Page 14 of Claimed by the Bastard Prince
“You think Greg Keller named Cora to draw attention away from his lover?”
“Precisely. Unless of course, Cora is making the girlfriend up.”
“I’ll report this information at once, sir, and visit the situation room to see what progress has been made.” Commander Wornik spun and hurried in the direction of the elevator, relaying this new intel into the mic attached to his jacket.
Akeen called for an officer to bring him a warm blanket and a pair of slippers, and the items were provided within moments. Despite the dreary ambiance of the dungeon, there were well-stocked storage rooms in a nearby corridor that contained clothing, blankets, shoes, and other items that could be used to reward a prisoner after a confession was finally made.
He hoped Cora had told him everything she knew concerning Greg, and he prayed she truly didn’t have any involvement in the assassination plot. Arresting her had been one of the most difficult things he’d ever done, not to mention cuffing her and bringing her to the dungeon. The look of fright on her face when she’d awoken to a room filled with a dozen Royal Guard officers called up his protective instincts, but he hadn’t been able to offer her a single word of comfort at the time.
He wished he could release her from the cell, carry her back to his bedroom, and hold her all night. Stroke her hair. Rub her back. Murmur into her ear.
But fuck, his hands were tied until the Royal Guard cleared her of wrongdoing.
Frustrated, he returned to her cell, opened the door, and immediately went to her with the blanket. He draped it over her shoulders and then knelt before her with the slippers. Despite the seriousness of the situation and the fear that was probably still pumping through her veins, her lips quirked in a small smile.
He massaged her cold toes for a brief instant in an effort to warm her up before he placed the slippers on her feet.
“Thanks, Akeen. Does this mean you believe me? Will I be free to go soon?” There was a heavy note of hurt in her voice.
Still kneeling before her, he said, “The Royal Guard is working to verify the existence of Greg’s lover, and if she indeed is real, I am sure it won’t take them long to learn her identity. As for believing you, when it comes to my duties with the Royal Guard, I must always err on the side of caution. I must follow protocol. Suspects under arrest on the palace grounds are always kept in the dungeon until the Royal Guard proves their innocence or guilt.”
“At least I can cross getting arrested in a foreign country off my bucket list,” she said, a tentative smile tugging at her lips. She sighed, then took a couple of deep breaths, as if she was trying to calm herself down further.
“I’m glad you’re not shaking anymore, Cora. I am sorry if I frightened you.” He stood up but remained close to her. For a moment, he considered taking her in his arms to warm her up more, but he doubted she would be receptive to his touch. She’d allowed him to rub the cold out of her toes, but he hadn’t touched them for more than a few seconds.
She lifted her chin and shot him a challenging look. “I’m trying to decide whether to give you a hard time and make you feel worse, or to tell you I understand that you were only doing your job.”
God, she had spirit.
He glanced over his shoulder, realizing he hadn’t yet closed her cell door, but he wasn’t particularly worried she might attempt escape. He crouched down in front of her again and stared into her eyes, thankful that she wasn’t weeping or having an anxiety attack from all the fear and stress of her predicament.
“First of all, Cora, let me say that I admire your composure right now. I’ve seen men break down in tears the moment they walk through the entryway of the dungeon. Second of all, when Commander Wornik returns and tells me of your innocence, I am going to feel so fucking bad I might have to buy you one of the small islands off the coast of Ismallia.”
“I’d rather you pay off my student loans, but hey, a girl can’t be choosy. I think I’ll call my island, ‘No Men Named Akeen Allowed.’ ”
“Then I shall change my name and come sailing to you,” he joked, reaching for her hands.
She swallowed hard, her expression growing serious. Finally, she accepted his touch, lacing her fingers through his and squeezing. “I knew you wouldn’t really hurt me. I mean, I pull my hair harder than that when I’m brushing it.”
“When you get out of here, I’ll let you pull my hair for revenge.”
“It’s a deal.” Her eyes shone with humor, and her smile lit up the darkened room. “But I’m warning you, I am going to pullvery, very hard.”
* * *
Though Corastill harbored the fear that the Royal Guard would mistakenly find her guilty, she took comfort in Akeen’s kindness. He’d promised to wait with her in the cell until the news of her innocence, or guilt, arrived. She didn’t know much about the judicial system in Ismallia, but she recalled something about the Royal Guard having the power to pass judgments without a trial. Punishments were handed down by an independent judge though.
She breathed deep and tried to calm her inner storm, telling herself that she had nothing to worry about because she had truth on her side.
“Are you warm enough? I can get another blanket if you’d like.” Akeen’s soothing deep voice was a balm to her anxieties.
“I’m fine, thank you.” She peeked under her blanket at the robe. “I can’t help but notice, this isn’t yours.” The robe fit her perfectly. If it had belonged to him, she would be swimming in it.
He had the grace to look sheepish for an instant. “The woman who used to wear it is long gone. Don’t worry.”
“Tell me about her.” Cora was eager to talk about anything if it helped take her mind off the agonizing wait.
“She was a tour guide from the neighboring kingdom of Heratima. We met while I was on a diplomatic mission there. To make a long story short, I brought her home with me and, after a few months, I was about to propose marriage to her, but she betrayed me and my family.” He frowned and gazed at a spot on the wall beyond her, his eyes distant.
