Chapter 8 - The King's Death Was Not an Accident
King Julian Bellmont had officially died during a hunting accident.
Adrian had been twenty-two.
His father's horse returned without him.
Searchers found Julian at the bottom of a ravine.
Broken neck.
No witnesses.
For ten years Adrian had believed it was an accident.
Beatrice led them to her private study.
Behind a painting was a wall safe.
Inside were letters.
Dozens.
All written by Julian.
Adrian recognized the handwriting immediately.
Beatrice handed him the last one.
Beatrice,
If anything happens to me, do not believe the official explanation.
Marcus has approached three generals.
The Council is active again.
They know Helena survived.
More importantly, they know about her children.
I have arranged protection through someone outside the palace.
Do not trust Dr. Vale.
Do not trust the royal archivist.
And if Adrian ever marries a woman named Evelyn Marlowe, get her out of Bellmont before the child is born.
Adrian stopped reading.
The date was twelve days before Julian's death.
He looked at Beatrice.
"You knew Evelyn's name before I met her?"
"No."
"You had this letter."
"I thought your father was paranoid."
"And after I brought Evelyn home?"
Beatrice's voice dropped.
"I remembered."
Evelyn stared at her.
"You knew for five years."
"I investigated."
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"Because every person I asked died or disappeared."
Beatrice opened another drawer.
Photographs.
A retired nurse dead in a house fire.
A lawyer killed in a robbery.
A former guard vanished.
Then Dr. Vale.
"Vale came to me three months ago," Beatrice said. "He said prenatal blood tests had confirmed Evelyn's connection to Helena."
Adrian looked at the report.
"He signed it."
"He wanted money."
"For silence?"
"At first."
Gabriel shook his head.
"Vale wasn't selling silence."
Everyone looked at him.
"He was selling the baby."
Evelyn instinctively put a hand on Alexander's cradle.
Gabriel produced a flash drive.
"I took this from Vale's apartment."
"Where is he?" Adrian asked.
"Dead."
Beatrice closed her eyes.
"How?"
"Someone reached him before I did."
Adrian inserted the drive into a secure laptop.
Files appeared.
Payments.
Medical records.
Encrypted messages.
One message was from Marcus.
DELIVERY MUST OCCUR INSIDE PALACE GROUNDS.
Another:
INFANT A WILL BE TRANSFERRED AFTER MATERNAL STABILIZATION.
Evelyn whispered, "Transferred where?"
Gabriel clicked another file.
A map appeared.
A private medical facility in the northern mountains.
The name was ordinary.
St. Catherine Children's Institute.
Adrian had heard of it.
An orphanage funded by several noble families.
Gabriel said, "It isn't an orphanage."
"What is it?"
"A breeding archive."
No one spoke.
Gabriel's voice hardened.
"The Council has tracked royal bloodlines for seventy years. Illegitimate children. Forgotten branches. Secret adoptions. Anyone carrying enough Bellmont markers."
Evelyn looked horrified.
"For what purpose?"
"Replacement."
Adrian understood.
"If the royal family stopped cooperating..."
"They could manufacture another claimant."
Beatrice sat down.
"My God."
Gabriel looked at her without sympathy.
"You helped create the world that allowed them to do it."
Beatrice did not argue.
Captain Rowan entered.
"Sir."
Adrian looked up.
"We intercepted a transmission from the northern border."
"What transmission?"
"A coded message using palace frequencies."
"Read it."
Rowan handed him the paper.
THE FIRST CHILD HAS BEEN CONFIRMED.
PREPARE THE SECOND.
Adrian looked at Alexander.
Then at Evelyn.
"The second what?"
Gabriel stared at the message.
His face changed.
"Not what."
May you like
He looked toward the palace windows.
"Who."
