15. Liliviere
Liliviere
Ididn’t expect my wedding to end with me thrown into a prison cell—but then, pretty much nothing has gone the way I expected it to ever since I met Malakai.
Staring around the concrete bunker, I exhale shakily. Between our exertions last night and not having had anything to eat since the wedding cake, my stomach grumbles hungrily. But that doesn’t matter—all I can think about is Malakai.
Where is he?
Have I inadvertently gotten him deposed? Or worse, killed?
I’ll never survive the blow if I am the one who led to his downfall. I dash the tears from my eyes and take a deep breath.
That’s not going to happen. Think, Lili. There must have been someone in your chain of command who knew about the rebel base and chose not to enlighten you.
There is one possibility that I can’t ignore, no matter how much I want to.
Grandfather.
I’m sure he didn’t know, but as king, he should have. He could have been easily duped. He’s been slipping for years, and his mind isn’t as sharp as it once was. While I’ve stepped in as much as I can, there are certain security briefings that only he is privy to.
Guilt gnaws at my heart. I never had a chance to ask whether he survived the attack. We were whisked into that conference room, and then to prison, the moment we emerged from the safe room. As grim as that cinder-block hiding place was, it was still far more comfortable than this bleak place.
“Guard?” I call out. No response. I grit my teeth in frustration. “Guard! I command you to send a message for me.”
“You’re not the Empress anymore,” he sneers. “You can’t command me to do nothin’.”
I sit down with a growl. At least they let me shower before they gave me orange prison garb. I’ve worn more fashionable clothes, but at least they’re clean and not sliced apart.
A fond memory.
For a moment I let myself wallow in it, remembering Malakai’s touch. I want to feel his cock again. Now that I’ve had a taste of him, I know I can’t live without him. We have so much to look forward to. Children. Grandchildren. Growing old together.
I’m not giving up on us simply because Kenton is a jealous prick.
Yet I can’t compel the guard, and he doesn’t relent. I am forced to wait. I eat the terrible food they present to me, a barely toasted piece of bread and a cold piece of sausage, then try to rest.
Thudding footfalls startle me out of an anxious doze.
Sitting up, I find the one person I didn’t want to see striding toward me. Kenton.
The guard unlocks the cell. He steps in. I remain seated on the edge of my concrete bed. I don’t move.
“I want you to know that I’m sorry for ruining your wedding,” he says.
I blink at him in shock. “You didn’t blow up the reception.” Cold dread washes through me. “Or…did you? Are you the one working with the rebels?”
That would be a terrible twist—and likely, these would be my final moments, if true.
He scoffs. “No. Obviously. I’ve been thinking about what you said about not replacing my mother.
I hate to admit it, but you were right earlier.
I have been acting like a spoiled child.
The idea of him marrying another woman—my woman, no less—made me furious.
I wish he had found anyone else but you, Liliviere, but I am glad my dad finally found someone that makes him feel less alone. ”
“I was never yours. Your father thought he could command me to marry a stranger. He quickly saw his mistake.” Kenton still blames me, and maybe that’s fair since I took one look and rejected him in favor of his father, but if I can clear my name, he will pretend to be happy for Malakai.
That’s all I need. I’d rather have a good relationship with my stepson, but that will take time to build.
If it’s even possible. I change the subject to what’s really bothering me.
“I have an idea about how the rebels might have set up that base right under my nose.”
“I didn’t come to question you. That’s the council’s job.” Back to the petulant scowl. He might be a couple of years older than me, but I feel like I’m the more mature one here.
“I know, but I have to get a message out and the guard won’t send one.
Please help me, Kenton. I can solve this.
” Briefly, I tell him about my grandfather’s decline in health and how I’ve been kept out of certain security briefings.
“Perhaps he meant to tell me and forgot, or perhaps he was trying to protect me from a dangerous subject. But either way, neither of us were acting with malicious intent. The king of Kellimar is an old man. Easily confused. He was taken advantage of by someone.” Tears sting my eyes. “Is he okay? I need to know the truth.”
“Your grandfather was injured in the blast.”
“No,” I gasp.
“He will live. He’s being questioned by the council now. They seem to be coming to the same conclusion you have.” He scowls. “I don’t enjoy this, but unlike my father, I can admit when I was wrong. After looking into the matter, I no longer believe you were involved in the attack.”
“Am I free to go?”
He shakes his head. “Not until we get to the bottom of this. But I can at least get you out of this dreadful cell.”
I laugh and jump up, hugging him. He feels like a smaller, lighter version of his dad. Still a tall, strong, muscular man, but not quite so comfortingly sturdy.
