Chapter 7: The Guard Who Wore a Dead Man's Face
The crossbow bolt struck the stone wall inches above Margaret's head.
Elia screamed.
“Get down!””
She grabbed the elderly midwife's arm and pulled her behind the altar as a second bolt shattered the chapel window.
The man standing in the doorway wore the royal guard's uniform.
His dark blue coat bore the golden lion of the kingdom. A silver sword hung at his waist, and a royal insignia gleamed on his shoulder.
But there was something wrong with his face.
He wasn't looking at Margaret.
He was looking directly at Elia.
“Come out, Your Highness,” he called.
“This doesn't have to be painful.””
Margaret clutched Elia's sleeve.
“Don't answer him.””
The guard stepped inside.
“Lady Margaret, you've caused enough trouble. The king's old orders still apply.””
Margaret's expression changed.
“You weren't even born when those orders were issued.””
The man smiled.
“Neither were you expecting to live this long.””
He raised his crossbow.
Elia grabbed the silver bell lying beside the open compartment and threw it.
It struck his wrist.
The crossbow discharged.
The bolt buried itself in a wooden pillar.
“RUN!”” Margaret shouted.
They rushed through a narrow doorway behind the altar.
Elia had never seen the passage before, but Margaret moved through it with surprising speed for an elderly woman.
Behind them, the guard cursed.
“Stop them!””
A second pair of footsteps joined his.
They were not alone.
The passage narrowed until Elia had to turn sideways to squeeze between the damp stone walls. Water dripped from the ceiling and ran beneath her shoes.
“Where are we going?”” she gasped.
“To the old bell chamber.””
“Why?””
“Because there is another exit.””
They reached a wooden staircase.
Margaret pushed against the door at the top.
It wouldn't move.
Elia looked back.
The sound of boots was getting closer.
“Help me!””
Together, they pushed.
The door shifted slightly.
Then a blade pierced the wood.
Margaret stumbled backward.
A voice came from the other side.
“You have nowhere left to run, old woman.””
Elia grabbed a loose iron rod from the wall.
Margaret looked at her.
“Listen carefully. When that door opens, run toward the light.””
“What about you?””
“Don't argue with me!””
The door splintered.
The guard's arm appeared through the opening.
Elia raised the iron rod.
The moment the man forced his way through, she struck his shoulder with everything she had.
He staggered.
Margaret shoved him backward.
The two women climbed the stairs and burst into the bell chamber.
Sunlight filtered through a broken archway.
Elia ran toward it.
Behind her, Margaret cried out.
Elia turned.
The second attacker had appeared at the bottom of the staircase.
He had caught Margaret by the hair.
“Let her go!””
The man pulled a dagger.
“You should have stayed in the kitchens, little princess.””
Elia froze.
Then she saw the old bell hanging above them.
A thick rope ran down beside the wooden frame.
She grabbed it.
The bell rang with a deafening crash.
The attacker flinched and released Margaret.
Elia pulled again.
The heavy bell swung forward.
It struck the man's shoulder and sent him tumbling down the stairs.
Margaret collapsed onto the floor.
Elia rushed to her.
“Are you hurt?””
The older woman shook her head.
“Not badly.””
They escaped through the broken archway and entered the overgrown garden behind the chapel.
A pair of horses stood near the stone wall.
Margaret recognized them.
“Someone has been waiting for us.””
“Who?””
Before she could answer, a familiar voice called from the garden entrance.
“Elia!””
Prince Adrian appeared with six royal soldiers.
His sword was drawn, and his face was pale with anger.
He ran toward her.
“Are you injured?””
“No, Your Highness. But someone tried to kill us.””
Adrian looked at Margaret.
“Who?””
The elderly woman pointed toward the chapel.
“Your own guard.””
Adrian turned to his soldiers.
“Search every room. Bring the attackers back alive.””
Two men immediately ran toward the passage.
Adrian looked at Elia again.
“Did she tell you anything?””
Elia held up the letter.
“I found this beneath the chapel altar.””
Adrian took it.
His eyes moved across the handwriting.
Then he stopped at the signature.
*Princess Liora Eleanor Vale.*
He looked at Elia.
“Did you read the rest?””
“No. We were attacked before I could finish.””
Margaret stepped forward.
“Your Highness, there is something you must know. The records in the palace are incomplete.””
“Then complete them.””
The old woman glanced toward the chapel.
“Not here.””
Adrian nodded to his soldiers.
“Take us to the palace.””
The three of them entered the queen's private chamber shortly before sunset.
Queen Eleanor was sitting beside the fireplace, her injured arm resting on a cushion.
When she saw Margaret, she slowly stood.
For several seconds, neither woman spoke.
Then the queen crossed the room.
“Mara told me you were dead.””
Margaret lowered her head.
“She told you what I asked her to tell you.””
Eleanor's eyes filled.
“You knew where my daughter was?””
“I knew where one of your daughters was.””
The queen stopped.
“One?””
Margaret looked toward Elia.
