The King's Queen | ✔

Chapter 16

All throughout the morning, I contemplated what I'd heard Ashton say last night. I was almost positive that it wasn't something that he wanted me to hear. But then how did I hear it? Perhaps I was just imagining things. Maybe I had been drifting off to sleep and simply imagined it. Maybe my hallucinations were back.

The day went by in a blur of routines. I had lessons with my tutors, exercised at the gym and had a meeting with the guys. They were all glad that Jun was back now. Raúl had texted Harlow and they were planning on meeting up later. He was in good spirits. I couldn't say the same for Jun, who still looked exhausted despite claiming that he did get some sleep as instructed. So far, he had no missions scheduled, but Emperor Caden could assign him one at any moment.

I had lunch with the royals and the atmosphere was especially tense at the table. Most likely it was yesterday's meeting that still everyone on edge. After lunch ended, Prinarch Cole asked Ashton, Brooke and me to come with him for a few minutes because he had something very important to discuss with us.

We followed him up to his office on the second floor and he walked over to a corner of the room and motioned for us to follow him. Ashton and I exchanged curious glances and Brooke lagged behind us, staring at her shoes as she walked.

"Now that we're all here," Prinarch Cole began, "I want you to tell me what you see." He reached behind his desk and brandished the bird cage he kept his hawk in, but there was no hawk to be seen. It was empty through and through.

"It's empty," Ashton answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "I guess your hawk had a chance to go free and he took it."

"No such chances exist," Prinarch Cole declared. "He didn't just fly off unaided. Someone let him go."

Uh oh. Judging by the tone of his voice, he already had a culprit in mind. I think we were all thinking the same thing. Ever since the hawk had come here, Brooke had been the one who paid it the most attention. She thought the bird was sad and lonely and wished that it could go free. Besides, no-one else dared to mess with the Prinarch.

"I have a pretty decent idea of who it is. I'm not as soft on children as Caden is, so it would only do you good to confess while I'm allowing you to."

Silence descended on the room at his words. Brooke shuffled uneasily beside us, no doubt worried about what her punishment would be for letting the hawk go loose. Ashton sighed beside me and leveled his gaze at his grandfather.

"I did it."

Prinarch Cole chuckled lowly and he ran his fingers along the iron bars of the cage. "Ashton, why are you lying to me?"

"You said you wanted a confession and you got one. So just punish me and we can get on with life."

Prinarch Cole was unimpressed by that and sighed, shaking his head in displeasure. "Caden has really grown soft. No matter, I will give a chance this once. The one who released the bird has until the end of the day to come clean about it. You're dismissed."

Ashton rolled his eyes and took Brooke by the hand. "Let's go, Elizabeth."

"All except for you, Elizabeth," Prinarch Cole added. "I have some matters to discuss with you."

I frowned, wondering what that could be about. Ashton hesitated for a moment before turning back to Brooke. "You can head downstairs now. I'll stay with Elizabeth a bit longer."

"I did not ask you to stay," Prinarch Cole stated coolly as he sat down at his desk. "I wish to speak with her alone."

That didn't sit well with Ashton and a muscle clenched in his jaw as he glared at his grandfather with contempt. I wasn't sure what happened between them but Ashton did not like him at all. He also didn't trust him to be alone with me. I sighed, knowing that unless I asked him to go, he would refuse to leave the room.