one huge misunderstanding.”
Outside of their protective barrier, the guards seized hold of me, one grabbing each of my arms.
“Not so tight.” Maddox’s nostrils flared. “You’ll hurt him.”
“Don’t worry.” I smiled back at him as they dragged me away. “I’m a tough muffin lord, remember?”
His hard exterior faltered a bit. He and Callum fell into step behind us, not letting me stray too far from their reach. It occurred to me I’d forgotten to pocket the protection charm Briar had crafted for me. Not that it would’ve done me much good now.
The guards hauled me up the few steps of the dais and shoved me to my knees. A deep growl came from behind me. Maddox was seconds away from ripping their heads off.
“Evan wouldn’t do this,” Prince Sawyer said, voice thick with emotion. The rims of his eyes were pink, but he kept his composure. “I know him. He wouldn’t harm a soul.”
“You know nothing, baby brother, for you are much too na?ve and softhearted. This commoner has played you for a fool, just as he has with everyone else around him.” Cedric shifted his attention to me. My insides coiled. “But you are far from innocent, aren’t you?”
“I’ve done nothing wrong, Your Highness.” I met the cold eyes that’d often haunted my thoughts, mustering all my courage and strength.
“Speak lies and feign innocence all you want. The truth will be revealed soon enough.” He held my gaze for an excruciating few seconds before nodding to the guards. “Search him.”
Search me? For what?
Oh crap. Rowan’s dagger. I’d promised to carry it with me all evening. It took all of two seconds for one of the guards to find it.
He withdrew it from my inner jacket pocket and showed it to Cedric. A gasp sounded from the crowd of spectators.
“My, my. What do we have here?” Cedric grabbed the dagger and unsheathed it, examining the blade. “Small enough to sneak into a royal ball but certainly sharp enough to deal a fatal blow. For someone claiming innocence, this doesn’t bode well.”
“The dagger is for protection,” Callum said, trying to shove forward. The nearby guards held him back.
“Did I give you permission to speak, knight?” The cold eyes I feared then moved to my cinnamon roll. “Silence your tongue before I have it cut out.”
“He’s right,” I said, well aware I was speaking out of turn, too, but not caring. I wanted to get the focus away from Callum. “It’s for protection. That’s all.”
“Protection?” Cedric handed the dagger to Captain Vander before stepping closer. He took hold of my chin and forced it up. “Why would you need to be protected? You’re no one of importance.”
Sir Noah stepped forward. “Evan was with Prince Sawyer in the garden when the mercenary attacked, Your Highness.”
He was defending me.
“Ah, yes. The attack.” Cedric’s gaze flickered over my body, stopping at my chest. “I hear the fire spell burned through your skin and even scorched your lungs and areas of your heart. A blast that should’ve killed you. I wonder why it didn’t.”
“Healing elixirs,” I said shakily. “They work miracles. Fixed me right up.”
“You see… word has it something else healed your injuries long before the physician was even alerted to your condition.” A hint of malice showed behind his eyes. “Several of the guards witnessed a demon flee just as they arrived on the scene.”
“A demon?” a woman exclaimed from the crowd.
“I heard the same,” someone else said.
“Consorting with demons. And to think we ate his food!”
More voices joined the fray. Whispers that had a pit forming in my gut. Crazy how fast things could turn. The same people who’d eaten my desserts earlier and said such kind words now stared at me with fear and anger in their eyes.
“Our prince speaks true.” A guard stepped forward. “I saw the beast myself. Looked as though the boy had summoned the demon to his aid.”
“Nonsense,” Maddox growled and shoved forward. Callum grabbed him by the shoulder, keeping him in place before the guards could intervene. “Evan is no dark mage. He can neither summon nor control demons. All accusations against him are false.”
“I’ll be the one to determine his guilt,” Cedric said with a slight tilt of his head, gaze burning into mine.
“I find it interesting how a lowly commoner such as yourself appeared in Bremloc one day, with no known past or family, and has since opened a thriving café, befriended my brother, and captured the hearts and loyalty of powerful men. One might assume you have everyone under a spell.”
I stared up at him without flinching. “I’ve been incredibly fortunate, Your Highness, but I’ve also worked hard to be where I am. I didn’t put anyone under a spell or betray you or this kingdom in any way.”
“Is that so?” He grabbed the top of my hair and gripped it so tight I winced.
“You see, I have trouble believing your words. Simply look at the captain of the Second Order. He swore an oath to obey and serve the royal family, yet he looks two seconds away from lunging at me with his sword drawn. What could be the reason for his behavior if not magic?”
Love. But I held my tongue. Cedric knew nothing of love. He was as coldhearted as they came. And if it protected Maddox for Prince Buttwad to think he was under some sort of spell, so be it.
“Enough of this, Cedric.” Sawyer stepped toward him. “Our father was poisoned, and instead of finding the one responsible, you’re letting your personal feelings sway your judgment.”
“How wrong you are, baby brother.” Cedric didn’t take his eyes off me.
Not for the first time, I could’ve sworn I heard the Psycho theme song start playing off in the distance.
“While this commoner has played you all for the fool, I’ve seen who he is from the very beginning. The enemy within our borders.”
Frustration built in my chest. “An enemy? This is bullshit, and you know it. I haven’t done—”
A hard slap to the temple cut off my ramble and rattled my brain.
“You dare question me?” Cedric spat in a tone buzzing with a soul-deep hatred.
“Captain, wait!” Callum exclaimed from behind me, followed by a struggle.
“It’s okay, big guy,” I said, keeping my gaze on the prince. A ringing sounded in my right ear from where he’d hit me. “I’m fine. Didn’t hurt one bit.”
“How clever you are, little pebble.” Cedric regarded me with a glint of sadistic pleasure in his eyes. “Hiding in plain sight, all while setting everything into motion. The rise of demon attacks. The mercenary. You’ve been behind both, haven’t you?”
Whispers rippled through the crowd again.
“You can’t be serious,” I said. The dude belonged in his own horror movie franchise: as the psychotic serial killer. “You think I’m some manipulative mastermind? Look. I suck at strategy games, okay? My brain doesn’t think one step ahead, let alone the five billion steps you’re suggesting.”
“Another attempt to manipulate us, but it’s all for naught.
” Cedric’s voice rose above the rattled murmurs of the nobles.
“I see it clearly now. All along, you and the mercenary have been allies. He targeted my brother so you could be the one to jump in and save him, earning his trust. As for your wounds? You were never in true peril, for you knew your demon familiar would heal you. It was part of your scheme to lead you here to your true target: my father.”
Angry tears welled in my eyes. “It’s not true. I’d never hurt anyone. I love this kingdom and all the people in it. This is my home.”
My voice cracked on the last word. It was what I wanted more than anything: to go home. To forget this night ever happened.