Page 105 of The Royal Throne
Sabine rolled her eyes. “You’re not. If you were left to rule this kingdom, I’m pretty sure you’d be bored.” While she had seen him take multiple women to his room, she recalled the masquerade and him telling her how he’d planned the entire event for Rainer. Maybe she didn’t give him enough credit.
“I’m retiring for the evening,” Anton said as he stood. “I need to leave first thing in the morning to make the League meeting on time.”
Sabine bid him goodnight.
“Do you plan on always having that beast in here when we eat?” Axel asked, pointing to Harta.
A servant came in, giving each of them a slice of chocolate cake for dessert.
“She is not a beast,” she chided Axel. “Harta is my friend. And where I go, she goes.” While gazing at her dog, giving air kisses, her napkin fell to the floor. She bent over and picked it up. When she straightened, she found Axel closer than she remembered him being.
He chuckled and took a bite of his cake. “Friend or not, it’s still a creature and not human.”
“Leave my dog alone.” Harta nudged her arm. “Don’t worry, girl, I won’t let him kick you out.” She picked up her fork, and Harta nudged her arm again. “Watch it,” she scolded the dog. “You’re proving Axel right on this matter. Behave.” She cut a piece of cake, lifting it to her mouth. Harta slammed against Sabine’s chair, making her drop her fork. “What on earth?”
Harta started barking and moving from side to side as if agitated.
Looking at her plate, Sabine examined the cake in greater detail. A bit of yellow powder had been sprinkled on the plate next to the cake. It brought her back to her dining room in Bakley when she’d trained with her mother on how to spot poisons. One of them had been a yellow powder often used on food.
“Don’t eat it,” Sabine said to Axel. “There’s poison on it.”
“Are you certain?” He set his fork down. “I’ve already had a few bites.” His face paled.
“Guards!” she called out.
Drew entered. She quickly explained about the poison.
He took the plates. “I’ll fetch a healer, then speak with the kitchen staff and your taster—if she’s still alive.” He left.
Sabine stood and paced about. Someone had tried to kill her. Maybe the Avoni assassins hadn’t left. A thought occurred to her. “Is that assassin still in the dungeon?”
“I don’t know,” Axel replied. “I’ll have someone find out.” He spoke to one of her guards.
Her arms were shaking. She peered down at her dog. “Thank you, Harta.” Her dog had saved her life. She’d been too complacent—a mistake she wouldn’t make again.
“Are you okay?” Axel asked.
“I’m fine.” Although, something about this seemed sloppy. A trained assassin would have noticed the powder on the plate and wiped it off. The poison would have only been on the food so as to be undetected. It reminded her of the assassination attempt at the seamstress’s room. Evander had told her there was no way that had been an Avoni assassin. She had a feeling this one wasn’t either. Regardless, she needed to know about the man in the dungeon.
A few minutes later, Drew returned. “Nothing is amiss in the kitchen. Your food taster is alive and well.”
Glancing at Axel, he seemed fine as well. “The healer?” she asked.
“He is getting a handful of antidotes together, then coming to the royal wing,” Drew said.
The other guard returned, panting. “Your Majesty,” he said. “The prisoner in the dungeon is dead.”
If it wasn’t the Avoni assassin in the dungeon, then she didn’t have any suspects.
“You look like you’re going to be ill all over the table,” Axel said.
She’d thought this was over. She couldn’t live her life like this with the threat of death around every corner and at every meal.
“Come on,” Axel said. “I’ll show you where Rainer kept his good whisky.”
With Harta trotting close behind, Sabine followed Axel out of the dining room.
Chapter Twenty-Five
