vestigation, and Ser

as noble victims and witches as treacherous villains. Nothing about Aldric's proposed

andwriting was old-fashioned, done with a quill. Whoever wrote it had ed

Lucien entered without waiting f

ng?" he

. Y

. Found correspondence between my grandfather and his father about Aldric.

oked up

ore he died. He mentions feeling unsafe. Says some coun

t pl

pulled out a copied page. "Here. 'My son, if anything happens to me, know that I acted for the goo

carefully. "Both our people.

ssi

nning something that would benefit both species. Som

. "It's still not proof. And it do

s that the writer does not want peace. Aldric talks

ecies together, someone on h

king logic

ain who served on Aldric's council in 1624. Who stood

silent. "The royal archives w

y father

u acces

If I'm c

covers that I'm looking into the death of his grandfather, treating it m

kn

ipulated me somehow." Lucien's voice was tight. "I've spent centur

hummed between them, stronger ever

ng. "Because I've read that letter ten t

abou

fami

ted. "I know I've seen that particular kind of letter formation, but I'm

ave our murderer if you could i

ll search tonight. My father's in council mee

d come w

ng. Guards would believe you are attempting

copies of everythin

ing samples, council r

sound harsh, though. Almost soft. "You must get so

exhaustion, which tugged at her bones.

n days left,

kno

sed. "Sera. If we don't find

wi

her won't show mercy. The bond won't s

aged a tired smile. "Guess

urning to the exchange and to Lucien's expression when he said the handwriting was recognizable. Now

one to suffer if they failed. Lucien would lose his father's respect and possibly his job. A

k with her head resting on her arms and the lette

g brought unexp

older vampire she didn't recognize. He wore formal robes that

us," Elara said.

her fork slowl

"Prince Lucien has been accessing restricted archives. Making i

estigate Aldric's mu

"We didn't realize he was taking them seriously. Or that he

dropped. They'd

she asked, keepin

hat haven't been touched in centuries." Thaddeus smiled, showing fangs. "

n was compromised, acting against his father's interests

efully. "About the historical context of the murder.

records of council members from 1624. For correspondence between them and King Al

ical climate at the time helps e

u mean. The witch who c

ble. "She confessed under torture.

Even if you could prove-impossibly-that someone else killed King Aldric, it wouldn't change anything. The war has been going on for four centuries. T

t stop the next four hu

nce Lucien will no longer be involved in your investigation. He has duties to the kingdom

ame out before S

nt to her weapo

ad to do it alone." Sera stood, facing Thaddeus directly. "If yo

was silent. Then Thaddeus la

toward the door. "Very well. I'll convey your message to His Majesty. I

hands shake. That had been stupid. Reckless. But she couldn't let them

in the palace. He'd felt the confrontation thro

appeared at her do

ed. "Challenging my father through

y're trying to sabotage us." Sera crossed her arms. "D

sion shift

ow

l records from 1624. I didn't have time to go through them all, but I

ing Aldric. Sera's eyes caught on the

saw the h

The specific slant of the script. T

ed. "The letter fragment-th

wrote that letter. He knew Aldric was

s he?

e first to arrive after Morgana's screams. His testimony at her trial was dam

whole thing up, made sure he'd be the first

oks th

." She grabbed the papers. "We can

years ago might have been involved in his grandfather's murder? Silas is

ana was innocent. T

questions we can't answer. Like why Silas did it. What

ross the desk. "Then we find those answers.

ve everything you believe, what happens then? You think my father will apologize for four centuries of war? Y

complicated. Even if it doesn't fix eve

lict-duty warring with growing doubt, loyalty fighting ag