Surrogate for the Alpha Prince in a Coma novel Chapter 169

Chapter 169

Lilian’s POV

Grayson held me until the throne room totally filled, and the court members, royal family, and Elder Council were anxious to start, to find out why they had been summoned so urgently, so late. Such a thing would only been done in emergencies.

“Prince Grayson,” Prime Beta said from the doorway. “Everyone is assembled. It’s time to start.”

Grayson nodded and pulled back from me. He offered me his arm, and together we walked into the throne room with Prime Beta behind us.

The whole of the room turned to look at us. Prime Beta stayed near the door while Grayson escorted me up to beside the stage where the thrones were. He let go of my arm there, then kissed me on the cheek. Though I enjoyed the affection, I recognized that this was more a show for the others in the room. Grayson was showing his loyalty to me in the wake of my attack.

I wondered now, if the person who had organized my attack was here. Just what had Grayson learned from his interrogation of my potential assassin?

I supposed I was about to find out like everyone else.

“Son,” the King said, hiding a yawn. “Just what is all of this about? What was so important that it couldn’t wait until morning? Especially from you. Shouldn’t you be attending your wife after her attack?”

“It’s my wife’s attack that is the cause for my haste,” Grayson told him. “I interrogated the prisoner and have uncovered the true culprit. You must understand that I couldn’t allow this person to roam free after what they have done.”

“Surely it was a rogue attack,” interjected the Head Elder. “They have no respect for the agreement, like I warned you they wouldn’t. They would do anything to tear down the monarchy and see chaos reign.”

Some of the people started chattering, clearly in agreement with the Elder, against the rogues.

Teacher wasn’t here, and for that I was glad. I could only imagine how angry such talk would make him.

“The rogues had nothing to do with this attack,” Grayson said. “The man in the dungeons was only a hired mercenary, paid to kill the Luna Princess. This makes him little more than a weapon, with the person who hired him as the mastermind.”

The King frowned. “And the person who hired him is in this room?”

“Yes,” Grayson said. “I called you all here to make my accusation as public as possible, and to earn your immediate judgement. She cannot be allowed to walk free while she likely continues to conspire against my wife.”

“Who is it then?” the King asked. “Who could be responsible for such a thing?”

She, the Queen mouthed, her wide eyes looking out over the crowd.

She even came as a surprise to me. At once, almost out of instinct more than anything else, my gaze slipped to Odette. I knew she wanted Grayson and even the Elders were pushing for a political marriage, which would require me out of the way.

But how far would they go to see that happen? Would they really turn to murder? Would Odette?

Grayson turned and faced the rest of the court. His gaze traveled over the crowd. He glanced at Odette and my

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breath caught. But then he kept looking, his steady stare instead falling on Ophelia.

Ophelia, please step forward and explain yourself,” Grayson said.

“Ophelia?” the Queen gasped, as did many others. Even I took the name with surprise. Ophelia had acted against me in the past, bullied me on the regular. But to plot my murder?

She was a high-ranking member of the court, well-liked by nearly everyone including the royal family, and a childhood friend of Grayson. I knew from experience with my father and Calvin that appearances weren’t everything, but I had thought she would have enough power as it was to not conspire for my death to potentially achieve more.

Maybe that was the thing about power. For those that desired it, nothing was ever enough.

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