“So what’s our next move?” Bryloch asked, bringing us back to practicalities.
“The tournament is ending early due to security concerns and the high dropout rate,” he explained. “I suggest we go to the arena tomorrow as if everything is normal, then strike against the traitors during the night.”
Matthew suddenly smiled, an expression I hadn’t seen on his face since he arrived. “We could play polo. Quinn and Maddox are on their way here.”
Everyone except Kieran chuckled, remembering the last polo match that had ended in disaster.
“Don’t worry,” Matthew added quickly. “Quinn and Maddox won’t cause trouble for Freya or Scarlett this time. Maddox has his hands full with the mess Charles created, and Quinn is worried about his warriors.”
I nodded, appreciating the suggestion. “Maddox and Quinn are strong warriors. We could use their strength in Forestvale.” I looked around the table, meeting each man’s eyes. “If we set aside our differences, we can form a formidable team.”
The discussion continued as we finalized details for the coming days. By the time we finished, everyone was ready for
some rest.
“Anyone want to join me in the west wing?” Bryloch asked. “I’m going to introduce Kieran and Matthew to some of the
ladies.”
I raised an eyebrow, knowing full well they were still primarily interested in Berry. “You’re all free to do as you wish. I need to get back to my room.”
I left quickly. As I approached my room, I was surprised to see my mother knocking on the door.
“Mother?” I called out. “Why didn’t you link me?”
She turned, her expression pinched with annoyance. “Chris presence is giving me a headache.”
I sighed, unlocking the door and gesturing for her to enter. “Come in.”
Once inside, she paced the room like a caged animal. “I can’t believe Juno being so nice to him and his family. It feels like a betrayal.”
I pulled her into a hug, feeling her stiffen before gradually relaxing. “Let it go, Mother. The past is the past. Helena told him you are looking for him, that’s why he was hiding.”
“Helena did a lot of damage,” I replied, keeping my voice gentle.
Mother’s eyes flashed with anger. “That bitch! Did she also tell him the truth? That she killed his mother out of jealousy?”
I squeezed her shoulders gently. “We need to focus on the present, Mother. We have bigger problems now, and Chris could be a valuable ally.”
She was quiet for a moment, then asked softly, “How is he?”
I felt a wave of relief. Despite her protests, she didn’t truly hate Chris. “He’s doing well. He has a beautiful family, a mate and twins.”
I feel terrible for suspecting him, she admitted, I thought he might be behind all this
“He’s not interested in power,” I assured her. “He signed documents with Helena, renouncing any claims to anything
Mother’s face darkened. “That bitch again. She probably wanted to clear the way for her own son.”
Her words triggered a thought. “Do you think Helena really didn’t know where her son was?*
Mother looked thoughtful. “Now that you mention it… she never seemed like someone who had lost something precious. Perhaps she was in contact with him all along, right up until her death.”
I considered this new angle. Mother was observant, this could be a lead we had overlooked.
“If that’s true…” I began, my mind racing with implications. This might fit with my theory that Helena’s son was the “Sovereign,” but it conflicted with intelligence suggesting the “Sovereign” was older. Was Helena’s son the mastermind, or just another pawn like Fox?
The questions multiplied, but answers remained elusive. After Mother left, I stretched out on my bed, deciding to take a short nap to conserve energy. Tomorrow would be exhausting, and I needed to be at my best.
Chapter Comments
