Page 120 of The Promised Prince
He was right. Adler had backed him into a corner, and there was nothing he could do about it. The old saying was true; don’t play with fire or you’ll get burned.
51
Trev
Gaines entered the king’s office, whispering something in King Carver’s ear that made his father’s face twist downward.
Trev stood abruptly. Was there news about Seran? It had been a little over an hour since the shooting. Since then, they had taken Seran away to the medic hall and released the royal family from the safe room. Trev couldn’t stop worrying. Couldn’t stop seeing her pained face. Hearing her cry for help.
“Bring him in,” his father said to Gaines, and then he turned to the rest of the men. “Adler’s here.”
Adler walked in the room, bringing a thick tension that covered the room like fog on a winter’s night.
“I came to say goodbye and offer my condolences,” Adler said, seemingly unaffected by their accusing glares.
“Condolences? She’s not dead.” King Bryant flared red with anger.
“Of course. My apologies.” But Adler didn’t seem apologetic at all.
“Leaving so soon?” Trev hated the disgusting man.
“Can you blame me?” Adler coughed out a laugh.
“I can blame you for a lot of things,” Trev said.
Drake gave his arm a warning squeeze.
Adler raised a cocky eyebrow. “As I can blame you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” King Carver scoffed.
“Only that I believe Albion, more importantly, King Carver, is behind the shooting today.” Adler looked at King Bryant as he spoke. “It wouldn’t be the first time this week that Albion has tried to kill someone from another kingdom. I would know.”
“That’s ridiculous.” King Carver’s arms flew out in front of him as if pushing the awful truth away. “Why would I try to kill my future daughter-in-law?”
Adler shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe we should ask my sister, Queen Avina, your wife.” Adler glared at him. “Oh, but she’s dead, and you killed her.”
King Carver stood, every muscle taut, his face and ears tipped with red. “You know I didn’t kill Avina. She killed herself!”
Adler spoke to Bryant. “There’s a pattern here. All of us keep sending our loved ones to Albion to make great alliances, and what happens? They die. King Carver doesn’t care about them. He didn’t care about my sister, and he certainly doesn’t care about Princess Seran. I would’ve never considered an alliance with Albion for my own daughter. I wouldn’t want Myka to die.”
Trev tensed. Adler was doing this on purpose, trying to stir up a fight between Albion and New Hope.
His father’s face was near purple with fury. “How dare you accuse us of—”
Adler interrupted. “I’m just stating the facts.”
“You did this! You’re behind the shooting, and I’m going to prove it!”
Trev and Drake stepped forward, flanking the king and holding him back. A fight now would only escalate into a war later. Maybe they were already headed for war.
The thought made Trev sick.
King Carver’s anger only seemed to satisfy Adler more. “I’m not sure how you would even prove something like that. I heard the shooter’s dead, his secrets dead with him. It’s a shame we’ll never know who was really behind it.”
“If I were you, I’d be nervous,” Trev said. “I’d be very nervous because one of these days, we’ll prove that it was you, and when we do, there will be no stopping us from turning every kingdom against you.”
Adler breathed out a laugh. “Empty threats from the next boy king.”