“Thank you,” I sob into his shoulder.
“For what?” He doesn’t hug me back.
“For believing me.”
“I don’t. I didn’t say that,” he protests, but I know better. Men. They all hate showing their emotions, the silly dears. Nothing is worse than having to admit they’re wrong, and Kenton just did.
“You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t know in your heart that I’m telling the truth. Please be gentle while questioning my grandfather. He’s a sweet man.” I step back and hold his gaze, peering into eyes so much like his father’s.
“If this is true, your grandfather needs to abdicate.” It’s almost funny how much Kenton doesn’t want to believe I’m innocent.
Hard-headed like his sire. Yet facts are facts, and they’re staring him in the face.
He’s honest enough to accept them, and I’m grateful for that. Even if he is ambivalent about it.
“Agreed. It’s past time for him to step down either way. I’m ready to root out the rebel stronghold. Ideally with Malakai’s help. Can I see him?”
Kenton hesitates. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Not long after his visit, I’m brought to what is obviously a courtroom. Carved wood panels frame the desk in the center of the room, with two smaller desks positioned opposite, a witness cage set off to one side, and three rows of seats waiting to hold the jurors.
But there is no judge.
Only Malakai, striding into the room, grim-faced and wearing black military apparel. His jaw works when he sees me. We stare at one another in silence for what feels like forever.
Finally I whisper, “Do you believe I knew about the rebels?”
“I don’t know what to believe,” he says tiredly.
That hurts. My stomach sinks. “So you think it’s my fault.”
He exhales slowly. “I think you have carried the weight of your country on your shoulders.”
“I was trying to protect Kellimar.”
“And instead you endangered yourself.”
“I endangered us.” I swallow hard. “I should have asked my grandfather to step down sooner. I knew he wasn’t up to the task, but I thought that being under the protection of the empire, we were safe enough. I knew you were chasing down the rebels.”
“Trying to.”
“Does the council still want our marriage annulled?” My chest is squeezed tight by a band of hurt. A tear slips down my cheek before I can stop it.
He sees it immediately.
He always notices my thoughts. My feelings.
“I would have chosen you always, Malakai. Even before I knew you, I never would have done anything to hurt you.”
“I know. Lili, I know. I believe you.” He surrounds me, enfolding me in his thick arms. Clutching me close to his broad chest. “I will never let them take you from me.”
Something is nagging me about the maps. A sliver of information I couldn’t force to the forefront of my conscious thought when I was languishing in that cell. But now that I’m safe again, and I can think?
The answer springs immediately to mind.
“The maps,” I gasp. “I can prove my innocence and clear my grandfather, too! Mal, you must take me to the council at once.”
“What about them?” he asks in bewilderment.
“They were labeled in Kellimarian.”
“And?” His brows draw together.
“The rebels are from Gremalia. They don’t speak Kellimarian.”
He blinks.
“Gremalians don’t speak Kellimarian for the most part. Nobody uses our language. We speak Enovar together, but I’d wager you can’t even form a full sentence in my native tongue.” My heart begins racing. “But the maps were labeled in perfect court Kellimarian.”
Malakai goes completely still. I can almost see the realization spreading across his face.
“Someone from my grandfather’s court either provided copies of those maps, or they were stolen from the map room.
I can prove that it was the second option.
Several valuable maps depicting the underground caves were stolen two years ago, when I was still seventeen.
They aren’t the sort of thing that could be easily replaced with satellite images.
” Old memories flash through my mind. Cabinet meetings.
The old ministers. One face. One name. One man who insisted on handling trade manifests, who argued against strengthening the border because we could rely upon the emperor to sort it out.
We didn’t need to get involved…according to my head guard.
I can’t believe I asked him to marry me! What a mistake that would have been.
He must have been the one who facilitated the break-in. The head guard would have had access, and as a trusted leader within the castle, he could have kept the rebels’ secret by shifting blame and covering up their activity.
Tears rush down my cheeks in a hot storm of relief.
“I need to see my grandfather. You can find the records of the theft. It was reported everywhere. We didn’t connect it to the rebels.
We just thought it was some kind of brazen art dealer looking to sell a rare and valuable collection, but it must have been an inside job, and I know who could have done it.
My very own head guard.” I smack my forehead with the heel of my palm. “How could we be so stupid?”
“Not stupid, my brave princess.” He kisses my forehead. “Without you, I could have executed an innocent old man for treason. Now, we know where to round up the rebels and how to arrest them.” A grin stretches his sensuous lips. “They won’t know what hit them.”