Chapter 5: The Secret Beneath the Chapel
The eastern chapel had been abandoned for twenty-two years.
Its stained-glass windows were covered in dust, its wooden pews were cracked, and weeds had grown between the stones outside.
At midnight, Sophie followed Thomas through a narrow passage behind the palace kitchens.
Queen Elizabeth had insisted on accompanying them.
Princess Charlotte had wanted to come too, but Elizabeth had refused.
"Someone must remain in the palace," she had said.
"If we disappear together, Alexander will have complete control.""
Charlotte had looked at Sophie.
"Don't trust anyone who offers you a royal title before offering you the truth.""
Sophie had promised to remember.
Now, walking through the dark passage, she wished Charlotte were beside her.
Thomas carried a lantern.
Elizabeth held a small dagger beneath her cloak.
And Sophie carried the silver key.
"How much longer?"" she whispered.
"Two minutes," Thomas replied.
They emerged through a narrow wooden door into the chapel.
Cold air touched Sophie's face.
The smell of damp stone and extinguished candles filled her lungs.
At the front stood an enormous statue of the kingdom's first queen.
The statue held a crown in one hand and a crystal in the other.
Thomas walked toward it.
"Your mother used to come here whenever she wanted to be alone.""
Elizabeth touched the statue's base.
"She always said the old queen looked lonely.""
Sophie examined the carved face.
"Why?""
"Because she was the first woman to rule Eldoria. The nobles spent years trying to convince the people she had stolen her throne.""
Thomas placed the lantern on the floor.
"Princess Eleanor believed the statue was built to protect a secret.""
He pointed to a small crescent-shaped indentation near its base.
Sophie removed her pendant.
It fit perfectly.
A faint click echoed through the chapel.
The statue shifted.
Behind it, a narrow staircase appeared.
Elizabeth stared.
"Your mother never told me this existed.""
Thomas picked up the lantern.
"She wanted as few people as possible to know.""
They descended.
The staircase led to a stone corridor with walls covered in ancient writing.
Sophie ran her fingers across the carvings.
"What do they say?""
Elizabeth examined the symbols.
"Some are ceremonial. Others describe the first royal bloodline.""
At the end of the corridor stood a black iron door.
There was a keyhole in its center.
Sophie inserted the silver key.
It turned smoothly.
The door opened.
Inside was a circular chamber.
Shelves lined the walls, filled with old books, sealed documents, and wooden boxes.
In the middle stood a small stone table.
And on the table was a portrait.
Sophie approached.
It showed a young man wearing a royal uniform.
He had dark hair, gray eyes, and a small scar above his left eyebrow.
Something about his face seemed familiar.
"Who is he?"" she asked.
Elizabeth stared at the portrait.
"Lord Adrian Valmont.""
Thomas nodded.
"Your father.""
Sophie stepped backward.
The room seemed to tilt.
"My father?""
"Yes," Thomas said gently.
"He was your mother's husband.""
Sophie stared at the portrait.
"Mother said he died before I was born.""
"He did," Elizabeth replied.
"How?""
Thomas looked toward the shelves.
"That is what your mother wanted you to discover.""
He walked to a locked cabinet and opened it with a second key.
Inside were several documents tied together with blue ribbon.
The first was a marriage certificate.
The second was a royal birth record.
The third was a handwritten letter.
Sophie picked it up.
The handwriting was elegant and familiar.
Her mother's.
To my daughter, if you are reading this, then the Bloodstone has finally awakened.
Sophie's eyes filled with tears.
She continued.
I prayed you would never need to know the truth. I wanted you to grow up without crowns, councils, or people kneeling before you. I wanted you to have the ordinary life that was stolen from me.
She pressed the paper against her chest.
Then she continued reading.
Your father was not killed by illness, as I told you. He was murdered because he discovered a betrayal within the royal family.
Sophie looked up.
Elizabeth covered her mouth.
Thomas stared at the floor.
The letter continued.
He discovered that someone had been secretly replacing the king's medicines and paying members of the royal guard. He intended to expose them. Three nights before he died, he gave me the evidence.
I hid it where the first queen's crown was buried.
Sophie looked around the chamber.
"Where is that?""
Thomas pointed toward a stone compartment beneath the table.
"Here.""
He opened it.
Inside lay a small velvet box.
Sophie lifted the lid.
There was no crown.
Only a gold ring and a folded parchment.
Elizabeth recognized the ring.
"That belonged to Adrian.""
Sophie picked it up.
Inside the band were engraved words.
Truth before blood. Kingdom before crown.
She unfolded the parchment.
It contained a list of payments made to members of the royal household.
At the bottom were three signatures.
King William.
Lord Sebastian Harrington.
And Prince Alexander.
Sophie stared at the final name.
"Alexander?""
Elizabeth took the parchment.
"That cannot be right. Alexander wasn't even born when Adrian died.""
Thomas examined the date.
Then he shook his head.
"The document was altered.""
He pointed to the ink.
"Someone added the prince's name years later.""
"Why?"" Sophie asked.
Thomas looked toward the door.
"To make sure the evidence could never be trusted.""
A sudden metallic sound came from the corridor.
Thomas extinguished the lantern.
"Someone's coming.""
Elizabeth drew her dagger.
Sophie clutched the documents.
Footsteps echoed down the staircase.
One pair.
Then another.
A man's voice called from the darkness.
"Your Majesty, there's no need to hide.""
Elizabeth recognized it immediately.
"Sebastian.""
A lantern appeared at the doorway.
Lord Harrington stepped into the chamber, wearing a dark coat and white gloves.
Behind him stood four armed guards.
He glanced at the documents in Sophie's hands.
Then he smiled.
"Well. The lost princess has found her mother's little hiding place.""
Thomas stepped in front of Sophie.
"You won't touch her.""
Sebastian examined the old guard.
"Thomas. Still pretending you can protect someone?""
He motioned toward the guards.
Two men seized Thomas.
Sophie screamed.
"Let him go!""
Sebastian approached her.
"Your mother made the same mistake. She believed courage could defeat power.""
Elizabeth raised her dagger.
"Take one more step, Sebastian, and I will have you arrested.""
He laughed.
"By whom, Your Majesty?""
He looked toward the staircase.
"Your husband has already signed the order.""
Elizabeth went still.
Sophie felt the parchment trembling in her hands.
Sebastian held out his gloved palm.
"Give me the documents.""
"No.""
His smile disappeared.
"Then perhaps I should tell you something about your mother's final days.""
Sophie stared at him.
"What?""
Sebastian leaned closer.
"She came back to the palace once, after you were born. She begged the king to let her see your father.""
"That's impossible. My father was dead.""
Sebastian's smile returned.
"Exactly.""
He reached into his coat and removed a small photograph.
Sophie took one look at it and nearly dropped the documents.
It showed her mother standing beside a man.
The man from the portrait.
Adrian Valmont.
But the photograph had been taken three years after the official date of his death.
Sophie looked up.
"Where did you get this?""
Sebastian's voice became almost affectionate.
"Because, Princess, your father wasn't murdered twenty-two years ago.""
May you like
He leaned closer.
"He was murdered three years after you were born.""
