Page 69 of Unmasked

I lowered my head as I faced King Lawrence. “I’m sorry I ruined your hunt. I am grateful for all that you’ve done.” I only met his eyes for a moment. “I must go.”

I didn’t wait to turn and head for the door at a fast pace. I couldn’t if I was going to escape.

I had no idea what was going on with Vaughn and The Order, but I was about to find out.

If something happened to either of them, a weak woman was the last thing anyone would see. They’d get to see the real me… and then no one was safe.

CHAPTER 21

King Lawrence

Silence.

It fell over the room the moment Penelope and her men left. It rested around us, heavy, suffocating under my rage as I tried to contain the need to beat my physician into an oblivion.

My jaw tightened as I continued to stare at the open doorway where the remaining Lords and Ladies waited.

I could still see her tears. See her trembling. Hear… those shattering pleas…

Slowly, I gave the aids a look that had them running for the doors. I could hear them leading everyone away, but I didn’t take my gaze off my physician.

“Leave us.”

Two words, and it had my guards releasing the man and leaving the room.

“You… humiliated me.”

Brown eyes dropped as did his head.

“Your Majesty⁠—"

I was on him in three steps, slamming my fist across his face.

“She was supposed to stay. This was my big chance to have her choose me. You have ruined everything.”

Again, I reached back, striking the physician with such force that he collapsed to the ground.

“You had one job. One fucking job. What the hell do you think you were doing in her room? Rummaging through her personal things?”

“You wanted me to prepare her a plate, but the kitchen was not safe, Your Majesty. I couldn’t get her other guard to leave. He was hovering, eating everything, and watching over the staff, even though he mentioned his shift was over. I tried so hard. I noticed when we were watching the video that she had a habit.”

“Habit? What are you talking about?”

“The candies, Sire. The ginger chews. She’d kept them in her purse, but when I looked, they weren’t there. I couldn’t find where she kept them.”

My lids narrowed even more. “So, you decided to ransack her room before she could even get on her horse?”

His bloody mouth opened, only to close.

“I… did find them, Sire. They took them.”

My head jerked back at the recollection of food scattered over her bed, and I looked toward the comforter, where it was now clear of her things.

“What did you do?”

“I.” He stopped. “I only managed to put the poison on a few. I⁠—”

I fisted his shirt, jerking him back to stand.