Chaos Outside The Imperial Study
A hard yank on his ankle sent Drake stumbling. He lost his balance completely, his body swinging awkwardly in midair as his face darkened with rage.
"Dawn, let go of me!"
His sister just gripped his ankle tighter. "Not a chance! Get down here first. She's our little sister! How could you even think about hitting her?"
Dawn had his ankle in a death grip, and no matter how much Drake struggled, he couldn't break free. He was furious, but he couldn't bring himself to actually hurt her. Instead, he used the leverage to pull himself up, making a desperate grab for the list in Solana's hand.
The sight of his hand lunging for her sent Solana into a full-blown panic. She clung to the branch and screamed even louder.
"Help! My brother's trying to kill me!"
Prince Ashworth, who had come to the palace hoping to get some money from the Emperor, heard his daughter's terrified screams just as he arrived. He snapped his head toward the sound and saw her clinging to a tree branch for dear life, her little face pale with terror.
Rage, pure and simple, shot through him. "Drake Sterling!" he roared. "You dare lay a hand on my daughter?"
He was moving before the words were even out, flying across the grass to grab Drake's free ankle and yank him down hard.
Drake slammed onto the ground with a bone-rattling thud.
Before Dawn, who was still holding onto Drake's other ankle, could even react, Ashworth grabbed her by the collar and shoved her aside.
Dawn scrambled back, clutching her chest as her heart hammered against her ribs. That was close. She'd almost been his landing cushion.
The second Solana saw her father on the ground, she began to tremble and wail.
"Waaah! My brother is so scary! The palace is too scary! Dad, I want to go home! I want to go to the Hall of Kings and pray to our ancestors to protect me!" she cried. "Where's Grandma? I want my grandma!"
The commotion finally drew the Emperor from his study.
His expression was grim as he took in the chaotic scene.
The sight of Solana up in the tree, wailing like her heart was breaking, was so irritating it made his head throb.
There had to be a curse on the Sterling family name; not a single one of them ever gave him a moment's peace.
Seeing his daughter's pitiful tears, Ashworth flew up into the tree and gently plucked her from the branch. Her face was chalk-white, and he started pacing anxiously the moment her feet touched the ground.
"Sweetheart, don't be afraid, Daddy's here. Are you hurt? Did he hurt you? You look like you've lost weight!"
The accusation hit Drake like a physical blow. Lying on the ground with what felt like every bone in his body broken, he could only stare. He hadn't laid a single finger on her. Was Ashworth delusional? Besides, he'd just seen her this morning. What did he mean, "lost weight"?
And what was with the two maids who were suddenly fussing over Solana?
One pulled a hand warmer out of nowhere and tucked it into her arms.
The other produced a cup of tea and held it to her lips, whispering, "Don't be scared, Princess. Have some tea to calm your nerves. You won't be scared after you drink this."
Rage hardened Drake's features. Anyone who didn't know what was going on would think he'd just finished torturing her. He was about to defend himself to the grim-faced Emperor, who was now standing in the doorway of his study, but the second he opened his mouth, Solana let out another piercing wail.
"Dad, I want to go home! Waaah! Where's Grandma? I want my grandma!"
Her crying completely drowned him out. He glared at her, furious, and their eyes met for a split second. That was all it took. Solana started shaking and sobbing all over again, first hiding behind Ashworth, then scurrying over to cling to Dawn.
A vein pulsed in Drake's temple. He was going to lose his mind.
Seeing Solana clinging to her, crying so pitifully, Dawn's protective instincts flared. While patting her little sister's back, she turned on Drake. "What was that look for? Look how terrified you've made her!"
Just how timid was Solana? A single glare from her brother had scared her half to death. It was clear that as her big sister, Dawn needed to protect her better.
Ashworth watched the scene, his anger building. This was the same daughter who would normally pull a knife on him without a second thought, and here she was, a trembling mess because of Drake. He immediately stepped in front of her.
He pointed a finger at Drake. "Have you been hitting her behind my back? Why else would she be so afraid of you?"
Even the Emperor was starting to look at Drake with suspicion. Could his rebellious son have been bullying Solana all along? Why else would a child be this terrified?
Facing a wall of suspicious glares, Drake felt like his head had been hit with a sledgehammer. He couldn't even think straight. He almost started to wonder if he *had* done something to her. How else could you explain this hysterical crying?
Seeing Drake's stunned silence, Dawn became even more convinced he was guilty. She turned to the Emperor. "Father," she complained, "Drake has gone too far this time. Look how scared he's made Solana!"
The Emperor shot Drake a stern look, and the fog in Drake's head began to clear.
"Father, I didn't do anything," he insisted. "I just wanted to talk to her."
Dawn scoffed. "Stop lying! You were clearly going to hit her, you scared her so bad she climbed a tree! Father, if I hadn't seen it and stopped him, he would have hit her! Right in front of your study! If he's this bold in broad daylight, imagine what he does in private."
That was all Ashworth needed to hear. His anger boiled over, now certain that Drake had been hurting his daughter behind his back.
A wave of guilt washed over him. "Sweetheart, I've failed you," he said, his voice thick with shame.
"From now on, I promise I'll look after you better. I won't let anyone bully you ever again."
Then he turned to the Emperor, his voice like steel.
"Your Majesty, your son is bullying my daughter. So, what are you going to do about it? Because if you can't handle this fairly, I will go to the Hall of Kings and ask our late father to pay you a visit in your dreams tonight. I'm sure he'll want to have a little chat."
The Emperor watched the drama unfold, a massive headache building behind his eyes. What a mess. He waved over Steward Payne, telling him to find out exactly what had just happened.
A few moments later, after learning the full story, the Emperor's dark gaze landed on Drake. He suddenly remembered the list Solana had given him earlier.
As Emperor, there was nothing he hated more than his sons getting too cozy with court officials or plotting behind his back.
Every single one of them had their eyes on the throne.
He'd mistakenly thought his third son, Drake, was different, diligent, by the book, but it turned out he was just another snake, pretending to obey while secretly plotting against him.