Chapter 8: The Prince's Greatest Betrayal
"Alexander, open the eastern passage!""
Amelia's blade pressed against Charlotte's throat.
A thin red line appeared beneath the princess's jaw.
Sophie took one step forward.
"Please. She's your sister.""
Amelia laughed.
"How touching.""
Alexander stood frozen beside the throne.
"Amelia, put the knife down.""
"Don't give me orders.""
"I brought you into this palace.""
"And I gave you the crown you wanted.""
Alexander's face turned red.
"You promised me the throne.""
"I promised you that you would help me get it.""
"That's not the same thing!""
Amelia pressed the blade closer to Charlotte.
"Do you want to discuss contracts while your sister bleeds?""
Charlotte struggled.
"Alexander, don't you dare listen to her!""
The prince looked toward the guards.
"Lower your weapons!""
Nobody moved.
He shouted again.
"I said lower them!""
Slowly, the guards obeyed.
Amelia smiled.
"Good boy.""
Sophie felt sick.
Alexander had spent years humiliating servants, threatening his sister, and treating the kingdom like something he already owned.
Yet now, he looked like a frightened child.
Queen Elizabeth stepped toward Amelia.
"If you harm Charlotte, I will make sure you never leave this palace alive.""
Amelia laughed.
"You still believe you're in control?""
She gestured toward the king.
"Ask your husband what happened to Eleanor. Ask him why he helped my father erase the royal bloodline.""
Elizabeth turned toward William.
The king's face was rigid.
"William?""
He said nothing.
Amelia leaned closer to Charlotte.
"Tell them, Your Majesty. Tell them who my father really is.""
William looked at the woman.
Then he closed his eyes.
"Sebastian Harrington.""
A stunned silence followed.
Sophie stared at Amelia.
"The chancellor?""
Amelia smiled.
"My father.""
The guards finally opened the eastern passage.
Amelia dragged Charlotte toward it.
Alexander followed.
Sophie tried to move, but Elizabeth caught her arm.
"Wait.""
"Mother, we have to help her!""
"We will. But we cannot walk into another trap.""
Sophie looked toward the passage.
Charlotte disappeared into the darkness.
Then Alexander turned back.
For one brief moment, his eyes met Sophie's.
His expression changed.
It was almost an apology.
Then he followed Amelia.
The passage closed behind them.
The queen immediately summoned the captain of the royal guard.
But when the captain arrived, he was accompanied by six soldiers carrying the royal crest.
"Your Majesty," he said, "I must ask you to surrender your authority.""
Elizabeth stared at him.
"Explain yourself.""
"King William has issued an emergency decree. Until the succession matter is resolved, all military decisions will be handled by Prince Alexander.""
"Alexander is missing.""
The captain looked uncomfortable.
"His Highness is conducting an operation to recover Princess Charlotte.""
"With Amelia?""
The captain hesitated.
Elizabeth understood.
"You're working for Harrington.""
The captain lowered his head.
"Forgive me, Your Majesty.""
Two soldiers approached.
Sophie stepped in front of Elizabeth.
"Don't touch her.""
The captain looked at her.
"Princess Sophie, please don't make this difficult.""
Sophie held up her pendant.
"Does this mean nothing to you?""
The captain glanced at it.
For a moment, his expression changed.
Then he looked away.
"Take them to the royal apartments.""
They were confined to the queen's private chambers.
The doors were guarded.
The windows were locked.
And every servant who brought food was carefully questioned.
Elizabeth sat beside the fireplace while Sophie paced the room.
"We have to get Charlotte back.""
"We will.""
"How?""
Elizabeth looked at the pendant.
"Your mother left more than a necklace.""
She rose and crossed to the writing desk.
There was a small compartment beneath the drawer.
Elizabeth pressed a hidden latch.
A narrow panel opened.
Inside lay a folded piece of parchment.
Sophie recognized the handwriting immediately.
Her mother's.
Elizabeth unfolded it.
"She gave me this the morning before she disappeared.""
Sophie moved closer.
"What does it say?""
Elizabeth read aloud.
If my daughter ever returns to the palace, tell her that the Bloodstone does not recognize a crown, a title, or a name.
It recognizes the truth.
Beneath the message was a drawing of the pendant.
Three small lines had been marked around its center.
Sophie removed the necklace.
Elizabeth examined it carefully.
"There's something inside.""
She pressed one of the tiny silver edges.
A hidden compartment opened.
Inside was a small piece of translucent green stone.
Sophie gasped.
"Mother never told me.""
Elizabeth took it gently.
"This is a fragment of the original Bloodstone.""
"Why would she hide it in the pendant?""
