Chapter 11
Part 12: The King's Last Bargain
Gabriel waited in the throne room beneath a portrait of his father.
The king wore his ceremonial uniform, but his face looked exhausted.
Advisers stood along the walls.
Two members of the Privy Council sat near the throne.
When Sofia entered beside Victor and Madeleine, Gabriel rose.
"Why is she here?"
Victor answered.
"Because she's family."
A startled murmur spread through the room.
Gabriel stared at his son.
Then at Sofia.
"You don't understand what you're doing."
Sofia stepped forward.
"I understand more than you think."
She placed the royal register on the table.
Gabriel's expression changed.
"Where did you find that?"
"Your wife kept better records than you expected."
Madeleine looked at him without flinching.
Gabriel sat slowly.
Sofia opened the register.
"You knew King Alexander was laundering money through the Crown's charitable accounts."
Gabriel said nothing.
"You helped fabricate evidence against Claire."
Still nothing.
"You watched her disappear, then let the kingdom believe she died a traitor."
Gabriel closed his eyes.
"Yes."
The word shocked the room.
Victor leaned forward.
"Father?"
Gabriel looked at Sofia.
"Yes.
I signed the accusation.
I authorized the investigation.
I knew parts of the evidence were false."
Sofia's voice trembled.
"Why?"
"Because my father told me the kingdom would collapse if Claire revealed what she'd found."
"You believed him?"
"I wanted to."
Gabriel stared at the portrait.
"Alexander spent his life teaching me that weakness was the one unforgivable sin in a king."
"And you became exactly like him," Sofia said.
Gabriel lowered his gaze.
"Yes."
One of the council members rose.
"Your Majesty, this discussion should occur privately."
"No," Victor said.
Everyone turned.
The prince stepped forward.
"My father has spent his reign deciding which truths the kingdom is permitted to hear.
That ends now."
Gabriel stared at him.
"You don't understand the consequences."
Victor's jaw tightened.
"I've spent my whole life enjoying the consequences of other people's suffering."
He looked at Sofia.
"I'm beginning to understand them."
Gabriel leaned back.
"Then you should know the truth about your own birth."
Madeleine stiffened.
Victor didn't look away.
"I already do."
The king's face changed.
"Adrian."
Sofia nodded.
"He showed us the medical register."
Gabriel whispered a curse.
Then he laughed bitterly.
"That man never wastes a secret."
"Why did you recognize me?"
Victor asked.
Gabriel looked at the young man he had raised.
"Because your mother wanted you.
And because I wanted a son."
"Even though you knew I wasn't yours?"
"Blood is useful for politics.
It isn't always necessary for love."
Victor swallowed.
"You had Jonathan watched."
Gabriel's face hardened.
"He knew the arrangement."
"Did you kill him?"
"No."
"Did you have him killed?"
Gabriel looked wounded.
"No."
Victor stared at him.
For once, he didn't know whether to believe the answer.
Sofia stepped closer.
"Tell us about Adrian Vale."
Gabriel's expression darkened.
"He's my father's greatest mistake."
"Your half brother," Sofia said.
Gabriel nodded.
"Alexander believed he could keep Adrian loyal by denying him publicly and rewarding him privately.
He gave Adrian control of the security network."
"Did Adrian arrange Claire's disappearance?"
"He arranged the forged documents and the pursuit.
But Claire escaped before his men reached her."
"Then who was responsible for the shooting last night?"
Gabriel looked genuinely confused.
"What shooting?"
Sofia studied him.
"You don't know?"
Before he could answer, the throne room doors opened.
Captain Ward entered carrying a sealed evidence bag.
"Your Majesty, we have confirmation regarding the attacker."
Gabriel rose.
"Speak."
Ward placed a recovered phone on the table.
"The instructions came from a secure number registered to Adrian Vale's private office."
Sofia felt a chill.
Ward continued.
"There's more.
The phone contained a recording made by the gunman shortly before his death."
He pressed play.
A man's voice filled the room.
"Mr. Vale, I did what you said.
The girl went underground.
I never fired at her.
You promised nobody would get hurt."
A second voice answered.
"Then you've completed your purpose."
Adrian Vale.
The recording ended with a sharp mechanical click.
Nobody spoke.
Gabriel stared at the phone.
"He wanted you to find the archive."
Sofia nodded slowly.
"He wanted us to discover Alexander's crimes."
"Why?"
Victor asked.
Gabriel looked at the royal register.
Then at his father's portrait.
"Because Adrian doesn't want the throne."
Sofia frowned.
"What does he want?"
May you like
Gabriel's voice was almost inaudible.
"He wants to destroy the institution that refused to acknowledge him."
