Page 6 of Happily Ever After
I raised an eyebrow, waiting. Let him squirm a bit. It’s not that I was cruel and loved to see him suffer but If he had the balls to do something he thought I’d disapprove of, he should have the courage to spit it out. After all, he was like the brother I never had, and would love him regardless.
“I… I’ve been…” Noah started, then faltered, his eyes darting around the room.
“You’ve been…?” I prompted, my voice deceptively mild. I knew exactly where he’d been, or rather, with whom. But I wanted to hear him say it.
Noah took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders. “I’ve been looking for Rosalind. I found her and… I’ve hidden her in one of my properties in the capital.”
I kept my face impassive, watching him closely. “Go on.”
“I think there’s something not right with Magnus’ case,” Noah continued, his voice growing stronger as he spoke. “The evidence… it doesn’t add up.”
I leaned forward, my interest piqued. “Explain.”
As Noah laid out his thoughts, my mind raced. The pieces were starting to fall into place. Magnus Bellrose, Rosalind’s father, convicted of embezzlement and will be executed for his crimes. I already had my suspicions but I was busy with the smuggling case but now listening to him…
“You might be onto something,” I said, breaking my silence. “In fact, I think Magnus’ case might be linked to the salt smuggling operation I’ve been investigating.”
Noah’s eyes widened. “How so?”
I stood up, pacing the room as I thought aloud. “Think about it. All the salt mines are under royal control. No private individual has that kind of power. Yet somehow, illegal salt is flooding the market. Ministry of Revenue must be involved somehow.”
“And you think Magnus was framed to cover this up?” Noah asked, his voice getting low and intense, thinking of the same thing. Elyas D’Arcane, the minister of revenue, and Magnus Bellrose, a highly acclaimed officer in the ministry of revenue, recently moved back to the capital after getting promoted for his exceptional work in Valeraine. And within a few months of his return, the smuggling case and his embezzlement seemed way too coincidental.
And then Ilyana very conveniently married Noah.
I nodded, a predatory smile creeping across my face. “It’s possible. Very possible. Magnus was on track to become assistant head of the Ministry of Revenue. He would have been in a position to notice discrepancies, to ask uncomfortable questions.”
“But who would have the power to orchestrate something like this?” Noah wondered.
“That, dear cousin, is the million-gold question,” I replied, my mind already racing with possibilities. “We’re dealing with someone with significant influence, both in the court and in the underworld. And they must have lots of support.”
Noah leaned back, running a hand through his hair. “This is bigger than we thought, isn’t it?”
“Much bigger,” I agreed. “And potentially far more dangerous. We’ll need to tread carefully.”
We spent the next hour dissecting the case, piecing together what we knew and what we suspected. The more we talked, the more convinced I became that Magnus had indeed been framed.
As our discussion wound down, Noah rose to leave. At the door, I couldn’t resist one last jab. “Oh, and Noah? Congratulations on your wedding. Sorry, I couldn’t make it.”
I watched as Noah stiffened, his hand freezing on the doorknob. For a moment, I thought he might snap back, butthen he forced a smile. “Thank you, Eric,” he said, his voice tight, and then he was gone.
He was still convinced he did the right thing by marrying her.
Oh well, not my concern as long as Ilyana doesn’t hurt him.
I turned back to my desk, a grim smile on my face. The game was afoot, and I intended to win. Someone out there thought they could outsmart the crown, could manipulate us like pawns on a chessboard. They were about to learn just how dangerous it was to play against a prince who never knew how to give up.
Anderic
My chambers were off-limits most, with only minimal staff allowed past the reception rooms to clean but there she was in my chambers, on my bed and I didn’t care. I stared at Ilyana’s prone form, her chest rising and falling with each shallow breath. Two weeks. Two fucking weeks she’d been unconscious in my bed. The memory of her collapsing in the garden still haunted me, the way her body went limp in my arms. I was still in a crazed haze when I carried her straight to my room, protocols be damned.
My mother, Lennox, my advisors - they’d all been urging me to move her back to her own chambers. But I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. Noah hadn’t voiced any objections, so why should anyone else care?
I ran a hand through my unkempt hair, grimacing at how greasy it felt. I hadn’t been taking care of myself, spending every waking moment either by Ilyana’s side as she writhed in pain or working tirelessly to uncover who was behind this attack. Dark circles ringed my eyes, my face was covered in stubble, and my usually immaculate appearance was in shambles.
All the ladies would be horrified by my appearance.
A knock at the door interrupted my brooding. Lennox entered, his eyes immediately going to Ilyana’s still form.
