All Chapters of The 200-Year Bride Swap: Chapter 91 - Chapter 100

(Alicia)When they finally let us leave the room, it was to prepare ourselves for more of the same to follow the next day.Daniel and Angus join us in our chamber after dinner. It is the first time we could talk without any long ears around. Our fist catchup after the events of that fateful night.“They’ll keep prodding until one of us slips up,” Daniel says, the worry creasing his brow.“Yes, which is why we need to be steadfast and make sure our stories corroborate,” Rocco insists. “We don’t know what any of the surviving guards may have told them, if anything.”“I don’t think any of the palace guards who were in Luka’s room that night actually survived. They all perished either in that room during the fight, or afterwards as we fled,” I say, but even I can hear the doubt in my own voice. “How could we possibly know, though?”They all seem deep in thought, thinking of all the angles and possibilities. Then, I sudden thought strikes me.“Wait a minute. Daniel, did Luka have a nanny c

(Alicia)Councilor Idris lets the silence stretch, giving Daniel’s words time to sink in.“Why did you not tell the truth about the security systems earlier? In fact, you told a blatant lie.”Daniel seems unmoved. “A necessary adjustment at the time, while considering how to prove to you what truly happened. Call it a stalling tactic if you may. I’m sure you are not unfamiliar with its use in politics.”Idris visibly bristles but he lets the challenge slide. He shifts his attention to Angus. “Prince Angus, what was your involvement in this plan? You, too, have been notably absent from the specific details surrounding the king’s death.”Angus straightens, his expression somber. “Like Daniel, my primary concern was getting Luka and Alicia out of the palace safely. I was also responsible for helping secure Angelica’s release from the palace. She had been kept under close watch, and I could not allow her or our child to be used as leverage. My role was more in ensuring that no harm came t

(Alicia)Daniel, calm and composed, answers. “Councilor Idris, the footage does show my little brother defending himself against our father, but it is important to note that his actions were out of sheer survival. The situation was dire, and whatever power he displayed... it was not something we planned for or knew he possessed.”Angus, standing next to Daniel, nods in agreement. “Luka has no training, no preparation for something like this. He was protecting himself in a moment of desperation.”The councilors murmur amongst themselves, casting glances at me. Idris raises his hand to quiet them before turning his attention directly toward me. “Queen Alicia, you share the gift of Athena, the goddess of war. You are known for wielding your mythical blue sword, one that comes directly from your divine blessing. And in the footage, we see Luka doing something similar, pulling a weapon that appears on his back in a manner similar to yours. Can you explain this?”I meet Idris’s gaze, weighi

(Alicia)I swallow the bile rising in my throat. The Darren I knew, or thought I knew, would never have said these things. The Darren standing before me is a stranger, twisted by his own greed.He lets out a soft chuckle, shaking his head like this is all some kind of joke. “You were always so easy to manipulate, Alicia.”The words land like a punch to the gut. “Manipulate?”“Did you think I was ever really your friend?” His smirk grows. “Do you honestly believe you would have ever been forced into that marriage if I hadn’t pulled some strings?”The air leaves my lungs. “What are you talking about?”“Your father, the king. He had other plans, you know. Your sister was supposed to marry Rocco. But I... well, I convinced the right people otherwise. It was my first mistake. I should have left things as they were.”I feel the floor shift beneath me. “You... you made that happen? You’re the reason I was sent away?”Darren’s grin turns vicious. “Oh, not just that. I was the one feeding info

(Archer)The wind howls around me as I stand on the balcony of the Elven palace, the cold air biting at my skin. It’s comforting, in a way, the way the chill cuts through everything. I’ve always thrived in the cold, ever since Boreas blessed me. It’s where I draw my strength. And right now, that strength is the only thing that matters.Daniel is inside, playing his pathetic caretaker role for a child who should never have been in that position. Luka, a three-year-old brat, and my weak-willed brother, coddling him like he’s some kind of divine ruler. It makes my blood boil.“Pathetic,” I mutter under my breath.The wind swirls around me, mirroring my anger. It’s always been this way, my emotions controlling the storm, the storm feeding my emotions. Boreas gifted me this power for a reason. I’m not meant to watch from the sidelines as Daniel bumbles his way through ruling. I’m meant to lead.To rule.I step back inside the palace, the air immediately warmer, almost suffocating. The grea