THE BLOOD ROYALS Book 2: Long Live The Queen!

Chapter Twenty Five: Bargaining chip

On the night of Talbot's funeral...
Saine Neane, mountain party.
Hanniel's POV
The party is the best cover.

A third of these people are probably drunk out of their minds. Even if they do see me they will probably be doubting themselves in the morning or too confused to remember. I still intend to be careful not to be seen.

It feels good to be outside. The air is fresh. I leaned against a rough patch leading to the entrance of the many caves on this mountain range. It is easy to hide out in the caves but the cold is not anyone's friend. What's worse are the snow leopards and other predators that lark around. That why I chose the silo. I have been in solitude for over thirty two weeks. It's not easy fit to be alone with one's mind but it is better than the confines of Cray Thera or to be executed.

"You came through." I embraced my son.

"Anything for you old man."

"Just because my hair is white doesn't mean I'm that old. I can still take you on in a fight." We folded our fists and fooled around. The music is loud. Carl and I can speak freely. "Who did they replace me with?"

"The prince."

"Okay... I have never pegged him to be a fighter or even interested in he military."

"I hear he's managing the army really well. No issues. Talbot is dead. We buried him today."

"What happened to him? Was he found out?"

"Our people on the inside say that he saved the prince when a surface to air missile hit the helicopter they were in."

Before I went into hiding their was a plan to break Stoll Adair out of Cray Thera. With my easy unsanctioned access to weapons, I provided guns and ammunition to the escapees. I planted them on the island just off Cray Thera. It has been unattended since Griffin was arrested. He used to have that little island patrolled. He failed to tell that to the Duke when he took over the prison. It was easy. I didn't think they would need to use the surface to air missile especially not on the prince.

But the end game is the death of all royals. I guess Adair got a head start with Reli.

"Why would he save the very enemies we are fighting against?"

"I don't know."

"Do you think he told the prince anything?"

Carl looked over his shoulder and around us. He pushed me out of sight into the dark. "Maybe at his dying moment he chose to default to the crown. Obviously he didn't want to die a treasonous traitor."

"Carl, we are liberating people from the oppressive monarchy that had ruled over the kingdom since forever! Because of one man's rage Cray Thera was destroyed. Do you know how many people lost their lives? Do you think they were all soldiers against the crown? What about the forceful submission in the Chrystal Isles? They take whatever they want whenever they want and we are just supposed to sit around and do nothing? It's taken me years to really open my eyes and see how ugly the monarchy is. Why should all ruling power be entrusted to one family? There's nothing fair about it." I spoke bitterly.

Adair is right. The monarchy is out if date and should be abolished.

"I'm on your side. I don't care about who you are serving even if it's the devil. I'm on your side and I will keep supporting you."

"And Xanth? Has he picked a side?"

"No. He's still angry about being dismissed from the Iron Army but he hasn't voiced any hate against the crown that I can use to lure him in."