FAZER LOGIN~CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR~ I let the silence stretch again before speaking. “Before we proceed,” I say evenly, “let me make something very clear.” My gaze sweeps across the court. “Prince Albert is currently on the run for attempted regicide, conspiracy, and multiple counts of treason.” The words fall like stones. “If any of you are holding onto hope that he will return to defend himself here today, abandon it. He is wanted. And the moment he is found and brought back to this palace, he will face immediate trial for treason.” A stir moves through the chamber—low whispers and quick glances. I watch them carefully. Loyalty reveals itself in moments like this. So does fear. “Ravenna Drakonis.” My voice is steady. “Step forward. Stand in the center of the court.” There is the faintest pause before she rises. Silk brushes against marble as she walks confidently. Not a tremor in her step. She stops exactly where instructed. Her chin is slightly l
~ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY THREE~ I stand alone in the center of my private residence, facing the tall glass panels that reflect my image back at me. The crown sits where it belongs. It has never felt heavier. In my hands are the files, the culmination of decades of deception. My father’s investigation. Crimes hidden beneath silk and ceremony. Prince Albert is still on the run. But his absence will not delay today. He may hide for now, but he will not vanish from this earth. When this court adjourns, I will hunt him down myself if I must. “Nicholas.” He steps forward immediately, composed as always. Holding out a file, he hands it to me. “These contain the remaining documents from yesterday. I managed to save them.” I smile and take it. “And my brothers?” I ask. “Prince Frederick?” “He arrived at dawn, Your Majesty.” “And Prince Blake?” A slight pause. “He will not be attending.” I study Nicholas’ expression, but it does not waver. “He isn’t showing up?” I
~CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY TWO~ The PPO units storm through the palace gates minutes later, armored vehicles cutting across the courtyard as gunfire begins to thin. Their senior officer approaches, kneels briefly, then rises. “My apologies for the delay, my King.” “You’re here now,” I reply, voice steady despite the smoke still clinging to my lungs. “I want at least two of those masked men alive. The rest do not leave this ground breathing.” He nods sharply and signals his men. They advance without hesitation. Half of my security detail pushes forward to reinforce the firefight. The remaining officers close ranks around me. Nicholas stays at my side as we move toward the residence wing, boots striking floors that still tremble from distant shots. One of the security officers rushes toward us, breath uneven. “Your Majesty—Prince Albert escaped. Unknown armed men intercepted our unit and created a diversion.” The words hit like a blade. “No.” My voice turns cold. “I
~CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY ONE~ As I continue cross-referencing the staff records, another detail surfaces—quiet, almost buried. One of the midwives present during my mother’s delivery died mysteriously two weeks later. Cause listed as sudden cardiac arrest. No prior condition. I still. I shift to the timeline surrounding my father’s death. Another anomaly. A palace maid assigned to his private wing, deceased within a week of his passing. Official cause: accident. Minimal inquiry. My jaw tightens. “Record their names,” I tell Nicholas. He does. I set the files aside, separate from the rest. Confusion gives way to restless energy. I begin scanning the vault walls again, slower now, observing structure rather than labels. That is when I notice it. One of the shelving units is slightly misaligned with the others. “Nicholas.” He joins me without question. I press against the side of the shelf; it shifts under resistance. It moves. Together we slide it as
~CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY~ Nicholas and I leave the shooting arena without another word, heading toward the secured wing at its far end where the royal vault is housed. The echo of our footsteps fades beneath the hum of reinforced steel doors and biometric scanners cycling through clearance protocols. Two guards straighten immediately at our approach. Nicholas walks beside me, measured as always. After a moment, he speaks. “I’ve been meaning to ask, Your Majesty… why is the vault so important to you?” A faint smile touches my lips—not amusement, but certainty. “The vault,” I reply, “contains the complete medical and historical records of every royal family member who has lived within the palace walls. Health documents. Psychological evaluations. Birth records. Death reports. Staff logs. Visitor registries. Every incident formally documented during their time here.” The final authentication sequence begins. “My mother died during childbirth,” I continue evenly. “Ev
~CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY NINE~ A few people glance our way. I wipe the remaining tears quickly and straighten my posture. Then I walk back into the room. The doctor is there now, reviewing Nina’s chart. “We’ll continue monitoring her,” he says professionally. “She needs rest. Once she stabilizes fully, she can go home.” “Thank you, doctor,” I reply. He nods and leaves. Nina looks at me with swollen, tear-filled eyes. “I’m truly sorry.” I walk closer to her bed. “It’s fine,” I say gently. “You kept those things from me… and because of you, my son and I are alive.” Her lips tremble. “You’re still my sister,” I continue softly. “Families fight. They hide things. But they don’t stop being family.” That breaks her. She lets out a heavy, uncontrollable cry—the kind that sounds like it’s been trapped inside for months. She leans forward and wraps her arms around me. I hold her tightly, rubbing her back as my own tears fall silently. —- After a few min
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE My fingers tremble over the screen. My stomach drops. That information… Not even Mia knew that. Not anyone outside a tight circle. So how—? My breath catches. Someone leaked this. Someone with access… someone close enough to the palace. Someone who wants
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE By the time we reach the doors of my chambers, my body feels heavier than my heart and that’s saying something. Frederick still holds my hand, warm and steady, as if afraid I’ll collapse the moment he lets go. The guards posted outside bow to him, eyes flickering in
CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN I push past Nina’s worried protests and step out into the hallway, following the growing noise drifting in from the front grounds. A security guard hurries by, and I stop him. “What’s going on out there?” He gives a small, respectful bow. “The shouting
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE The room is quiet. Too quiet. My heart is racing, my clothes are torn, and the king is still standing in front of me like he owns the air I’m breathing. Something inside me snaps. Before I can stop myself… I slap him. The sound cuts through the room. His head je







