I Must Save the Evil King

Chapter 28

I'm very proud to say I did not get lost on my way back to Julian's room. Guess I was paying attention... no idea why... 

Thibault was leaning on the door when I got there, standing guard.   

"Lady Claudette? I thought you weren't supposed to be here-" 

"Is Julian in there?" I reached for the door handle but he stepped in my way. 

"Yeah, and the King." I tried to push past him but Thibualt stood firm. "What are you going to even do if you go in there?" 

"Don't know yet," I glared at him. "I'll figure it out when you let me through."     

Someone yelled loudly on the other side of the door. Thibault shifted uncomfortably, if he went in he was doing his job by protecting Julian but he would be disobeying an order from the King. In the novel the dynamic is similar, no one mourned the King when he passed shortly after Claudette. But Darienella had cared about him, so he had to have some redeeming qualities. 

Thibault sighed and stepped to the side letting me open the door. 

I probably should have thought of something to say when I entered the room. Once I entered everyone went silent and all eyes went to me, it was very embarrassing. 

But on the plus side, I can finally see the family resemblance.  It was the jawline. 

"Leave us," The King turned from me, but Julian didn't look away. 

"No," The King turned on that, he towered over me eyes filled with frustration. Oh, I'm so dead. "Your majesty, it is just that I- umm- well his royal highness is needed." 

"Needed?" Asked the King. I have no clue if he is buying this or not. I can't believe I'm going to say this but maybe I should have listened to Thibualt. 

"Her inheritance, the duchess has asked for my help in organizing it." Julian jumped in. The King took a step back from me and looked at both of us. 

"So this is the one you were dancing with? Emilee's girl's new playmate. Where is your chaperone, little girl?" 

"I left her," My voice came out softer than I had intended.  

"Why don't you go and find her then? A young girl like you shouldn't be alone with men." His large dark figure leaned in towards me. The light from the window hit his eyes in a weird way making them shine almost like plastic.   

"I am a guest of the prince. I can only leave if he tells me to." 

He did not look at Julian and Julian did not say a word.    

"You need to be careful Duchess," He hissed as he pushed past me and through the door. I didn't realize I had been holding my breath until I heard the door slam shut behind me and I could finally breathe again.  

Also, now that my heart had stopped pounding in my ears, I could hear almost whispers in the back of my head. it was Darinella and Claudette but I couldn't hear what they were saying.       

The door creaked open and Thibualt stuck his head through. 

"Can I come in?" 

We all took seats around the room with Thibualt on the couch, me on a chair and Julian leaning against his bed post. Finally, we were able to catch Julian up on all that happened. I was unsure of what I should tell them of last night so instead, I just pretended nothing happened at all.  

"My father must have signed the warrant, but he hasn't mentioned anything to me. Which is unusual."

"Maybe it's because you are Thibualt are friends?" I suggested. 

"Yeah," Thibault added. "Your father must have thought you would take my side." 

"I don't know, it just feels like we are missing a piece." Yeah, the secret order of assassins that have been stalking Duchess Sardou. Something which I also can't tell them.  

"Maybe we should ask the Duchess?" I asked, knowing it wasn't going to work, but maybe she could pass on a message to me somehow. I mean she has been dealing with these people for a year now, yet they only act now. Seems to me that this was a spur-of-the-moment decision, there was no way our meeting was just coincidentally a few hours before she was arrested.  

If this was something they did in a panic then they are more likely to have messed up and left a clue to their identity behind. I could feel it this trial would help me find the real killers of Claudette. But I couldn't tell the boys all of that. 

"They might have given her more information as to why she was arrested," I suggested.       

"Are we allowed to go in to see her?" Asked Thibault, Julian shrugged unsure. 

"Of course, we can!" I tried to sound enthusiastic, "I'm a Duchess, Julian is the prince and you are well... what are you technically?" 

"I'm the duke!"

"But your mother is the duchess?" I thought Dukes and Duchesses had to be married.      

"Only until I'm of age to run the duchy on my own," He grumbled. Huh, I guess that makes sense. After all, everyone keeps calling me duchess while it is the Marquis who runs everything. Julian chuckled and the sound drew my attention immediately. I don't think it is fair that someone could look so handsome but with his ruffled hair and soft smile he looks straight out of a romance novel.      

Probably since he is. 

But still! Most Romance novels don't have such hot guys as the main villains! Especially when they die in the end! 

"Let's go to the prison, even if your mom doesn't have any information," He gestured to Thibault, "I still might be able to get the arrest papers from the guards."  

"Perfect so my plan!" I jumped up out of my seat only to get hit by a wave of vertigo. I grabbed the frame of the fireplace trying to stop the world from spinning out of control. The dizziness stopped after only a couple of seconds but Julian and Thibualt had definitely noticed it. When I looked up they were both giving me worried looks. 

"Ettie?" Julian said my name softly as he walked towards me. 

"I'm fine!" I put on a bright smile, "Just stood up too fast. By the way is there a bathroom nearby?" 

Once in the bathroom I locked the door tightly and got as far away from it as possible. I just need a couple of seconds to recharge then I will be fine. Probably. 

I scooped some handfuls a water and splashed my face. Come on Elizabeth, pull yourself together! But when I looked up and saw my face in the mirror I startled backward. 

It was still Claudette's face but in that moment when I pulled my head up, the light had caught my eyes in such a way... I tilted my head back and forth trying to capture it again. 

When the light hit them they shone, almost like plastic. The same way the king's had. 

Could it be that I wasn't the only one... 

That someone else is in control of the King's body? 

The whispering that had been going non-stop in the back of my head finally stopped. This is what they had been arguing about. This is what they hadn't been telling me. 

The King was under a spell.      

A knock at the door. 

"Hey, you okay in there?" Thibualt's voice was muffled by the door. 

No not really. 

"yeah, I'll be out in a second."