Page 95 of Legacy of Glass
“If you mean to suggest my cousin might have been offended and flounced off without Mildredor me,” Daphne said, “then you obviously never knew her at all. I’ve never heard such a ridiculous theory.”
“Nevertheless,” the king said, “our focus for now must be on the ball. It is mere hours away. Guards can search for Olivia after that.”
Julius shook his head, hearing what was behind his father’s words. He should be an obedient prince and play the role his father decreed. If he did that, then resources would be put into finding Olivia. But he was done playing an empty role. The woman he loved didn’t need Prince Charming. She needed him—the real Julius beneath the role. And he wasn’t going to let her down.
“Sorry, Father,” he said. “But I’m finding Olivia now.”
Before his father could move to stop him, he left the room, Daphne and a giant mouse at his heels.
Chapter30
Julius
Julius had only made it a few steps down the corridor when Cade pounced on him.
“What’s happening in there?” Worry laced his voice.
He looked as if he meant to rush into the receiving room, so Julius restrained him with a hand on his arm. “I’m afraid you won’t find a warm welcome in there.” He met Cade’s eyes steadily.
Cade looked away, sinking into himself. “Everyone knows, then?”
“Walk with me.” Julius wasn’t willing to stop, even for this conversation.
Cade fell into step at his side, his shoulders still hunched, and Julius spoke again.
“You knew, didn’t you?”
“Not before today,” Cade cried. “I swear it. I had no idea.”
“Don’t worry,” Julius said. “I never thought that. You would never have let Marigold be taken. I assume it was the mention of the glass trade that tipped you off? That was your family’s warehouse, wasn’t it?”
Cade nodded miserably. “I was going to tell you, I swear. I was just so ashamed, and my focus was on rescuing Marigold.” His voice turned earnest. “And I hope you know that I would never have been part of such a thing, even if Marigold wasn’t involved. Zane’s behavior is outrageous and criminal. I could never condone?—”
Julius stopped, turning to stare at Cade. “Zane? Are you saying your brother is behind this? Not your father?”
“This has Zane’s fingerprints all over it, I’m afraid.” Cade’s brows drew together. “I should have seen it earlier, but I never thought…” He shook his head. “My family’s holdings are so diverse that it didn’t strike me that all the businesses Markus mentioned crossed with ours in some way. But I did notice one of the names. It's been bothering me ever since, wondering where I’d heard it before. I remembered today after everything became clear. Zane had a petty dispute with the man two years ago. Zane didn’t think the man had shown him sufficient respect, given their respective positions, and so Zane…”
Cade broke off, pressing his lips together. “My father has his faults—he’s done plenty of less than praiseworthy things over the years. And he raised Zane to place far too much stock in his rank and the family name. But my father would never have come up with such a criminal and cruel scheme.” His mouth twisted. “It would disappoint Mother, and Father loves her too much to ever do that. A trait that Zane sees as a weakness, of course.”
Julius swallowed. He had heard Zane say something similar with his own ears.
“But one of the captives talked,” he said, still struggling to believe it. “He said they got their orders from Lord Strathmore. So my father has arrested yours. He’s in custody now.”
Cade’s hands fisted, his arms trembling. “Why am I not surprised to hear that Zane did it all in my father’s name? He probably already thinks of the title as his.”
“So where is Zane right now, then?” Daphne asked, reminding them she was there with the single most relevant question.
“If he’s taken Olivia out of revenge, I’ll run him through myself,” Julius said in a voice he barely recognized as his own.
Cade shook his head. “That isn’t Zane’s way, thankfully. Even cornered, he’ll be thinking strategically. Olivia is a valuable hostage.”
“A hostage?” Julius was still furious, but he clung to the hope that Olivia might survive long enough for them to rescue her.
Cade nodded, his face lined and tight.
“So where would he have gone?” Daphne asked. “He could hardly walk out the front door with Julius’s betrothed as hostage.”
“Our courtyard!” Julius and Cade said at the same time.
