“How clever you are, little pebble.” Cedric regarded me with a glint of sadistic pleasure in his eyes. “Hiding in plain sight, all while setting everything into motion. The rise of demon attacks. The mercenary. You’ve been behind both, haven’t you?”
Whispers rippled through the crowd again.
“You can’t be serious,” I said. The dude belonged in his own horror movie franchise: as the psychotic serial killer. “You think I’m some manipulative mastermind? Look. I suck at strategy games, okay? My brain doesn’t think one step ahead, let alone the five billion steps you’re suggesting.”
“Another attempt to manipulate us, but it’s all for naught.” Cedric’s voice rose above the rattled murmurs of the nobles. “I see it clearly now. All along, you and the mercenary have been allies. He targeted my brother so you could be the one to jump in and save him, earning his trust. As for your wounds? You were never in true peril, for you knew your demon familiar would heal you. It was part of your scheme to lead you here to your true target: my father.”
Angry tears welled in my eyes. “It’s not true. I’d never hurt anyone. I love this kingdom and all the people in it. This is my home.”
My voice cracked on the last word. It was what I wanted more than anything: to go home. To forget this night ever happened.
“Release him,” Maddox said, voice tense. Pained. “Please, Your Highness. This has gone on for long enough. There is no proof he was involved in poisoning the king.”
“No proof?” Cedric flung a hand toward the table. “My father took a drink from his mug, a mug that your sweet little Evan poured for him, and then clutched his throat before collapsing. Now, tell me. Is that not proof enough?”
“No,” Maddox responded without missing a beat. “All it proves is how the king was poisoned but not by whom. Several servants came to and from the table, clearing dishes and bringing out more. Anyone could’ve tampered with that mug.”
“The truth will be revealed in time.” Cedric focused on the two guards still holding me down. “Finish searching him.”
They patted my suit pockets, then my sides. One grabbed my pocket square and tossed it aside. It drifted to the floor, the red fabric a stark contrast against the white marble.
“Your Highness?” the guard beside me said, his voice lifting in a strange way. “He has something else in his pocket.”
Huh? No, I didn’t. Unless a cookie had somehow fallen in.
“Retrieve it,” Cedric ordered.
The guard withdrew a tiny vial of dark liquid that was only about two inches long. I stared at it, confused. What the heck was that and how did it get in my pants pocket?
“Ah.” Cedric’s lips skewed, bringing that malicious gleam back to his eyes. “You asked for proof? There it is. The poison he used on the king.”
“What?” I asked, heart knocking hard in my chest. “I’ve never seen that before! It’s not mine.”
“Yet, it was in your pocket.” Cedric exaggerated a sigh and faced the guests. “All of you have been witnesses this night. You saw the dagger concealed in his inner pocket, as well as the vial of poison now found. You’ve also heard testimony from my guards detailing how he associates with demons.”
“Traitor!” a man yelled.
“He poisoned the king!” another chimed in.
“Could he be one of Lord Onyx’s spies?” a woman asked, which caused a rise in the chatter as others speculated.
Sawyer stared in horror. Did he believe the lie too? I felt sick.
“Evan Clark, given the mountain of evidence against you, I have no choice but to find you guilty of conspiring to murder the king.” Cedric motioned to the guards. “Take him to the dungeon.”
I started crying.
“Evan!” A growl tore through the air, and I glanced back to see Maddox being held back by three guards. “This is a mistake. He’s innocent!”
More tears surged forward. “Stop resisting them, Maddox. It’ll be…” A small cry broke off my next word.
How could I tell him it would be okay when I didn’t believe it myself? Cedric had hated me from the very first time we met, and now he had the reason he needed to lock me up and throw away the key. Or banish me. Whatever cruel thing he wanted to do.
That panic from earlier when I noticed Rowan was gone resurfaced. My lungs seized, and my breath hitched in my throat. Just as my vision began to tunnel, the sweetest scent enveloped me. Like vanilla bean and bread fresh from the oven. A warm embrace from the sun itself.
“I’ve got you, Ev.” Callum turned his face into my hair and kissed everywhere his lips could touch. “We know you didn’t do this.”
The guards tried to pull him away, but he held on tighter. And then, he cried out in pain. They were hitting and kicking him in an attempt to loosen his hold.
