Alastair, who’d stood near a bookshelf through Scarlett’s tale, came to sit next to her on the sofa and threw back the rest of his drink. His eyes were as glassy as his father’s. “This is the best news. Everything’s going to be fine now. You’ll be safe once Laylani is arrested. You’ll be free.”
“We still don’t know who was behind the National Theater.” Tears formed, and Scarlett blinked them away. She was trying to focus on the good, but she wanted Brayden in her arms. Allshe wanted was to tell him how ready she was to get their North Stars. She never wanted this distance between them again, for any reason. But he was sitting in a jail cell somewhere with no idea how much things had changed for Soleil—and for her.
“That doesn’t matter. You’re safe, I swear.” Alastair’s words slurred. He tried to rub her back, but she moved away from him, scooting farther down the couch.
“Don’t touch me.”
He stared at her, thoroughly confused by her behavior. “But my darling S-Scarlett—”
“I am not your darling, and I never will be again,” she hissed. “The sooner you get that through your head, the easier your life will be.”
He reached for her again, but he recoiled, as Cass was suddenly hovering over him.
“Alastair, you’re drunk. Go to bed,” ordered Elestine, watching her son closely.
Alastair let out an exasperated sigh. “As you wish, my liege.”
To Scarlett’s relief, he stumbled off in the direction of his bedroom.
“I’m so sorry about him. You must be so tired of it,” Elestine apologized once he was gone.
Scarlett only had the energy for a thin-lipped smile. Shewastired of it. Not to mention exhausted from the night. She hoped to the Goddess she never had a son like Alastair.
“You’re sure there’s nothing related to the National Theater?” asked Elestine.
Scarlett rubbed her eyes, gathering her composure. “No, we’re not sure. At least not yet.”
“There’s a lot of information to go through,” said Cass from her seat in the chair across from Scarlett. “It’ll take some time to know for sure.”
“Well, let’s do what we can with what we have,” said the primeminister with a visible burst of energy. “Scarlett, let’s get some coffee going and make our game plan for tomorrow. We have a lot to do.”
For the next few hours, with Tyler on the phone, they combed through the evidence they’d obtained, prepping a to-do list for the following day. It was nearly morning by the time Cass and Scarlett were trudging upstairs behind Elestine.
“Beni’s in the room across from Edward’s office,” said Elestine as she paused on the landing. “The room across from his is empty, as is the one at the end of the hall, if you two want to catch a few winks.” Then, with a wave, she was gone, off to her own bedroom on the other end of the floor.
Scarlett halted in front of Beni’s room and pointed to his door. “I’ll be here.” She could have had her own room, but what she didn’t want to admit out loud was that she didn’t want to sleep alone in this house. But Cass would be fine. Alastair wouldn’t bother her.
Cass pointed to the door opposite. “I’ll take that one. What time are you setting your alarm for?” She yawned.
Scarlett pulled her phone out. “Six.”In two hours.“Elestine wants to work from here in the morning, so there’s no need for you to get up. Sleep in as long as you can.”
“Thanks.” With a wave, Cass disappeared into the room across from Beni’s.
Scarlett slipped into Beni’s room. He didn’t wake as she lay down fully clothed on top of the unoccupied side of the bed. She doubted she’d be able to sleep after the pot of coffee she’d drunk, but as soon as her eyes closed, she heard Nori.
“Sleep.”
Scarlett’s exhausted body welcomed unconsciousness.
Scarlett startled awake when her alarm went off. At first, shecouldn’t remember where she was, but then it came back to her. The break-in. The evidence. It wasn’t all a dream. She glanced at Beni, who was still sound asleep despite the alarm. Then she stumbled into the en suite to shower, trying in vain to rinse the tiredness out of her eyes with the stream of hot water. Once she was as presentable as she could be in the change of clothes she’d packed in Beni’s bag, she opened the bathroom door to find him awake.
“How did it go?” he asked, sitting up in bed.
She told him everything. Beni listened with rapt attention, and when she got to the evidence they’d found, his green eyes became glassy with tears.
Scarlett pulled her brother into her arms and hugged him tight. “Are you okay?”
He sighed deeply. “I will be. Eventually. Do you reckon they’ll be arrested soon?”
