CHAPTER 167: THE PALACE COURT

Ashen had been watching in his invisible form, every word and every action. He had sworn to let things go, but when Adam dared to speak of his wife, something inside him snapped. Forgiveness was no longer an option.

Adam did not realize his brother was so close, his eyes scanning the air suspiciously. Then Ashen appeared before him, shadows peeling back like smoke.

"How dare you try to poison my wife?" Ashen’s voice was cold and sharp. Adam flinched, but quickly smirked as he tried to gather himself.

"When did you get here? And how?"

"Don’t ask me questions. Answer mine. Why did you poison my wife?"

Adam brow furrowed he never expected her to tell him, he couldn’t help but wonder how close these couple are.

"She told you?" Ashen struggled to keep his anger in check.

Adam stepped closer, lips curling into a mocking smile. "And what will you do, little brother? Hurt me? Play at revenge? I could put you in far more danger than you think."

Ashen seized Adam by the collar, yanking him forward until the fabric tightened at his neck. "If you value your breath, you will speak the truth."

Adam laughed in his face. "What will you tell Father then? That you tried to kill me? Or should I tell him what your wife and I share?" Ashen froze, his grip trembling.

"What did you just say?" Adam leaned in, whispering this time.

"Do you still not understand? I brought her to you. I arranged your marriage. There is a bond between us that you cannot cut. Why do you think she came to me willingly... several times."

Ashen’s hand dropped from his brother’s throat, his eyes wide in disbelief.

"What?"

"Ask her," Adam sneered. "But perhaps you will not want to hear her answer. After all, she is already dragging you into enough trouble." He shoved Ashen aside and walked away, leaving him speechless.

Ashen stumbled back not once had Lumina spoken of this. Not once had she confessed anything like what Adam claimed. He bit his lip until it bled, fury burning in his chest, yet a dark seed of doubt had been planted. Not thinking twice he found his way back to his office.

Hours later, buried in his office, Ashen drowned himself in work, ignoring the daylight fading. He barely noticed when Ero entered.

"My lord, Princess Lumina has been asking after you. Why haven’t you returned?"

"Tell her I will not be coming back for days," Ashen replied coldly, not looking up.

Ero frowned, he wasn’t this way in the morning.. "But... I thought you wanted to stay close to her..."

Ashen’s eyes snapped up, his voice a low growl. "Say one more word, Ero, and I swear you will regret it. Perhaps your last punishment was not harsh enough."

Ero lowered his head immediately, he had received the lashes and had been beating the pain for some while now, he wouldn’t want to add to it.

"How is Cyres?" Ashen asked again and Ero carefully minded his words.

"As you command, my lord. Cyres has been enduring his punishment for days." Ashen took a deep breath and looked up at his aide.

"Take me to him."

******

In the dungeon, the cries of tortured prisoners echoed through the halls. But Ashen’s steps carried him to one cell alone. Behind the bars lay Cyres, broken and bleeding.

The moment their eyes met, Cyres lunged for the gate, fingers white as he gripped the iron. "You bastard prince! How did you steal my power?"

Ashen smirked, of course he knew he had teleportation powers and had thought he would escape this punishment.

"I have my ways. But perhaps you can shorten your suffering and just admit your lord ordered you to poison my wife."

"Never! I would rather die than betray him." Ashen leaned close, with a sly grin on his face.

"The same lord who abandoned you? Who has already replaced you with another aide? Do you still think he will save you?"

Cyres’s eyes widened in horror, shaking his head violently. "No... my lord would never abandon me. He will come. He must come."

Ashen only chuckled. "Then wait for him here. Triple his torture," he ordered coldly, turning away as Cyres’s screams followed him.

By the time Ashen arrived at the palace court, the session was already underway. All eyes turned to him. His father’s voice rang first.

"You are late."

Ashen bowed instantly. "Forgive me, Father. There was a crisis at home and I was also interrogating a prisoner."

He did not miss how Adam stiffened at his words.

"By prisoner," Adam cut in smoothly, "you mean Cyres?"

Ashen gave a respectful bow to the king, ignoring his brother. Murmurs broke out among the council. King Aden exhaled, gesturing to him to sit.

"Then let us continue. Today we face troubling reports... The rising price of food has caused unrest, even deaths. Why has the matter not been settled?"

"Your Highness.." Lord Carlos walked out bowing, "I had mistakenly sent the ledger to the last prince’s table... and have been waiting to get it from him for a while now.. We promise it will all get settled when it is back in my arms."

King Aden then turned to his son.. Ashen bowed his head. "Your Highness, the ledger regarding the taxes was sent to me only recently by Lord Carlos, who oversees the accounts. I reviewed it and discovered signs of fraud."

"What!" Lord Carlos swallowed hard at this moment, but used everything in him to calm himself.

"I would like to see this ledger," the king said firmly.

Ashen paused. "Your Highness.. I did not bring it." Gasps rippled across the chamber. Adam’s lips curved in triumph.

"Did you bring it? Or did you lose it?" Adam fired from where he stood.

Ashen felt every stare pressing down on him, suspicion crackling in the air. His father’s face hardened, and Adam’s smirk deepened.

"Prince Ashen... is this true.." Lord Carlos gasped at this.

"Your Highness, that ledger was the only record I had prepared for the taxes. If it is lost, many people will be in great danger, for the entire budget for this year is written within it. The distribution of food, weapons, and amenities for the warriors was carefully calculated there. Please, Your Highness, you should command the last prince to retrieve it."

King Aden’s lips curved into a faint smile. "Ashen, while the court holds a session, I ask you to go and bring back the tax ledger."

Ashen only snickered inwardly at the command. It was only then that he realized the cruel trick behind it. The ledger had not been given to him directly by the king, but had been slipped in among the documents the king’s aides had sent to his chambers.

They had forced him to go through the accounts, then wanted it taken back before he could explain himself. Now, before the entire court, they sought to make him appear incompetent, hoping the king would strip him of his position.