Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 79938 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79938 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
“I don’t know what you’re implying, but I resent it.”
“I’m implying nothing. I’m flat out telling you that I have a firsthand account that you hired someone to attempt to kill me and make it look like an accident.”
Phillip’s face went a dangerous shade of purple. “You’re out of line.”
Lady Nibley adjusted her spectacles and set the birth certificate back onto the table. “The boy’s right, Phillip. You made a mistake.” She folded her hands in her lap, as regal as any queen who’d ever sat on the Thalanian throne. “Seeing as it required a vote to strip Theodore Fitzcharles III of his rank, based on the evidence provided by Phillip Fitzcharles, there’s no reason we can’t take a vote to reverse the order and reinstate him.”
“You can’t do that,” Phillip snarled. His composure cracked and fell away like a badly fitted mask. “He’s a bastard and some bullshit paper isn’t enough to prove that he isn’t.”
Lady Nibley ignored him the way she would ignore a toddler throwing a tantrum. “All in favor of reinstating Theodore Fitzcharles III as rightful King of Thalania?”
Slowly, hands went up around the room. Theo noted that three—Hollis Vann, Doyle Bakaj, and Yancy Popov—hesitated before raising their hands. They didn’t want him back, but with four already voting to put the motion into effect, they didn’t want to bring attention to themselves.
I’ll deal with you three later.
Lady Nibley nodded. “Welcome back, Your Highness.”
“Thank you, Lady Nibley.” It was done.
He’d won.
Theo turned to look at Galen and Meg, but stopped at the sight of Phillip backing toward the door. “Going somewhere, Uncle?”
“You son of a bitch.” He moved, yanking the gun from Isaac’s holster and pointing it at Theo. “You can’t inherit if you’re dead.”
Phillip never saw Galen coming.
He grabbed the hand holding the gun and forced it to the ground as Phillip squeezed off two shots, and then Galen delivered a devastating punch to the older man’s jaw, sending him to the floor in a heap.
It was over in seconds.
He handed the gun back to Isaac. “Next time someone gets the drop on you like that, I’m going to kick your ass myself.”
Isaac went pale. “Noted.”
Theo took a careful breath and turned back to the nobles, all watching with varying degrees of surprise and alarm. “If you wouldn’t mind staying in the palace for a little while longer before going about your day, I have an announcement to make once I’ve taken care of this issue.”
Once again, Lady Nibley spoke for all of them. She walked over and patted his cheek. “You’re a good boy, Theodore.” She stepped over Phillip’s prone body without missing a beat and walked out of the room.
The others followed more slowly. Lord Huxley clasped Theo on the shoulder. “I’m genuinely happy to have you back, Your Highness.”
“Thank you.”
And then the room was empty except for the three of them and Isaac and Phillip. Theo stared down at his uncle. He’d like nothing more than to remove the man permanently, but doing so would alienate people he couldn’t afford to anger. “Isaac, arrest my uncle. He’ll be held on charges of treason while we conduct an official investigation into the events surrounding my father’s death and everything that’s happened since.” It was possible that Phillip had covered his tracks too well, but they would find out one way or another through the investigation. If his uncle was found guilty of treason through an official investigation, not a single one of his allies would stand with him. It was the only way to ensure Phillip didn’t become a martyr.
He waited for Isaac to pull Phillip to his feet. “Once you have him secured, send a team to collect Dorian Mikos.” Galen’s father would receive the same treatment as Phillip—an official investigation followed by a trial. It would effectively take their fates out of Theo’s hands, and more importantly, out of Galen’s hands.
Isaac nodded. “Yes, Your Highness. I’ll see it done immediately.” He hauled Phillip out of the room and shut the door softly behind him.
Theo walked to the door, locked it, and finally gave Galen and Meg his full attention. Galen had an inscrutable look on his face, but there was relief in his dark eyes. Meg grinned bright enough to blind him. She threw herself into his arms. “You did it.”
“We did it.”
“You were amazing.” She kissed his jaw, his chin, his mouth. She wiggled out of his arms before he could fully enjoy the feel of her. Meg tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Congratulations, Theo. I mean it.”
But she thought he’d turn her away now, send her back to New York. Reinforce the barriers he’d tried to put into place between them.
Fuck. That.
Theo walked to Galen and snagged his neck, pulling him in for a kiss. He told his best friend with teeth and tongue what he’d already said with words. I love you. I’m sorry. The last needed to be voiced, though. Theo broke away. “I shouldn’t have sent you away.”