Page 62 of King's Reckoning
"Because I love you," he agreed, pulling her close. "More than I thought possible."
Rowan melted into his embrace, soaking in his warmth and support. They had accomplished so much already.
And they would continue that work together, building something stronger than old rivalries or territorial disputes.
Creating a future worth protecting. Worth fighting for.
Worth living for.
"Rowan!" Tiffany's voice cut through the moment. "Stop canoodling with your fiancé and come approve these venue options!"
Reed laughed as Rowan groaned against his chest. "Sounds like wedding planning waits for no one."
"Tell them I've been kidnapped by corporate lawyers," Rowan muttered. "Or better yet, actually rescue me. Take me somewhere with no color schemes to approve or seating charts to arrange."
"Tempting." His voice dropped lower, sending pleasant shivers down her spine. "But then Tiffany would hunt us both down. And she's more determined than any corporate legal team."
"True." Rowan sighed dramatically before straightening her shoulders. "Seven o'clock?"
Reed's smile held promises that made her heart race. "I'll bring the documentation for our honeymoon destination. Somewhere far from wedding planners and alliance meetings."
"My hero," Rowan said dryly, but her eyes sparkled as she headed off to face the wedding committee.
She had an alliance to lead, history to protect, and apparently urgent venue decisions to make. But she also had this—moments of joy sprinkled between responsibilities, quiet laughter amid serious work, and a future growing brighter with each passing day.
A future built on truth rather than secrets, on cooperation rather than conflict, on love that had grown from unexpected partnership into something deep and lasting.
Now if she could just convince Tiffany that a simple ceremony would be perfectly adequate...
The documents hit Rowan's desk at exactly 3:17 AM—detailed legal filings that cast a shadow over their recent progress. She studied them under the harsh fluorescent lights of her office, analyzing details that made her stomach clench: corporate appeals in unexpected jurisdictions, legal maneuvers exploiting procedural loopholes, patterns that suggested a coordinated effort.
"How recent?" she asked without looking up. The paper had that freshly printed warmth, the filings still carrying the faint scent of toner from hasty duplication.
"Two hours ago." Cole's voice was grim as he gestured to specific sections with a weathered finger. His Devils cut bore fresh road dust, evidence of the hard riding he'd done to deliver this information personally. "My legal contacts caught them filing these injunctions across multiple jurisdictions. But look who's coordinating the strategy."
Rowan's jaw tightened as she recognized Dr. Charles Beasley's signature—one of the expert witnesses they'd been protecting. One ofthe historians who had helped authenticate Elena's evidence. The timestamp showed the documents had been filed with his explicit authentication, his involvement clearly voluntary rather than coerced.
"Records confirm he went dark three days ago," Cole continued, spreading more legal filings across her desk. "Disappeared during a scheduled academic conference at State University. We thought Blackwood's people might have pressured him, but..."
"But he went willingly," Rowan finished, seeing the pattern clearly now. The documents showed Beasley consulting with corporate attorneys, providing expert testimony that contradicted his previous statements, actively undermining the historical claims they'd been supporting. "He's helping Blackwood's clients challenge the authenticity of the historical evidence. Starting fresh with a new legal strategy."
The implications hit hard. They'd focused so much on protecting witnesses from corporate intimidation, they'd never considered that some might voluntarily switch sides. Might choose to help suppress historical truths that should have been acknowledged.
"Get Barbara," Rowan ordered, already reaching for her secure phone—a specialized model with enhanced encryption for alliance leadership. "And find Reed. He needs to see this too." She paused, studying another document. "And get me everything we have on Beasley'sprevious authentication work. There's something here we're missing."
Within thirty minutes, her office had been transformed into a strategy center. Barbara analyzed the legal filings, her expertise allowing her to identify potential weaknesses in Beasley's new claims. Reed coordinated with chapter legal teams, his voice steady as he directed resources to counter these unexpected challenges.
"The authentication challenges are precisely targeted," Barbara reported, showing detailed analysis of the legal strategy. "Three distinct approaches that undermine key historical evidence. They're not just filing general objections. They're systematically attacking our strongest lines of evidence."
She pulled up more detailed analysis, comparing Beasley's current claims to his previous authentication work. "His approach has completely changed. It's like he's using his intimate knowledge of our methodology to identify vulnerabilities."
"The jurisdictional selection is too deliberate," Reed added from where he studied legal maps spread across a side table. His fingers traced the pattern of filings, years of experience evident in how quickly he identified the strategy. "Federal district courts with specific judicial appointments, state courts with historical precedents favorable to corporate interests... They've carefully chosen everybattlefield."
"It's a coordinated campaign," King said from the doorway. He entered carrying fresh intelligence from other chapters—paper files rather than digital, harder to track or intercept. "But not the standard legal challenge we're used to handling."
Rowan nodded slowly as pieces clicked into place. "They're not trying to defeat us in any single case. They're creating a pattern of challenges across multiple jurisdictions. Establishing legal precedents that could eventually undermine all our historical evidence. They're playing the long game."
She moved to a larger wall display where Barbara had mapped all pending legal cases and authentication challenges. "Look at the pattern. Each case we win is met with appeals in two more venues. They're testing our resources, learning how our legal strategy works."
