Page 18 of Kingdom of Today
Mr. Vyle walked before us, his arms behind his back. “My name is Mr. Vyle. I’m here on behalf of the emperor. We’ve come to believe there’s a traitor in our midst. In this very room.”
My stomach twisted into a thousand knots. No one dared speak, but many gasped.
“One of you planted a device in the treatment facility and opened patient rooms at a specified time.” The royal executioner focused on me a second longer than necessary. “I will find out who did it, and they will learn the error of their ways.”
I didn’t allow myself the luxury of cringing outwardly, but there was no stopping my inner flinch. How did he know what happened so quickly, without an investigation? Experience told me CURED released the infected, intending to blame an innocent they targeted.
“We are already gathering evidence. It won’t be long until we have answers.” Mr. Vyle adjusted the cuff of his suit jacket. “For now, I’m sending you to medical for testing, but expect a summons sometimesoon. I’ll be speaking with each of you individually.” He nodded to a baron.
“Out,” that man commanded. “Go, go, go.”
Trainees rushed for the door, Miller among them. He dragged me along until Cyrus snapped, “A word, Lady Roosa.”
Miller and I stopped in unison, grinding to a halt mere feet from the royals. I felt the gaze of everyone who remained in the room.
Though my cheeks flushed, I kept my head high. “Yes, sir.”
A muscle jumped in my boyfriend’s jaw. Motions liquid smooth, he wrapped his fingers around the chain that bound me to Miller. The metal unfastened, freeing me. “Go,” he commanded my partner.
Miller didn’t stick around to protest. He raced out as if his feet were on fire. Realized I had a thriving relationship with a future king, and I might tattle about his awful behavior, earning him a good spanking, had he?
Cyrus didn’t say anything else, just stalked into the gym’s corner office, clearly expecting me to follow. Which, of course, I did. The transparent glass smoked over, shielding us from prying eyes.
As soon as the door closed behind me, he spun and enfolded me in the safety of his arms. I hugged him back, letting his ambrosial scent wash over me. His heat warmed all my cold spots.
He straightened, cupped my cheeks, and searched my face. “You’re okay?”
“I am now,” I replied, clasping his wrists. “I’m glad your trip to Theirland was so short.”
“I was there, in a meeting with the emperor, Vyle, and the other royals when word of the attack reached us.”
The attack. Something we needed to discuss in detail. But first things first. “How’d it go with your grandfather?”
A muscle jumped in his jaw. “I’m not sure. I remember arriving in Theirland but nothing else until today’s meeting.” He rubbed his sternum. “Now there’s an itch right here I can’t explain.”
Alarm bells erupted inside my head. I fought to control my expression and reveal only reassurance. “The memories will come back to you.” They must. But something had happened to him, and it did not sound good.
“Yes,” he agreed. “They’ll come back.”
“In the meantime, we’ve got several problems.” I’d start with the most recent. “During a tour of the treatment ward, I saw Mykal and Victors in cells. I’m not sure if they escaped with the others.” No longer high on adrenaline, I realized I couldn’t free them without help.
Stiffness invaded Cyrus’s limbs, and he released me to massage his nape. “CURED suspects you of being the spy. My guess is, they released the patients to gauge your reaction and give themselves an excuse to question your friends. They’ll also pick a random trainee to blame and punish. An often-used strategy for a multitude of reasons.”
Ding, ding, ding. “If they believe I’m committed to luring you to the other side, they might seize the opportunity to blameme.”
His features softened. “Don’t worry. This kind of suspicion isn’t uncommon, and our connection explains the enormity of the test. But I’m working behind the scenes to dismantle Mr. Vyle’s assumptions. The tour proves my efforts are having a positive effect.”
Positive? Seriously? “Explain, please.”
“Tours aren’t given to first-year trainees, which means he wanted you to see Mykal and Victors and tell me about it. He isn’t sure about either of us, and he’s watching to see how we react. What we do. If he didn’t think he could use you and was certain of your guilt, he would have tried to take you out already.”
Ugh. I read between the lines and heard loud and clear what Cyrus didn’t say. Breaking my friends from their prisons would only make things worse for us all. I didn’t like it, but I understood. But there must besomethingwe could do to help them.
“I’ll find and free Mykal and Victors,” he vowed, smoothing a curl behind my ear. “I’ll do it without incriminating us. There’s no need for you to endanger yourself.”
“Okay. All right.” I trusted him. But there was more to discuss. Gripping his shirt, I pondered the best way to present my forthcoming suggestion. “My day off is Monday. I intend to visit the library.” As Domino had reminded me, only in the Kingdom of Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow could I read books detailing my future. “Maybe I should stay there and not return to the base.”
Concern pulled taut the puckered skin of Cyrus’s facial brand. “I’d rather youremainat the base.”
