I wanted to run to her, to force the guards away from her, but I couldn’t.All I could do was watch with utter helplessness.Not Nadiyah.
I covered my mouth to silence my cry, tears pricking at the corners of my vision.
Tampering with one of the royal family member’s drinks was treason.
And the punishment for treason was death.
Chapter Twenty
Valeris
Howland remained rootedto my side as Uncle Wylan ordered for all members of the royal family to be escorted from the ball to our secret meeting room.After being informed about what was going on, my mother and father had remained on the dais to keep up appearances but would be allowed no food or drink.
Zandyr leaned against the far wall with a concerned look on his face.Ezrielle lounged across the dilapidated couch, wearing a mask of annoyance, but she was well aware of the severity of the situation.
“Can you please explain what happened in the ballroom?”Irritation tinged her tone.
I clenched my jaw.“Someone tampered with Uncle Wylan’s drink.”
Ezrielle held in a laugh.“Oh, I thought this was going to be serious.”
I held in a growl, and even Zandyr showed visible disapproval of her indifference.
I glared down at her.“Next time you’re writhing on the ground from poison, remind me to stand over you and laugh, Ezrielle.I wouldn’t need to call for the royal physician since it wouldn’t be serious.You would get over it, right?”
Ezrielle scowled at me.“When you invoke the name of Lord Curbington, that insinuates there has been an attempted attack on the royal household.Every royal in here appears fine.”
“Uncle Wylan is of royal blood, whether you choose to acknowledge it or not,” I said.“If someone attacked him we could be next.It might have been a test to see how close they could get to the royal family.I don’t think I need to remind you our eldest brother was assassinated mere weeks ago and his killer is at large.”
“Do you know who tampered with your drink, Wylan?”Zandyr asked.
“They arrested a girl as she was fleeing the palace,” Uncle Wylan said.“She was the only one near my drink, and it was obvious she was trying to distract me.”
Ezrielle rolled her eyes.“Then hang her and be done with it.”
“Not until we know who she is working for,” I said.“It’s unlikely she was working alone.She probably is just a piece in the game, not the one controlling the strings.”
