Chapter Eleven #2
“Not mine. Someone slipped it in my pocket to pin this on me.” A waste of breath and energy trying to defend myself. He’d already made his decision in regard to my guilt. But I wouldn’t roll over and give up so easily.
Because I had a life worth fighting for. Men I needed to return home to.
“Ah.” He cocked his head and slowly rose from his squatted position. The firelight made his features more sinister, the shadows accentuating the coldness in his eyes. “You believe you were framed?”
“Yes, Your Highness.” Chills tingled down my spine. Cedric felt like a gust of frigid winter air that sucked all the heat from your bones. “I had no part in poisoning King Eidolon. I assure you.”
“You assure me, do you?” Finally, the cat struck. He grabbed a handful of my hair and yanked my head back, glaring down at me. “I would need to see you as a threat in order to be reassured, and you’re nothing but an annoyance in my way.”
He released my hair with a hard shove, and I wobbled in place before righting my balance again. My kneecaps hurt from kneeling on the hard floor, but I didn’t dare risk standing up without permission. He’d probably just knock me back down or order his personal knight to do it.
My gaze landed on Sir Keegan.
He stood against the wall, gaze forward and body rigid. The contrast between him and Sir Noah was like night and day. Even when stoic and in guard mode, Sir Noah exuded a deep fondness and respect for Prince Sawyer.
Sir Keegan just looked scared.
Cedric focused on him too. “You’re dismissed for now.”
The knight hesitated. “Forgive me, Your Highness, but it’s unwise to leave you alone with him.”
Did I detect a double meaning in his words? Was he suggesting that I’d be a threat to Cedric… or him to me?
“I gave you an order, knight. Don’t make me repeat myself.”
Sir Keegan glanced down at me, wavered in place, and then quickly bowed his head and exited the room, shutting the door on his way out.
Great. Alone time with Cedric. I think, if given the choice, I’d rather spend such quality time with Herbert and Holly instead. At least they could be bribed with muffin crumbs.
“A shame he’s so honorable,” Cedric muttered, staring at the closed door. “Honor gets you nothing but an early grave.”
After draining the contents of his goblet, he slammed it down on the table and retrieved a glass pitcher of dark red liquid. He refilled his cup and downed a generous gulp before facing the balcony doors, turning his back to me.
Why was he drinking so much?
Maybe he’s upset. He’d nearly lost his father that night, regardless of who was actually behind the assassination attempt.
“I heard the king survived,” I said, not sure why I felt the need to speak up, especially to comfort someone like Cedric, but the words tumbled out on their own. “With some rest, I’m sure he’ll recover soon.”
His shoulders shook.
Shocked, I could only stare at his back. Was he crying? Crazy how the man had been nothing but cruel to me, but I felt sympathy for him right then. We were family, after all. Even if he didn’t know it.
“Prince Cedric? It will… um, be okay. The court physician will take good care of the king and get him back on his feet in no time.”
A somewhat muted sound reached my ears. His body lightly shook again before that sound grew louder. However, it wasn’t a cry like I’d thought.
He was laughing.
“I have half a mind to slit your throat right here,” he said, still laughing.
When he turned to look at me, a crazed look shone in his eyes.
“You dare pity me? Trying to soothe me in my grieving hour? The mere sight of you makes me rage, now more than ever. Gods, how I want to take a blade and carve that ridiculous expression off your face.”
My sympathy for him blew away, like dust in a strong wind. A tiny speck remained behind though, drifting back down after the gust passed and landing on my sternum. Some people turned to anger to escape their sadness. Maddox sure did. Perhaps Cedric did too.
“I know the evidence against me is staggering, Your Highness,” I said, shuffling up higher on my knees. “But I didn’t poison the king. Someone did set me up. Spies from the Secret Order believe the mercenary—”
“Silence,” he interjected in a bitter tone. “You don’t need to convince me of your innocence, for I already know the truth. You were framed.”
“Wait.” Confusion slammed into me so hard my mind spun from it. “You believe me?”
“Yes.” Holding the goblet in one hand, he stepped toward me in that familiar predatory gait. “I’m the one who framed you.”
My brain stopped working. Nothing fired on the cylinders. The engine just sputtered and died, like an old pickup truck expelling the last of its exhaust and breaking down. Probably in the middle of a busy three-lane highway, cars blazing down the road on each side.
The feeling of being paralyzed but all too aware of the danger around you.
