The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 531

Callum’s POV

“So. What do we do now?” Zane turned to me the moment we stepped out of Alder’s office, the door firmly shut behind us. “Three of us can’t exactly waltz up to that wedding and make much of a difference.”

I thought for a moment. Assuming Marcus’s plan had worked, he should have rallied a good portion of the royal guard back to our side by now. But it might not be enough. Not if Belinda already had grand plans to take Liora out tonight.

We’d need to move quickly. And we needed a lot more than three people.

In particular, we needed people who Bianca and her witchy cohort wouldn’t expect to fight back.

Such as hundreds of students who they’d terrorized into complacency.

I turned to Amy. “We have to get the students into one place. Do you know how to make that happen?”

She furrowed her brow for a few seconds, thinking, then said, “There’s supposed to be an assembly today. Attendance is mandatory for everyone.” She shot me a look. “But Alder is supposed to give a speech, and if he refuses…”

“He won’t refuse.” Zane was already pushing up his sleeves. “I’ll make sure of it.”

The three of us went back into the office, finding Alder exactly where we had left him tied to his chair. He was straining to reach the PA system button, but Zane stormed over, yanking his chair back before he could.

“You’re going to walk out there and open the assembly exactly like you always do,” I told him, bracing my hands on either of his armrests. “Then you’re going to step aside and let us talk. Do that, and you live long enough to stand trial instead of dying here today.”

His eyes flicked between the three of us. He muttered something that I couldn’t make out through the gag in his mouth. I yanked it out.

“What if I refuse?” he asked.

Zane picked up a hammer this time, slapping it twice against his palm.

Alder didn’t ask again.

“Coward,” Amy murmured, looking away.

The auditorium filled up fast once the bell rang, hundreds of students packed neatly into rows, all wearing uniforms in varying shades of gray, navy blue, and black—to signify their “rank”, Amy said.

My hand wasn’t quite steady when I took it, but I didn’t let that show in my voice.

“Most of you know me,” I said. “Some of you trained with me. Sparred with me. I’ve eaten breakfast across the table from half of you for years.”

I paused, scanning the crowd. Hundreds of faces were staring up at me, some in shock, some in horror, and some in relief.

“I also need to say something I should’ve said a long time ago.”

Another pause. This one heavier. Longer. I looked down at my feet and took a breath.

“I spent too long backing Bianca,” I said. “I stood behind her, believing her lies for months while the real princess was right in front of me. I was a fool.”

My throat bobbed.

“I love Liora. I love her more than life itself, and I’m done pretending I don’t, because right now she’s sitting in that palace getting ready to marry a man who’ll use her up and throw her away before the night is through, and I am not going to let that happen if there’s anything I can do to stop it.”