Page 70 of The Billionaire's Royal Crown

They climbed up to the next level, threading through ornate halls in the whisper quiet building toward a set of double doors. A guard swung one open as they approached, offering a bow to the royals as they passed.

The king, his eyes fixed on a document on his desk, did not look up as they entered. “Have you found them?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Reuben answered. “All of them. And Their Highnesses, Prince Alexander and Princess Isabelle are here to see you.”

King Frederick finally glanced up, peering over reading glasses. “Ah, and both Mr. Kingsley’s. Is there something I might do for you?”

“Yes, Uncle,” Alexander answered, pulling the decree back from Isabelle and stepping forward with it. “We have something that you should see.”

The king studied him for a moment before he took the parchment, adjusting his reading glasses as he perused it. Hisfeatures pinched, and he snapped his gaze upward, pulling his glasses from his face. “Where did you get this?”

“Nathan found it in an Eldorian law book, still sealed.”

“Sealed?” The king rose from his desk, handing the paper to his assistant. “Do you have the envelope?”

Alexander bobbed his head as he passed it over.

The king donned his glasses again, studying the broken seal. “Hmm, why was this never delivered?”

“We had the same question,” Alexander said. “But it’s near to Grandfather’s death. Perhaps that explains it.”

“It still should not have been lost,” the king answered with a shake of his head.

“It helps us though, right?” Nate asked.

King Frederick flicked his gaze to Nate. “It doesn’t hurt, Mr. Kingsley. Though the battle is far from won.”

“It should be presented to the legislators. It must be voted upon,” Isabelle said.

King Frederick stalked back and forth in front of his desk. “A vote on the acceptance of a royal decree is tricky, Isabelle. Many legislators are leaning against supporting this sort of change to royal protocol.”

“But this shows that it has been an issue in the past, one that the previous king hoped to overturn. If that legislature would have voted on it, it could be a nonissue now,” Alexander argued.

“Could be, Alexander, not would be. Julian has them whipped into a frenzy with fear over the common folk running amok in the royal palace.”

“That’s hardly the case,” Alexander said with a shake of his head. “Elena has been raised to rule. And she will be an excellent monarch.”

“I quite agree, but the damage is already done,” King Frederick claimed.

Nate frowned, feeling helpless in the face of the Eldorian legal matters.

“The fact remains that this decree must be voted on, whether we like it or not,” Isabelle answered.

“Whose side are you on, sister? If there is even a chance we could lose the vote, the risk is too great.”

“We must chance it,” Isabelle said. “If it comes to light that we were in possession of this and did not take it to a vote, we could all pay a very dear cost. It is treason.”

King Frederick heaved a sigh as he collapsed into his desk chair. “She is correct. But I had hoped for more time.”

“We should go to the legislature now, present the decree, inform them of Grandfather’s intent, and ask that they vote according to his wishes. If they believe monarchs are so bloody special, then show it,” Isabelle retorted, her arms crossed over her chest.

“She is correct,” King Frederick answered. “Reuben, gather the assembly. We must take the decree to them.”

Nate’s stomach twisted into a tight knot, as tension rose in the room, everyone visibly uncomfortable with the sudden shift in strategy. “We’re going now?”

He stared with wide eyes at Alexander.

“Yes,” Alexander answered. “Isabelle is correct in having to take this to the legislature immediately. We can only hope Julian hasn’t done much damage and the legislators agree that the wishes of the former king should be upheld.”

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