“It’s a simple answer, Jade.” The timbre of his voice deepened, and Jade’s posture slackened. The authority in his voice was impossible to ignore.
“The military is loyal to the rightful line of succession pertaining to the conflict. We work to see the true heir ascend the throne following the passing of the king.”
“And what is the military’s role regarding the other contenders, if you could call them that?”
“To remove any real or perceived threats to the crown by investigating for evidence of wrongdoing and then stripping them of their titles.”
Nicolas didn’t speak immediately, allowing silence to settle over them with Jade’s words still hanging in the air. He uncrossed his legs and brought his elbows to his knees, clasping his hands between them and leaning forward. “That is exactly what you will be doing for me.”
Jade noticed the “will” rather than “would,” as if it was already decided but chose not to say anything. “It’s still treason.”
“Is it?” Nicolas cocked his head to the side, drawing his dark eyebrows together. “The military moves slowly, ineffectively, having to ‘follow protocol’ with everything they do. You know as well as I that their procedure for receiving, confirming, and distributing information is a prolonged, painstaking process. So much more could have been done in these six months had everything not been stringently filtered through the chain of command. They won’t stop these people who have absolutely no claim to the throne without adequate physical evidence of breaking the law, which is only allowing them time to plan and prepare something drastic.”
Jade pressed her lips tightly together and briefly clenched her jaw. Nicolas wasn’t wrong. She’d been struggling with her own frustrations about the military’s unrelenting philosophy of following protocol rather than jumping on leads and trying to get ahead of the game. Jade always felt two steps behind the person involved in these murders, and in six months’ time, the military was no closer to removing the contenders for the throne than they had been at the start.
If her informant could help speed the process along and ensure the preservation of the line of succession, was it really that bad to go along with working for him?
Nicolas continued, as if sensing Jade’s decreasing hostility. “You will still be doing the exact same work but without the regulations and restrictions of the military. By reporting everything you learn directly to me, we will be able to take next steps faster. You already know I am able to learn more about the movements of these people than the military can. We will put the claimants in their place and see the true heir on the throne.”
Nicolas sat back, resuming his more relaxed position in the chair, his eyes never leaving hers. Jade chewed on her lip. His argument made sense. Was it truly punishable if she was doing the same things, working toward the same goal? Nicolas was on her side. He wanted to help the prince and prevent a coup. Jade was already following all of Nicolas’s leads. Howdifferent would it be for her to work more closely with him? Did it matter how they arrived at goal as long as it was achieved?
But not reporting to Matherson, to others above him in the military...she couldn’t do that.
“How can you do that?” she asked, genuine curiosity in her voice. “Do anything about the other contenders? The military has actual power over anything that threatens the reign of the king and those in the line of succession. You’re one man. What can you do?”
If Nicolas was offended by the question, he didn’t show it. Instead, one-half of his mouth quirked in a grin and he crossed his arms, tapping his fingers on his biceps. “I’m not at liberty to expose my methods. Let’s just say, I have a contact.”
Back to the keeping secrets game. Jade narrowed her eyes, unsatisfied but unwilling to push the matter, knowing it would go nowhere. “Why are you so invested in the conflict, anyway? What’s in it for you?”
A sad smile pulled at Nicolas’s lips, and his posture relaxed. “Redemption.”
Jade waited for a moment before waving her hand in front of her body in a circular motion. “Are you going to expound on that?”
Something like a low chuckle sounded in Nicolas’s throat. “Before the conflict began, I was a private guard to the king. But—”
“That’s impossible.” Jade sat forward, her eyebrows crinkling in disbelief. “If you were that high in the military, I would have heard of you.”
“Ah, but I’m not in the military. I saidprivate, didn’t I?” Nicolas’s mouth lifted in a cocky half-smile. “I was a private hire by the king. It was in my job description to remain unnoticed, much like yourself.”
Jade said nothing, slamming back against the couch.
“But I failed the king shortly before he fell ill, and I was dismissed from service. Even though I no longer work in the castle, I still consider it my duty to see the line secured and the true heir on the throne.”
Jade wetted her lips, considering Nicolas’s claim. She’d never heard of the king having private hires for guards. The military had more than enough strength to protect the royal family. Still eyeing him, Jade asked, “What happened to cause a full dismissal?”
Nicolas angled his head toward her, his gaze now coming from underneath his hooded brow. “I’ll be keeping that to myself, I’m afraid.”
She wouldn’t get an answer out of him. She could tell. So she ground her teeth and asked, “How would this even work,ifI agreed to it?”
“Keep doing the work your commander gives you. Provide the information you glean from that,” Nicolas answered smoothly. “You’ll still be doing your job, so you won’t give them any reason to suspect you’re withholding anything. But you’ve been doing that anyway, haven’t you?”
Jade’s mouth went dry. He was right. She’d been doing her informant’s work without telling Matherson or anyone else. The only difference was that she’d reported everything she learned, even if she didn’t reveal the information’s source.
But how did Nicolas know that she’d kept him and his tips a secret? Just how closely had he been watching her? Fear prickled the back of her mind.
Nicolas didn’t wait for Jade to answer his question before he spoke again, the richness of his voice almost reverberating off the stone bunker. “I’m not saying you can never tell them the things you know or how you know them. Once we bring an end to this conflict and put the rightful heir on the throne, they will be much more forgiving.”
The corners of Nicolas’s mouth raised in a smile, and a calming comfort overwhelmed Jade. She didn’t quite understand why. He put her at such ease, as if she’d known him for years. He’d never given her a reason not to trust him. A small smile of her own touched her lips.
