Semua Bab Stolen By The Mirror, Claimed By The Prince: Bab 11 - Bab 20

“Your Highness!” a voice called out from the entrance to the library. “The King is here!”Elias stiffened as if someone had dumped ice water down his back. “The… the king?” he repeated.Lyra blinked up at him, their faces still absurdly close. “Is that code for your dad?” she whispered.Elias glanced toward the library doors. “Shhh… stay here,” he said, gently guiding her behind one of the taller bookshelves with a hand at her back. “He cannot see you—not yet.”He stepped away, his breath visibly exhaling the tension. That kiss—so close, so real—vanished. And maybe, he was a little grateful for the interruption. Because for a second, all he’d seen was Lirae’s face.*****“Your Majesty,” Elias said as he entered the lavish parlour, bowing with practiced grace and exactly the right amount of insincerity.&ldquo

Elias’s lips tugged into a calm smile. “Not here, Duke. Not here,” he replied, pressing his wine glass gently into the older man’s hand as if that would distract him from his rant. “Patience. I just have to clear my name first, and then I will fight for my right to the throne.”Williams scoffed, his mustache twitching. “You know what he does at council meetings?” he demanded. “He drinks. He brings nothing to the table. Nothing! He just lounges there while his father practically stands on his shoulder, speaking for him.”Elias sighed. “Patience,” he repeated. But truthfully, his grip tightened on the stem of his glass. He hated this. But he had to play smart. This wasn’t just about a throne. It was about justice—for Lirae, for himself, and for a kingdom that deserved better than a puppet king.Before the duke could spiral into another passionate explosion, the herald at the grand

Phillip jumped to his feet, startled from slumber, his greying hair sticking up. His silk nightshirt flapped dramatically as he staggered forward. “Have you gone mad?” he barked, still half-asleep, still somehow managing to sound imperious as he directed the accusation squarely at Matthew.Matthew, meanwhile, was pacing, eyes wild, fingers clenching and unclenching. “You said she was dead. You said you killed her,” he thundered.Phillip’s eyes widened, and he darted toward the heavy wooden doors, pushing them shut with both hands. “Keep your voice down, you fool!” he hissed, locking the door.“You lied to me!” Matthew growled again, this time quieter but no less lethal. His eyes locked with Phillip’s.“What are you talking about?” Phillip asked, grabbing a thick embroidered robe and yanking it over his head.“I just saw Lirae,” Matthew spat the name. “At Duke

She wasn’t wrong.And that scared him.He turned to the window, staring out at the moonlit road. His chest felt tight from the deeper question gnawing at him.Was this who he really was? A man too afraid to disrupt the political tea party, even if it meant someone he cared about was getting stepped on? Did the people love him because they believed he would be different—or because he was simply less of a monster than his cousin?“You don’t understand how these things work,” he said, weakly, tiredly. The last crumbling wall of defense.“You’re right,” she said, without a trace of sarcasm this time. “I don’t understand anything. This world of yours with its rules and titles and thrones. But I do know one thing.”She leaned forward, eyes fierce.“I will stand up for myself. While I’m here, pretending to be her, lying through my teeth, risking my neck—I won

Elias gave her a practiced diplomatic smile. “I apologise, Marchioness. Thaddeus is indeed getting on in age, but I wouldn’t trade him for the most capable butler. His loyalty is rare.”“Loyalty is a nice quality in a dog,” she snapped, though she sat when he gestured.Gemma took her seat in a huff. Elias couldn’t help but note how she still looked flawless, not a hair out of place.“What can I do for you?” Elias asked evenly, though inwardly he was already hoping this would be over quickly and quietly.“Don’t be so formal with me, Elias,” she said with a tight smile. “I was to be your betrothed.”Elias exhaled softly through his nose, trying to maintain composure. “My lady, I made that promise when I believed Lady Lirae was never going to return,” he began.“She was my betrothed,” he continued, “and now that she is back, we will continue our courting. I thought you would have understood that.”Gemma’s eyes flared, just slightly, but enough to signal danger ahead. “And you think I shou