Page 59 of The Royal Throne
“Of course, Your Majesty. You should also know that Rainer has increased security around both the town and the palace. You’ll need to be more careful with your daily trips.”
She nodded, hoping no one had seen her today and reported her movements to Rainer.
“I should escort you back to your room.”
“Before we go, I want to thank you for your kindness and loyalty.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.” He bowed.
“Can I ask you why?” She wanted to know if it had something to do with her, an oath he’d taken, or if he had his own personal reasons.
“I believe you’re what’s best for Lynk,” he answered honestly. “At the end of this, if only one monarch is left standing, I want it to be you.”
Sabine didn’t sleep at all that night. After going over various scenarios in her mind, she determined the easiest way to stop the war would be to get rid of Rainer. The easiest way to do that was to accuse his sister of treason and have him executed right alongside her. It was a bold move and one she hoped would work. Thousands of lives would be saved.
Sabine and Harper utilized the quiet hours of the night to write letters to everyone of importance not only in the palace, but in the nearby town as well. When they finished, Harper took the letters and hid them. Once Lottie was arrested, Harper would see that the letters were delivered.
The plan was for Rainer to not know what was happening until it was too late to stop it. Once he figured out what she’d done, he’d probably want to kill her himself.
Not wanting to second-guess herself, she dressed and had her guards escort her to the military compound. When she arrived, she found Commander Felix training with a group of men and asked him for his assistance. After he appointed someone to lead the drill in his place, he joined her. The two of them stood off to the side, far enough from her guards and the other soldiers so no one would overhear their conversation.
“Your Majesty, is everything all right?” Felix asked.
Fiddling with her hands, she tried to keep her uncertainty from showing. “Commander,” she said, wanting him to know she was there on official business. “I personally overheard Princess Lottie speaking to an assassin about killing me. I also heard them discuss my sister’s death. Therefore, I intend to have Princess Lottie arrested and tried for treason.”
He nodded, folding his arms. “How can I assist you?”
“Who do I speak with about having her arrested?” She didn’t think Felix would handle this sort of thing, but she wasn’t sure.
“I’m assuming you already discussed the matter with King Rainer?”
“I have.”
“And he isn’t pursuing the correct course of legal action?” he prompted.
“No, he is not.”
His face remained passive, not showing a hint of emotion. “And is Captain Drew in charge of your security?”
“He is.”
He nodded, rubbing his chin. “Then I’d have Captain Drew make the official arrest. He’ll work with Captain Lithane since he is in charge of all security matters at the palace.”
She hated asking Drew to get involved in this matter. However, if this was the correct chain of command, she would take it. “Thank you.” She took a step back, about to turn and leave when Felix held up his hand, taking a step closer to her.
“A word of advice, be careful. The king just learned some of his orders with regards to his army have been altered.” Felix looked pointedly at her. “The king is upset. When you have his sister arrested, be prepared for his temper. You haven’t seen it yet. You need to know that he can be wild and unpredictable.”
This wasn’t the first time she’d been warned of the king’s temper. Reaching out, she took his hand, squeezing it. “Thank you. Your council is much appreciated and won’t be forgotten.”
He bowed before returning to the group of men he’d been training with.
When Sabine rejoined her guards, Drew asked, “Back to the palace?”
She hadn’t informed Drew of her plan yet. Before she returned to the palace and set it into motion, she needed to make sure he was okay with his role in this. She didn’t want to put him in a compromising situation, especially if Drew had a family Rainer could use against him. “Is there somewhere we can talk for a moment?”
“Just the two of us?”
“Yes. Somewhere private if possible.”
