Alanna brought Marguerite a drink, taking a seat beside her cousin. How different this moment was from the last time they had all been in this room together, reveling for Marguerite’s birthday, breathless from dancing and dressed in an array of colors. Today, black painted the ballroom, save for the charcoal gray of the military uniforms.
Marguerite lifted her face to Alanna, refusing the drink, but her eyes continued past her cousin to Jade and Theo where they walked. Jade dropped her face, pulling the visor of her cap lower over her eyes. She rarely wore the thing, only pulling it out for true ceremonial attire, but right now, she appreciated how it helped keep her face hidden. Devereaux’s one condition for allowing her to attend was that she remain unnoticed.
Prince Reynauld struck a crystal glass with a silver utensil, drawing all attention to him. Jade took her place with Theo on the opposite side of the room as Devereaux and Matherson, who stood a few paces behind Reynauld.
Reynauld held his glass in the air and spoke. “Grannam Venemer was my cousin and my friend, despite our differences in recent years and this feud that has all but torn this family apart.” The prince’s voice carried throughout the ballroom, echoing off the high ceilings and drawing Jade’s gaze to the magnificent chandeliers above them. Nicolas had pointed them out to her at the ball, how Grannam had had them all wired with electric light—an ostentatious and costly endeavor.
Jade mentally shook her head, dropping her eyes again as he continued.
“He did not deserve this end, and neither did any of the other family members, advisers, and supporters, who lost their lives amid this conflict. It is my duty, my obligation, my privilege to serve you as our next king, and Iwill not fail you in that role. I strive for unity in our family and our kingdom, for peace, and for security. And now, with the mastermind behind these horrible murders identified and presently apprehended, we may rest more easily in the coming days and know that our future is secure.”
The royals filling the ballroom turned to each other and murmured among themselves as Reynauld raised his glass even higher. “To the Duke of Evenshold!”
“The Duke of Evenshold,” the crowd repeated as glasses were brought to their lips.
That was the cue for the other two troopers to move. They split from their positions by Jade and Theo and slowly wove through the crowd. Devereaux and Matherson took their places slightly to Reynauld’s front, commanding the attention of those in attendance.
“Members of the royal family of Marran,” Devereaux began, “my name is Grand General Irenn Devereaux. Some of you may know me or have seen me in the castle, as I am the highest-ranking military official and directly serve our beloved king.
“For months now, we have investigated the murders of your kin and supporters as they have all fallen to the same fate—death by the poison rienevoir, which is undetectable in food or drink that the unwitting victim consumes. This poison is formed from the combination of morsbane and the root of the firra plant. Neither are native to this part of the continent and must be cultivated together to allow for poison production.”
Jade watched the troopers take measured, even steps through the crowd as people were focused on Grand General Devereaux, though some turned and whispered to their companions as Devereaux spoke. Their goal was to appear as inconspicuous as possible while approaching Marchand, but both were prepared for him to bolt.
Devereaux’s high voice rang out through the open room. “Though the mastermind behind these murders evaded us for some time, having employed a skilled assassin to commit these murders rather than sully hisown hands, we have been hot on his trail for weeks. A recent mission was successful in obtaining evidence to pin on the perpetrator of these crimes.
“We are here with you today, at the memorial service of Lord Grannam, Duke of Evenshold, murdered on orders from one of your own, to take that person into military custody.”
The murmur of the crowd rose as they looked around wildly, trying to determine whom Devereaux was speaking of. Jade resisted the urge to get closer for a better line of sight as movement fluttered through the crowd.
Marchand seemed to notice just as the troopers approached him from behind, where he stood near the back with a group of men, his wife nowhere near him. Marchand’s gaze flashed between the troopers, his face lit with confusion. So his strategy was to appear innocent, not understanding why they came for him, rather than trying to run.
The crowd must have drawn the same conclusion as well, parting like a sea on either side of Marchand as the troopers closed in on him. Their hands found the grips of their pistols, a subtle threat of deadly force in case Marchand decided to try anything. A collective gasp arose in the room as the royal family watched the military apprehend the one who had organized so many deaths.
“What is the meaning of this?” he cried, taking a faltering step back. Beside Jade, Theo took a reactive step forward, ready to break off any escape. “How dare you accuse me of killing Lord Grannam, and at his memorial service no less. He was my friend!”
Devereaux continued, silencing the crowd. “Our agents recovered both firra and morsbane in Lord Marchand’s greenhouse, the two components necessary for the poison that killed the duke and many others.”
Another singular gasp was followed by louder murmuring, and even some hateful slurs were thrown in Marchand’s direction.
“I did no such thing!” he cried over the growing din. “I don’t even grow those plants!”
“We have enough evidence to take you into custody, Lord Marchand,” Matherson replied, his voice echoing off the high ceilings. “There’s no getting out of this.”
Disdain transformed to panic on Marchand’s face as the reality set in. “That’s impossible. I know every single plant in that greenhouse and on my grounds, and neither firra nor morsbane are on that list. I haven’t possessed them in years, and I don’t intend to cultivate them again. I do not want to give anyone the opportunity.”
Jade swallowed hard. Her gut twisted, telling her something wasn’t right. She’d found something about the plants in the greenhouse unusual, and now this...
“Lord Marchand, Earl of Southbury, you are hereby officially apprehended by the king’s military of Marran for organizing and supervising the murders of two members of the royal family and seven others involved in this conflict.” Commander Matherson’s booming voice carried over the growing clamor of the crowd, who had backed away as a group from Marchand, already physically separating themselves from him and his deeds.
“Itoldyou,” he began, his eyes cutting pleading daggers into the troopers, but a loud metallic crack above them drew their attention upward.
Something clattered to the ground, but Jade didn’t look for it. Her eyes were instead on the chandelier directly above Marchand and the troopers, creaking as it swung subtly back and forth.
“Theo...” Jade said, not moving her gaze. The chandelier swung again, and with an ear-splitting pop, it disconnected from the ceiling.
“Move!” Theo must have followed her line of sight, because he was already moving, shouting the command at the troopers. They dove out of the way as Marchand looked up, Theo barreling toward him in an apparent attempt to remove him from the chandelier’s path.
Jade was hot on his heels. Theo wouldn’t make it in time.
