Chapter 3 - The Bullet Meant for the Mother
Adrian moved before thought.
He threw himself between the gun and Evelyn.
The masked attacker fired.
The bullet hit an iron bar beside Adrian's shoulder.
Guards rushed forward.
The attacker turned and disappeared into the corridor.
"Seal the palace!" Adrian shouted.
Two guards pursued him.
Mira pulled Evelyn from the cage.
"We need space."
The nurses spread blankets across the marble.
Evelyn could no longer stand.
Adrian knelt beside her.
"Stay with me."
"I'm trying."
Another gunshot echoed somewhere distant.
Mira examined Evelyn.
"The baby is coming now."
"Can we move her?"
"No."
Beatrice stood against the wall.
Her face had lost all color.
Adrian looked at her.
"Who was that?"
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
"I swear to you."
"Why would someone shoot Evelyn?"
Beatrice looked toward the dark corridor.
"Because the cage was never meant to punish her."
Evelyn gasped.
Mira said, "Push."
Adrian held her hand.
The contradiction struck him like another bullet.
Twenty-two days.
Bruises.
Filthy clothes.
Spoiled food.
"She was beaten."
Beatrice looked ashamed.
"I ordered her confined. I did not order that."
"Who did?"
"I don't know."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"No."
Mira shouted for towels.
Evelyn cried out.
Adrian turned back to her.
For the next twelve minutes, the palace disappeared.
There was only Evelyn.
Her hand crushing his.
Her tears.
Her fear.
Her exhausted voice saying his name.
Then the cry of a baby filled the gallery.
Adrian stopped breathing.
Mira lifted a tiny infant.
"A boy."
Evelyn sobbed.
Adrian laughed and cried at the same time.
Their son.
Alive.
Mira wrapped him in a clean cloth and placed him against Evelyn.
Adrian touched the baby's head.
For one perfect moment, nothing else existed.
Then Mira's expression changed.
"What?"
Adrian saw it.
A tiny mark beneath the baby's left shoulder.
A dark crescent shape.
Beatrice whispered, "Oh God."
Adrian looked up.
"What?"
Beatrice stared at the child.
"The Bellmont mark."
Adrian looked down at his own left shoulder.
Beneath his uniform was the same crescent-shaped birthmark carried by several generations of his family.
But birthmarks were not proof of blood.
At least, that was what Adrian tried to tell himself.
Beatrice approached slowly.
"Evelyn..."
"Don't come near my baby."
Beatrice stopped.
Her voice became strangely soft.
"That mark appeared on my sister."
Adrian frowned.
"What sister?"
Beatrice looked at him.
"My twin."
Adrian had never heard of a twin.
Beatrice swallowed.
"Princess Helena."
The name meant nothing to him.
"She died before I became Queen."
"When?"
Beatrice's eyes filled.
"She didn't."
Before Adrian could respond, guards returned carrying the masked attacker.
His hands were bound.
Blood ran from his forehead.
One guard ripped off the mask.
Adrian recognized him.
Lord Marcus Vane.
Chief Counselor to the Crown.
A man who had served Bellmont for forty years.
Marcus smiled despite the blood.
"You opened the cage."
Adrian stood.
"You tried to kill my wife."
Marcus looked past him toward Evelyn and the child.
"No."
May you like
His smile vanished.
"I tried to prevent the wrong heir from being born."