“Your Majesty, I delivered three children that night. Prince Adrian, Princess Liora, and another little girl.””
Adrian stepped forward.
“We know that much.””
“No,” Margaret replied.
“You know there was a third child. You don't know what happened after the delivery.””
She removed her traveling cloak.
Beneath it was a small leather pouch, tied with a faded blue ribbon.
“I have carried this for seventeen years.””
She placed it on the table.
Inside were three tiny gold bracelets.
One bore the symbol of a lion.
The second carried a crescent moon.
The third had five silver stars.
Queen Eleanor reached for them with trembling fingers.
“Adrian's,” she whispered, touching the lion.
“Liora's,” Margaret continued, touching the crescent.
“And Isabelle's.””
Elia stared at the bracelet with five stars.
“Isabelle?””
Margaret nodded.
“That was the name I gave you before I carried you away.””
The queen looked at the midwife.
“Why did you take her?””
Margaret's face crumpled.
“Because Lord Chancellor Varrick came into the nursery before the king returned. He had orders from someone inside the royal household. He intended to remove all three children.””
Adrian's expression hardened.
“Who gave him those orders?””
“I never saw the original command. But I heard him speak to the captain of the guard.””
“Who was the captain?””
Margaret hesitated.
“Sir Roland Ashford.””
Adrian looked shocked.
“Sir Roland died during the northern campaign.””
Margaret shook her head.
“That is what the royal records say.””
Elia stepped forward.
“What happened to the other children?””
The midwife looked at the queen.
“Your son was found in the western corridor by the king's personal guards. Varrick's men never reached him.””
Adrian looked down.
“And my sisters?””
Margaret's eyes filled again.
“I took Isabelle through the underground passage. I left Liora in the nursery because Varrick had already discovered that I was helping the queen.””
Eleanor covered her mouth.
“Then what happened to Liora?””
“I heard her crying as I escaped.””
“Why didn't you go back?””
“Because the passage collapsed behind me. By the time I found another entrance, the eastern wing was burning.””
The queen staggered.
Adrian caught her.
“You let us believe both girls were dead?””
“I believed they were.””
Margaret's voice broke.
“I searched for seventeen years. I kept waiting for news, for a letter, for someone to tell me that Liora had survived.””
Elia looked down at the three bracelets.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
Margaret turned toward her.
“Because I didn't know who was listening. Mara was my closest friend. She agreed to raise you while I stayed hidden. She changed your name to Elia because the people hunting you were searching for Princess Isabelle.””
“Then what does Liora mean?””
The elderly woman took the letter from Adrian.
“It was the name the queen chose for you after the birth. The name written in the royal registry.””
Elia touched the five stars on the bracelet.
“So I was Isabelle and Liora?””
Margaret nodded.
“Isabelle was your first name. Liora was the royal name your mother gave you.””
Eleanor reached for Elia.
“My little Liora.””
Elia did not pull away.
But she did not immediately embrace her either.
Too much had happened.
Too many truths had arrived in too little time.
Then Adrian asked the question nobody else wanted to voice.
“If Liora was taken from the nursery, why did the assassin at the chapel shout that the witness should be killed, not the princess?””
Margaret went pale.
“Because they already know where Liora is.””
The queen gripped her daughter's hand.
“What?””
Margaret lowered her voice.
“They are not searching for the missing princess anymore.””
She looked directly at Elia.
“They are afraid of what she will remember.””
That night, Adrian ordered the palace guards questioned individually.
The captain of the royal watch, Commander Voss, was summoned to the western tower.
He entered wearing a polished uniform and a respectful expression.
“Your Highness. I understand there was an incident at the old chapel.””
Adrian stood behind his desk.
“An interesting incident.””
“I have doubled the patrols.””
“Good.””
The prince placed a silver insignia on the desk.
“Do you recognize this?””
Voss glanced at it.
“Of course. It belonged to Sir Roland Ashford.””
“That's correct.””
Adrian watched his face.
“Where did the insignia go after his death?””
“To the royal archives, I believe.””
“And who requested access to the archives last week?””
Voss hesitated.
“I did, Your Highness.””
Adrian's hand moved toward his sword.
“Why?””
“To retrieve an old military roster.””
“What was on it?””
Voss looked directly at the prince.
“Names of men who served under Chancellor Varrick.””
Adrian's expression darkened.
“Who was at the chapel today?””
“Royal guards. I sent them to secure the area.””
“One of them attempted to kill the queen's missing daughter.””
Voss's face changed.
For the briefest moment, fear appeared in his eyes.
Then he smiled.
“Your Highness, perhaps the stress of recent events has caused some confusion.””
Adrian leaned forward.
“Commander, you're under arrest.””
Voss reached for his sword.
But before he could draw it, the chamber lights went out.
A crash echoed through the tower.
When the guards rushed inside, Commander Voss had vanished.
Only his uniform insignia remained on the desk.
And beneath it was a small piece of parchment.
Adrian unfolded it.
May you like
Four words had been written in black ink.
The queen has two daughters.
