But that guard could be captured and interrogated, and he’d be far easier to break than a semi-professional assassin would have been.
As Adeline turned toward Lorne, her guards closing around her, he stepped forward and held out his arm. He smiled as she took it, her hand light against his sleeve.
He’d originally married her for the sake of peace between their kingdoms. But somewhere along the way, she’d become incredibly precious to him.
And that scared him. What would he be willing tosacrifice for her sake? If he had to pick between her or Lalsacia, what would he choose?
Lorne pacedin the tiny dungeon cell that had once been his. At least this time, his hands weren’t shackled, and his ribs were well on their way to healing. He clutched a sword in his hand, waiting.
Emil, Arne, and several of Adeline’s trusted guards waited in the adjoining cells. Since they hadn’t announced to the lords exactly which cell the supposedly still alive assassin was being held in, they’d set the trap so that it wouldn’t matter which of these cells was opened. They were all poised for an ambush.
Somewhere farther away, a door clanged. Lorne tensed, adjusting his grip on his sword. After the weeks he’d spent in this dungeon, he was intimately familiar with every noise, the way bootsteps echoed in the passages, and the sound of someone halting nearby.
Another door creaked. Not his, but the one next door where Emil was hidden.
“To arms!”
Lorne jumped to his feet and shoved the unlocked door open. The passageway outside was already filling with loyal guards, and he stayed to the side rather than joining the rush.
Another guard was frozen in the doorway of the next cell over, his hand on his sword’s hilt. But with several swords already pressed to his chest, he had no chance of running.
“Harry.” One of Adeline’s guards spat the name. “I should have known you’d be the scum hired for this.”
The captured guard sneered back. At that point, sneering was all he could do.
Lorne eased forward, his movement sending the disloyal guard’s gaze in his direction. “I’m Lorne, prince consort to Queen Adeline. Things will go easier for you if you tell us who hired you.”
“Lalsacian scum.” The captured guard spat a glob of spit, which landed on the blade of one of the swords pressed to his chest. He proceeded to lace a few expletives through his insults about Lorne and Lalsacia.
Arne jabbed the traitorous guard slightly harder with his sword. “Insults and swearing won’t help you.”
The loyal guard who’d spoken before also growled and shoved harder with his sword. “You will tell us one way or another. It’s up to you how much you want it to hurt before you do.”
Lorne didn’t want to order a man tortured the way he and his men had been, but at least this guard would somewhat deserve it for his disloyalty to his queen.
Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that. It shouldn’t. This man didn’t seem like he’d hold up under the threat of torture, much less the real thing.
“It was Lord Fellton.” Harry sagged, a desperate edge to his eyes. “He paid me to kill the assassin. He also paid me to let the assassin onto the castle grounds last night.”
Lorne tried not to betray his surprise. He’d really thought the guard would say Lord Sarlon, not Lord Fellton. Although, it probably shouldn’t surprise himthat Lord Fellton hired an assassin who wasn’t top-notch and that he’d bribed a guard who would cave under the slightest pressure.
“Thank you for your cooperation.” Lorne gave the disloyal guard a hint of a nod. “It will be taken into consideration when the queen names your sentence. In the meantime, enjoy the hospitality of the dungeon.”
He stepped aside so that the loyal guards could hustle the disloyal one into a cell, shackling his hands and securely locking the door.
Lorne let the clank of the shutting door sink into his bones. Time to tell Adeline that they’d caught at least one of the threats to her.
Adeline stared at the report,which detailed all the evidence found in Lord Fellton’s rooms at the castle and at his estate. There was no question he’d conspired against her and sent that assassin.
Not to mention, she was looking at the proof that the assassin had been sent to kill both her and Lorne.
To think she’d once seriously considered marrying Lord Fellton’s son. He’d even been one of her top two picks. What a fortunate thing it had been that she’d made the somewhat rash decision to marry the lord locked in the dungeon instead.
She would have to convene the council again and hold a trial. It would be quite the production with a lord on trial, especially for treason. Nor was shelooking forward to having to deliver sentences for both the guard and Lord Fellton.
A knock sounded on the door before Thaddeus stepped inside.
Adeline sighed and tapped the report. “I’m going to have to order his execution, aren’t I?”
