Page 19 of The Royal Throne
“No one knows.”
“My spy who intercepted the letter knows. I know. The captains in charge of the army camps and on the boats know. That’s at least six people.”
And Otto knew but she kept that to herself. “There’s no reason for any of those six people to willingly tell Rainer anything.” If Anton decided to keep his mouth shut, she would get away with it. It all depended on the prince.
He perched on the side of her bed, near her feet. “What’s your goal?”
“Peace.” At that, she finally looked him in the eyes so he’d know she was serious.
His eyes remained on hers as if searching for something. “Even if you manage to pull this off—and that’s a very big if—you may save the other kingdoms but destroy this one in the process.”
“I don’t think Lynk is so fragile that it can be ruined by peace.” To stop this war, she needed Anton on her side and willing to help her. “And what about the League?”
“What about it?”
“Are you aware that Rainer intends to destroy it?”
His eyes narrowed. “What do you mean destroy it?
“He doesn’t want it to exist any more. He wants to make his own laws instead of being under the League’s rule.” Harta jumped up and trotted out onto the balcony. Sabine pulled her feet under her, fidgeting with a string on her bed.
“Are you certain?” Anton asked.
“I am.” When he didn’t respond, she decided to push him. “Where do your loyalties lie?” She’d asked him this very thing back in Nisk when he’d questioned her about her own loyalty. Would Anton uphold the League’s rules and stand with the League? Or would he side with and follow Rainer? At some point, he would have to choose because he couldn’t be loyal to both.
He ran a hand through his hair, the only sign of his agitation.
“Why did you come here? To warn me? Arrest me?”
“Technically, no laws have been broken.” He sighed. “I came to hear your side. That is all. I should go.” He stood and started to head to the door.
“Wait.” Sabine hadn’t considered doing this until this very moment. “I have something for you.” Reaching under her mattress, she pulled out the late queen’s journal. She came and stood before Anton. “I found this at the castle when I married Rainer. This belongs to you. You and Axel.” She handed it to him.
His hands shook as he reached for the journal. “Is this my mother’s?”
“Yes. It was in the room I stayed in.”
He took it, his eyes filling with tears as he carefully opened the cover and read over the first page. “Why are you giving this to me now?” He closed the journal.
“I don’t know Rainer well like you do,” she said. “At first, I didn’t think he was like his father, but the more I learn, the more I wonder about that. And it scares me.”
“My step-father was a monster.”
“And Rainer?” she asked, her voice barely audible, afraid of the answer.
“He is the same.”
A monster disguised as a handsome king made him all the more dangerous. “You should know that my plan is to stop the monster by any and all means,” she whispered. “Even if that means sacrificing myself.”
“You’d do that for Lynk?”
“For Lynk, Bakley, all the other kingdoms. I don’t want a needless war where fathers, husbands, brothers, and lovers die. The League has kept us at peace and it needs to remain in place.”
“Can I keep this?” he asked, placing his palm on the cover.
“It belongs to you.” While she’d wanted to read through it to discover more about the past, hoping it would give her insight into Rainer, this belonged to Anton since it was his mother’s, and she had no right to keep it to herself.
“Rainer doesn’t deserve you.” He made no move to go. “Be careful. I’ll do what I can on my end.”
