Surrogate for the Alpha Prince in a Coma novel Chapter 170

Chapter 170

Lillian’s POV

The next day, I attended a ladies’ brunch with Josie and Clara. When we arrived, many other members of the court were already there, including Odette, who was being doted upon as per usual. Several of them appeared in deep conversation.

“I had been in favor of the peace agreement,” said one of the women to another. “And that festival was so much fun until the incident. But how could I possibly support such a thing now?”

Before I could remind the woman that the rogues didn’t have anything to do with my attack, her friend spoke up, Ophelia was the one who planned this. There’s no evidence, per the Prince, that the rogues had anything to do with it. He seems certain that they didn’t.”

“Maybe. But it’s all so coincidental, isn’t it? They had to be involved somewhere. And where did she even find a mercenary willing to kill for her? Ophelia had to be in connection with them.”

“The rogues want peace as much as we do,” I said. “Maybe even more, since they are the ones who are being killed.”

“Of course, Luna Princess,” one of them said.

The other looked slightly embarrassed at being overheard. “We didn’t mean any harm.”

“There’s pastries over there,” Clara said, nudging my elbow. “Why don’t we go grab something?” She was trying to pull me away from this. Maybe I had let my frustration spike and my opinion show too openly. But I hadn’t been able to help it in the moment.

The Elders had been slaughtering the rogues, and the innocent people on the border were suffering. The rogues had retaliated but only out of fear of survival. The casualties among the Royal Guard enforcers were limited, and at most, some pack members endured some theft.

It seemed deeply unfair to paint the rogues as the villain masterminds when Ophelia had conspired to murder me. They could think what they wanted about the rogues, I supposed, but they shouldn’t assign them crimes they weren’t responsible for.

Still, as Luna Princess, I was supposed to be demure and proper. That meant I was supposed to keep my more… unpopular opinions to myself.

Many of the ladies here, I suspected, remained loyal to Ophelia. They were looking for any reason not to put blame on her. As her once-friends, I imagined it would be difficult to see such a well-regarded woman be labeled as a traitor and a murderess. A proper Luna Princess would show more understanding.

Stepping aside, I went to the pastry table with Clara and selected a few things. Then, with coffee in hand, I went to one of the small tables to sit with her in peace. We had lost Josie along the way, as was usual at these kinds of events. The princess was ever-popular and spent more time chatting around the room than she ever did actually enjoying what the event offered.

“I’m sorry about Ophelia,” Clara said. She barely picked at her own pastries. “I’m sorry I ever ran with her.”

“None of this is your fault,” I told her. “You warned me before, and that was enough. You couldn’t know what she was up to now.”

“But I know the kind of person she is, and what she’s capable of.” Clara shook her head. “Still, to arrange for you to be attacked in front of everyone. That’s bold, even for her.”

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“The mercenary confessed,” I reminded her.

Oh! I’m not suggesting she didn’t do it,” Clara said, looking at me with urgency. “But it seems so strange. I just… I thought she was backing off. With Odette here, she hasn’t bothered you at all. Why would she suddenly change gears like that? Why attack you now?”

I frowned a little. “The timing is suspect…” I glanced over at Odette. “It aligns with the push for Grayson’s political marriage to Odette…”

“You don’t think…” Clara looked too. Odette glanced over and we both hurriedly looked away. In a whisper, Clara said, “You don’t think Ophelia was telling the truth and Odette is involved?”

“I don’t know,” I told her genuinely. “But I don’t think anything is over. We need to keep being careful. You, too. I worry about anyone close to me.”

Clara nodded.

Nearby, I heard more whispering, more of the noble ladies spreading gossip. “Did you hear what she was called? The omen of misfortune?”

“It fits if you ask me,” said another, louder, like she didn’t care if I overheard. “Think of all the problems that only started after her arrival, and poor Prince Grayson would be better off too.”

The first girl snickered.

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