"Because the crystal can reveal memories, not just bloodlines.""
Sophie stared.
"Memories?""
Elizabeth nodded.
"Your mother once told me that the first queen created the Bloodstone to preserve the truth of the royal family. Anyone who touched it with the correct blood could awaken the memories hidden within.""
"Then the image of my father...""
"Was a memory.""
Sophie looked at the fragment.
"Can it show us what happened to him?""
"Perhaps.""
A quiet sound came from the door.
Three knocks.
Then a whisper.
"Your Majesty?""
Elizabeth reached for her dagger.
"Who is it?""
"It's me. Edmund.""
The door opened just enough for Dr. Hale to slip inside.
He was breathing heavily.
"I don't have much time.""
Elizabeth hurried toward him.
"How did you get past the guards?""
"I told them I needed to examine the queen. They still believe the Bloodstone's reaction was caused by a medical condition.""
Sophie stared.
"Can you help us?""
Dr. Hale nodded.
"I can get you out through the old laundry passage.""
Elizabeth frowned.
"What about Charlotte?""
The physician looked down.
"I heard something in the council chamber. Lord Harrington intends to transport her to the northern estate before dawn.""
"Why?""
"Because she witnessed something she was never supposed to see.""
Sophie stepped closer.
"What?""
Dr. Hale looked toward the door.
"She discovered that the king has been taking a medicine that slowly destroys his memory.""
Elizabeth froze.
"Who prescribed it?""
"Lord Harrington's physician.""
Sophie felt a chill.
"How long?""
"At least ten years.""
Elizabeth covered her mouth.
That explained William's strange behavior.
His unpredictable moods.
His forgotten conversations.
His increasing dependence on Harrington.
The chancellor hadn't merely controlled the king's soldiers.
He had controlled the king himself.
Dr. Hale reached into his coat and produced a small bottle.
"This is a sample. It contains the substance I found in His Majesty's medicine.""
Elizabeth examined it.
"Can it be reversed?""
"Possibly. But the antidote requires an ingredient kept in the northern estate.""
Sophie looked at the physician.
"Then that's where we're going.""
The laundry passage led to an abandoned courtyard behind the palace.
By dawn, Sophie, Elizabeth, and Dr. Hale had reached the old royal stables.
A carriage waited beneath a tree.
Thomas was standing beside it.
His cheek was bruised, and one arm was wrapped in a bloodstained cloth.
Sophie rushed toward him.
"Thomas!""
He smiled weakly.
"Your mother would have been proud.""
"How did you escape?""
"I've spent twenty-two years learning which doors in this palace should never be locked.""
Elizabeth helped him into the carriage.
"We need to reach the northern estate.""
Thomas's expression changed.
"Then we're already too late.""
"Why?""
He looked toward the rising sun.
"Because Sebastian Harrington left the palace three hours ago.""
Sophie climbed into the carriage.
"With Charlotte?""
Thomas nodded.
"And with someone else.""
"Who?""
He reached into his coat and removed a small photograph.
It showed a young man standing outside a stone building.
Dark hair.
Gray eyes.
A scar above his left eyebrow.
Sophie stared.
It was Adrian Valmont.
But the photograph had been taken only three months earlier.
Her father was alive.
And beneath the photograph was a handwritten message.
Your father is waiting for you.
They reached the northern estate just after sunset.
The property stood on a hill overlooking a dark forest. Iron gates surrounded the grounds, and armed guards patrolled the stone walls.
Thomas knew a narrow path through the woods.
They approached the rear entrance.
But before they could reach the door, a bell rang.
The guards turned.
A man stepped onto the balcony.
He wore a dark coat and held a silver walking stick.
Lord Sebastian Harrington.
Beside him stood Amelia.
And between them was Princess Charlotte.
Sophie stepped out from behind the trees.
"Let her go!""
Sebastian looked down.
"Princess Sophie. How kind of you to visit.""
Elizabeth raised her voice.
"Release my granddaughter!""
Sebastian smiled.
"Of course, Your Majesty. Once we have settled one small family matter.""
He turned toward the darkness behind him.
"Bring him out.""
A door opened.
Two guards appeared, supporting a man who could barely stand.
His hair was streaked with silver.
His face was thin.
But his eyes were unmistakable.
Sophie stopped breathing.
The man lifted his head.
He looked directly at her.
Then he whispered a name.
"Sophie.""
Her knees nearly gave way.
"Father?""
Adrian Valmont tried to take a step forward.
May you like
But Amelia pulled a pistol from her coat and pressed it against his chest.
"One more step," she said, "and your daughter will watch you die.""
