Surrogate for the Alpha Prince in a Coma novel Chapter 318

Chapter 318

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Josephine’s POV

Her words left me stunned. This reaction, this vitriol, hadn’t been at all what I had been expecting from her. I had thought she would be as surprised as I had been to learn that Grayson was alive, and that she’d insist he come out of hiding to take his place on the throne.

This woman in front of me was not the mother I knew. More and more, she had been turning into a stranger right in front of my eyes, power hungry and desperate. Had I just not wanted to see it? Even now, it remained difficult Maybe she was just having a bad day.

“Grayson isn’t a traitor,” I said. “That’s just not possible. He loves this kingdom, and he loved Dad.”

Mother shook her head. “You are naïve, Josephine. He’s done so much to harm this kingdom that you haven’t seen.”

“Like what?” I asked.

“He chose that no one over Odette. Refused to be married. Refused to have heirs.”

“He loves Lillian.”

“He should have done what was best for the kingdom. He refused.”

“That doesn’t make him a traitor,” I insisted.

“It’s only the start of what he’s done. He’s been plotting against me for a long time. He’s always hated me. He resents that his mother died and I replaced her.”

I struggled to believe this. Grayson had always treated Mom with respect, and he loved me, I was sure of that. He was the best big brother a girl could ask for.

Looking at me, Mom’s eyes softened, filled with the same kind of sympathy she would show to a wounded animal or an ignorant child. Walking toward me, she cupped my face and then kissed my forehead.

“You are so sweet, Josephine. I’m sorry to show you this glimpse into the truth of the harsh world.”

I had no idea what to say. I felt as if I was seeing my mother for the first time, and I truly had no idea what to make of her.

“Now. Let’s put this behind us, yes? No more talk of your wretched brother. Let’s not even call him that. He’s an enemy. He should only be known as traitor.”

I allowed her to say the words, even though they festered in my ears. I lowered my gaze, pretending to be diligent, even as my heart was a torrent of emotion, and my mind was the same with confused, circular thoughts.

“I must see to your father’s funeral now. The Elder Council is insisting on something public. At first I was opposed to welcoming the commoners through our doors, but now I think it might be perfect, don’t you? Everyone should have the chance to see me in my crown, to know who the real leader is.”

She didn’t wait for a reply. She simply squeezed my shoulders, smiled like nothing at all was wrong, and walked from the room like she was moving down a runway, sashaying with confidence.

I watched her go, alarmed that she could move without care after the conversation we’d just had. She had declared Grayson a traitor so casually, then brushed it off like it was nothing at all.

Like Grayson had never meant anything to her.

1/3

ཀ་ར།

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I waited for a long moment after she had gone, and then stepped out of the sitting room.

The planning for my father’s funeral had begun nearly immediately after his death, and the palace was filled with vendors and working people. The general chaos made it easy to slip down the hallway and then into the stairwell that lead down to the dungeotis.

The guards at the dungeon doors were slightly harder to sneak by, but I was the princess. Attempting to carry the same confidence as my mother, I demanded passage, and was surprised when it was granted. Inside the dungeons, I stopped one of the guards.

“I need to speak to the traitor Prime Beta, on my mother’s behest,” I lied.

The guard directed me without question, and following that direction, I was soon standing in front of Prime Beta’s cell.

He had been sitting on his cot, but he stood when he saw me and came to the bars of the cell.

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