Bitter Awakening

For all the coaching speeches I’d given myself, what he said now was the last thing I expected him to charge me with, and I reacted instinctively.

His voice was calm as he clearly pronounced his accusations. “You let the King tell you what to do, keep you here as a pet, and tame you to his hand. You let Lord Bartholomew steal bits of your realm from beneath your nose. Filtering goods and servants into Waterway.”

I gaped at him. “He wouldn’t do that!”

Despite all my vows to myself to watch my words, I was so astounded by his words that I couldn’t hold my silence.

“He has been doing that.” Alaric’s lip twitched in contempt. “I told you not to trust him. But you’d not hear what I said to you. You will listen now though, won’t you?”

“You were just jealous that I was promised to him upon My King’s passing.” I cried desperately. Recalling how quiet he’d become when I’d declared that I would hunt all the wolves and wed Bartholomew.

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