“Sir Keegan knows nothing of this, of course, which is why he couldn’t join our fun.” Cedric softly sighed and regarded me. “Do you intend to kneel before me all night? To your feet, pebble. Have some dignity while you still can.”
My knees trembled as I rose from the floor. “I-I don’t understand. You’re the one who framed me? Why? How?”
And what about the mercenary? Reign had detected him during the ball, along with several others just as powerful. Cedric’s involvement threw me for a loop.
“The how was easy,” he casually answered. “You had access to the king’s food. In an instance of poisoning, you’d be the most likely suspect, especially after you were seen by several witnesses pouring his drink.”
“That’s why you asked for me to bring your family coffee.” The realization caused prickles between my ribs. I’d fallen right into his trap. “It was all part of your plan.”
“Indeed.” He lifted his goblet in a cheers motion. “A plan that unfolded even better than I imagined, all thanks to you. I knew you’d have the vial in your pocket, but the dagger was a nice surprise. Helped drive the narrative even further.”
“Why did you do it?” I asked, reeling from the news.
“Be more specific.”
“Poison your father.”
“Why else?” Cedric cocked his head. “To be king.”
“That’s the reason?” There was a small catch in my voice. “So you could have the throne? But you were already first in line to rule.”
“My father still had many more years left in him. Years I didn’t wish to spend in his shadow, waiting for him to either step down or die.” He looked at me like I was a disgusting little stain on the floor. “Something filth like you will never understand.”
“But he’s your father! And he loves you.”
“No. He loves my brother.” Cedric gritted his teeth.
“He’s always favored Sawyer over me. For a while, I even feared he’d denounce me as his successor and put that brat on the throne instead.
Then, he saw the opportunity to ally with Voltas.
That alone spared Sawyer from being poisoned tonight right along with him.
I realized I could use his marriage to my advantage. Voltas is quite the powerful ally.”
“What the hell? You were going to kill your own brother?”
A cold smile touched his lips. “It wouldn’t be the first time I tried. Remember the story I told you once? How Sawyer fell down the stairs when we were younger and hit his head?”
Understanding seeped into me. With it came a nauseous pit in my gut. “You pushed him.”
“I was curious what would happen.” His amusement grew. Something malicious lingered beneath it, spreading to his eyes. “Would his head crack open like a melon? How much blood would spill?”
“You’re diabolical.”
The dude went beyond psycho. He was evil incarnate.
“Perhaps.” His cold smile faded. “It will serve me well as king. Striking down anyone who challenges me or stands in my way.”
“King Eidolon lived. You aren’t king yet.”
“An unfortunate miscalculation,” he snapped, the sudden rage in his eyes making me shrink back. “The poison was intended to kill him. Not sure why it didn’t. Regardless, I’ll be king soon enough. His body lives, yet his mind is too far gone to be of any use.”
A light thud came from the balcony.
“Our guest has finally arrived.” Cedric stepped over and opened the set of doors. The sheer curtains gently ruffled in the evening breeze. “Took you long enough.”
“You said to wait for the knight to leave,” a man responded. His voice was strangely familiar. “I only did as you instructed. I also didn’t wish to interrupt your speech. You seemed to be enjoying yourself.”
“If you were anyone else, I’d have your tongue removed for speaking to me in such a way.” Cedric took another drink before motioning to me. “He’s in here. Let’s get on with this.”
When the man stepped through the open doors and into the room, a weight pressed down on my chest. Sharp prickles did too, as though the scars beneath my clothes recognized the one who’d cast the spell that brought them to life.
“We meet again,” the mercenary said with a slanted smile. Bronze skin, a head of dark hair, and gold eyes. Black markings wrapped around both biceps and down his arms, like tattoos.
Everything inside of me screamed for me to run, but I couldn’t move. Not that there was anywhere for me to run, even if I could. Guards were posted outside the door and would stop me as soon as I reached the hall, and we were too high up for me to make a break for the balcony and jump off.
“How lucky for me,” I managed to say past the tightness in my throat. “Our last meeting was so pleasant too. Truly memorable.”
Something about his raspy laugh rang of familiarity, just like his accent. “I reckon it was. Sorry about the scars. And for, you know, almost killing you. My mistake.”
What the hell was happening? Why was he here?
“Have you two been working together this whole time?” Looking between him and Cedric, I reached up to grab my necklace like I usually did when nervous… only to remember I no longer had it.