Chapter 2
Part 3: The Prince Who Couldn't Sleep
Madeleine opened the door.
Victor stood outside without his ceremonial jacket.
His tie was loose, his blond hair disheveled, and his expression lacked its usual confidence.
In his hand was a slim leather folder.
Sofia rose instantly.
"What do you want?"
Victor looked at her.
For a moment, something like shame crossed his face.
"I deserve that."
"You deserve considerably worse."
"Probably."
He turned to the queen.
"Father has called an emergency meeting of the Privy Council.
They're preparing to declare the Crystal Hand malfunctioned."
Madeleine's expression hardened.
"On what grounds?"
"They're saying its old identification mechanism could have been tampered with."
Sofia folded her arms.
"And I suppose they'll accuse the maid."
Victor didn't answer quickly enough.
She gave a bitter laugh.
"Of course."
He opened the folder.
"There's more."
Inside were copies of palace maintenance records, security instructions, and an internal memorandum.
Victor slid the memorandum across the table.
Sofia read its heading.
Special Review of Household Employee Sofia Bennett.
The date was eighteen months earlier.
Her mouth went dry.
"They investigated me?"
Victor nodded.
"Your employment application was flagged before you arrived.
My father personally authorized your hiring."
Sofia stared at him.
"That makes no sense.
The palace staffing office told me they almost rejected me."
"They did."
Victor pointed to a handwritten notation.
Retain the applicant.
Maintain observation.
Beneath it was Gabriel's signature.
Sofia felt sick.
For two years, she had believed she had infiltrated the palace through persistence and luck.
King Gabriel had known exactly who she was.
"He invited me here," she whispered.
Madeleine pressed one hand against the table.
Victor continued.
"There's a file on your mother, too.
Medical reports.
Travel records.
Bank transactions."
Sofia snatched the folder.
One photograph showed Claire leaving a small medical clinic.
Another showed her entering the hospital where she eventually died.
At the bottom of a surveillance report was a chilling instruction.
No contact authorized unless the subject attempts disclosure.
Sofia read it twice.
"They watched her while she was dying."
Victor lowered his eyes.
"I didn't know."
"You never know anything, do you?"
Her voice sharpened.
"You're a prince.
You live behind walls.
When your father tells you someone is dangerous, you believe him.
When you see a servant, you assume she's beneath you."
Victor flinched.
She didn't stop.
"You humiliated me because you could."
"You're right."
The answer surprised her.
Victor met her gaze.
"I grew up being taught that everyone wanted something from me.
That servants smiled because they had to.
That kindness was weakness."
He swallowed.
"None of that excuses what I did."
Sofia said nothing.
"I can't undo two years," he continued.
"But I can stop helping the people who are trying to hurt you now."
He pushed another page toward her.
It contained a list of confidential financial transfers.
One name appeared repeatedly.
Adrian Vale.
Sofia frowned.
"Who's that?"
Madeleine went very still.
Victor noticed.
"Mother?"
The queen's face had lost all color.
"Adrian Vale was your grandfather's private secretary."
"Was?"
"He disappeared the same week Claire was accused of treason."
Victor unfolded the final page.
"He's alive."
He pointed to a recent transaction.
A large payment had been made to a private security company owned by Adrian Vale.
Three days earlier.
From an account controlled by the Royal Household Office.
Sofia looked toward Madeleine.
"Gabriel hired him."
The queen whispered, "Then it's starting again."
Before Sofia could ask what she meant, every light in the sitting room flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then darkness swallowed the palace.
From somewhere beyond the windows came the distant sound of breaking glass.
A woman's scream echoed through the corridor.
Victor grabbed Sofia's arm.
"Get away from the windows."
May you like
A red laser point appeared on the wall behind her.
And moved slowly toward her chest.
