جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 80

Acting like the Accord and my life wasn’t falling apart was a lot harder than I anticipated. Business was usual for the Founding Ten and Blackwell company which meant the calls and emails started at 6:00 A.M. promptly. I slipped out of bed and quickly got dressed, giving Margot the much needed rest she deserved. Last night was emotionally exhausting for both of us. It was about to end, this facade of peace. I knew there would be judgments for my deceit, but knowing that the Court members were loyal and the Founding Ten didn’t have any other secrets that could destroy the Accord was a must before we revealed the truth. I didn’t feel confident in arresting Julian. I didn’t see how he could do this. Knowing him, when the time came to place him in cuffs, he would fight me. The thought of having to preside over his trial and condemn him to death, turned my stomach. So for today, I pretended as best as I could. Matthew had already been filled in and pretended as well, reading my mood. I w

I felt the weight of the crown heavier than normal today. My shoulders ached with the tension of what this evening would bring. The Court had decided a quiet arrest would be best. That way we could gather as much information as possible before telling the Founding Ten. Showing up empty handed to share the news with them would be like giving a lion a scent of blood and refusing to give it the meat. They would be hungry for answers. I needed to be able to tell them something of substance before releasing the news.Sasha had coordinated with us so that we all found ourselves outside of Julian’s door late into the night. My chest constricted with the pain of betrayal. Unable to knock myself, I allowed Lucien to step in. The others looked around us, we were surrounded with an absurd amount of guards, as if we suspected he would try to kill us. I couldn’t imagine my best friend trying anything, but then again, I never expected to find him on the other side of a treason investigation. Jul

The house creaked around me as I walked around the mainly dark hallways. The bank was more or less a bust. Ivan and I had spoken to the branch manager. The day Julian’s account was opened coincidentally the entire electrical system had been fried. No video proof that he did or didn’t walk in there. Nobody remembered him but that didn’t necessarily mean he was innocent. The humans were surprisingly forthcoming considering they didn’t know who I was. Ivan had placed a call to the Rossi sergeant we knew and had asked the manager to help us. It was easy, but also a reminder that Julian knew people too. He had spent the past few decades furthering his network. He could have infiltrated the Founding Ten with ideas of breaking the shackles of the Accord. My wife was eerily silent today. No calls or texts from her alluded to what she was doing in my absence. But Sasha had let Ivan know that the Queen had stopped by to see Julian. I wasn’t surprised. She had grown a liking to him in the sh

My wife wore a look of awe as I drove us to my favorite spot a mile off the coast. The sandbar only existed during low tide and we still had a few hours to kill before the water would recede so I got us as close as possible and unloaded the basket Matthew had packed us. Security hadn’t followed us at my request, instead they stayed at the marina, waiting for our return. I might be King, but I still had to negotiate with them to let us go alone. Being King meant power but it also meant that I lost the freedom I once had. I had the illusion of freedom in my title, but it was nothing more than a facade. I didn’t notice it much until Margot entered my life. Now I was hyper aware of always being surrounded. I never got a moment of peace. I craved it and I know Margot did too even though she had only been my wife for a short time. She nibbled on the chocolate bar Matthew packed her and stared out into the ocean. It was chilly so we wore long sleeves yet she still shivered. So human was

I stalked through the hallways, annoyed. The light of the sconces danced against the walls, flickering with each step I made. Ivan sent for me as if I wasn’t King of the Founding Ten. The reminder that I had little freedom in my movement was jarring after the day I shared with Margot. I sighed loudly to myself. He said it was important, but I couldn’t see a reason for the emergency meeting at night. I was looking forward to crawling into bed with my wife, so I made a plan to get this over with as soon as possible. Tomorrow would begin Julian’s trial, and I waited to hear the evidence of his treason. I already knew everything, but watching it be presented in Court would be unpleasant. My best friend in the world was conspiring against me. It left a sour taste in my mouth. But I had run through the possibilities so many times that I didn’t know if it actually did or just the realization that nothing fit. When I approached my office door, Ivan was waiting for me. I approached him fr