Page 113 of Royal Caleva: Luis

CHAPTER 27

With a huff of relief, Luis seated himself in the warden’s leather chair. His legs were still shaky and painful from the thallium, and he was eating only the blandest of foods. He could not show weakness now, though.

He braced his forearms on the desk and nodded to one of the cameras, signaling his security chief next door that he was ready.

A few minutes later, the outer door opened, and Odette shuffled into the room with her escort of guards. She did not raise her head to look at Luis until the guards had fastened her chains to the floor clamps and left the two of them alone.

“Another visit from His Majesty the King,” she said, her voice laced with sarcasm.

“We have Camacho in custody,” Luis said.

Odette’s gaze flickered for a split second, but she covered it with a blank look. “Who is Camacho, and why should I care?”

“Don’t bother,” Luis said, too tired to spar with her. “I came to tell you that we are shutting down your computer privileges permanently. The only person you will meet with from now on is your lawyer, and those meetings will be monitored via camera and by a guard. All of your assets have been frozen and put in escrow for your heirs, to be released only on the occasion of your death.” As Luis recited each item, he found satisfaction in seeing a flash of panic in her eyes.

“You have no grounds on which to base your withdrawal of my protected rights as a prisoner. I will file a formal protest,” Odette said with a snarl.

Luis leaned forward. “You conspired with Felipe Camacho to commit regicide, the only crime in Caleva that carries a death sentence.”

Instead of flinching, she made an insolent appraisal of him. “I would applaud this Felipe Camacho, except that you do not look dead to me. I confess to being disappointed in him.” Then she gave him a knowing smile. “Even if you could prove I was involved, you wouldn’t invoke the death sentence because that would cause our daughter pain.”

She put the slightest emphasis on our, which made Luis’s vision go red with anger. “She is not your daughter,” he said.

“Her DNA says otherwise,” Odette said.

And then it clicked into place. Grace was Odette’s insurance policy. Odette had told Luis about his child because she had set in motion her plan to poison him. If she failed and got caught, Grace’s existence would save Odette’s life.

“In fact, you don’t dare put me on trial,” Odette said with a smug lift of her eyebrows. “I might be provoked into saying something you would regret. In fact, you won’t try even this Camacho person because I might somehow get dragged into it. It’s a delicate situation.”

She was enjoying what she perceived as her position of power.

“Did you promise him immunity?” Luis asked, amazed at her arrogance. “You were wrong. He will be tried and convicted.”

Rage blazed in her face. “You wouldn’t risk that.”

“Camacho committed the highest treason against the King of Caleva, and it is my duty to protect the crown from any and all threats,” Luis said, although it was going to be the most carefully staged trial ever to take place during his reign. He winced inwardly at the sensation it would cause in the media.

“Then I will tell the world that Grace is my daughter,” Odette said, her chains rattling as she shifted in her chair.

“How?” Luis asked. “You will have no communication with the outside world that isn’t censored. Not to mention that now no one will take you seriously because you have no evidence. I have made sure of that.”

Odette tensed as though she would leap at him despite her shackles, but then she settled back. “We are at an impasse. I will remain silent about being Grace’s biological parent, and you won’t try me for treason because it would hurt Grace to have her birth mother executed.”

“I don’t intend to invoke the death sentence for Camacho because he was just a tool that you manipulated,” Luis said. “But he will spend the rest of his life in prison.”

“Perhaps we can share a cell,” Odette mocked.

Luis leaned forward on the desk and put all the ferocity and power of his position in his voice. “If you attempt to harm anyone in my family, I will not hesitate to put you on trial for attempted regicide and carry out the death sentence. If you had bothered to speak with my daughter on your visit to Iowa, you would have learned that Grace is a strong young woman whose integrity is bone-deep. She would understand the necessity of bringing you to justice.”

“She doesn’t know about my alleged role in your poisoning?” Odette asked in surprise. “Why wouldn’t you use that as a weapon against me?”

“Because I am capable of making someone else’s needs a priority over my own. It’s not a mentality you could comprehend.” Luis bared his teeth in a non-smile. “Although you will understand that I hold the information about your crime in reserve in case of future need. Keep that in mind.”

“You should keep in mind that I am not done with you,” Odette said with a hiss. “I will make you pay.”

Without another word, Luis pushed the button that summoned the guards, stood up from the warden’s chair, and walked out of the office, leaving Odette chained to the floor.

That afternoon, the royal family and Eve gathered in the original throne room in the most ancient part of Castillo Draconago. The rough-hewn stone walls were hung with huge tapestries depicting ships at sea, Calevan dragons cavorting on rocks, and deep-red lilies blooming amid mists and cliffs. In the middle of the outside wall were the huge oak double doors that led to El Balcón de la Verdad, where the kings and queens of Caleva had appeared to their subjects over the centuries.

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