The Theodoran Traitors

Chapter Six ~ Athena

A week had passed without a single sign of Harald, and just as I was about to declare him missing in action, he decided to make a dramatic entrance in the middle of the night—again. I couldn't help but wonder if this was becoming one of his peculiar habits, sneaking around like a cat burglar. But honestly, that was a conversation for another time; now, I had more pressing matters.

"Turn around," I commanded, determination lacing my tone. I refused to fall for the same trick twice. Though, to be fair, I had often found myself making the same "mistake" three more times afterwards—just to confirm it was indeed a blunder. But tonight was different. I meant business.

To my satisfaction, Harald obeyed and turned away, allowing me to raid my walk-in closet. I selected a simple yet elegant green dress paired with a cosy cardigan, perfect for a clandestine meeting. When I emerged, there he was, still facing the wall like a well-trained statue. A smile crept across my face; perhaps he had developed a newfound sense of decorum in my absence.

I strolled toward the door, my mind racing with strategies to ensure he wouldn't bolt again like he did last time. Tonight, I was getting answers—no running, no escaping. With a firm click, I locked the door, catching Harald off guard as he turned to face me, surprise etched across his features. I could almost hear the mental gears turning in his head, but I shrugged off his confusion with a flick of my wrist. I had locked the door, and the key was safely tucked away in my pocket.

Once I was satisfied with my security measures, I motioned for Harald to follow me into the study. He looked perplexed but complied nonetheless, trailing behind me with all the enthusiasm of a cat being led to water. Once inside, I secured the door again and slid the key back into its hiding place.

Harald settled into the same spot he had occupied a week prior, the very picture of reluctant compliance. Meanwhile, I noted that he was helping himself to the cookies the maid had kindly left, a request I had made earlier. Apparently, even in the midst of mystery and intrigue, he had not forgotten how to indulge in the simple pleasures of life.

"Enjoying those cookies?" I quipped, raising an eyebrow. "I hope they're not your only source of sustenance while you've been on your little escapades."

He merely shrugged, crumbs dancing at the corners of his mouth, clearly more focused on the confections than on the conversation I was eager to initiate. But that was all right; I had plenty of questions ready to roll, and I wasn't letting him off the hook that easily. Tonight was my night to unravel the mystery of the royal family, once and for all.

With a smirk, I crossed the room, gathering a hefty stack of papers and dropping them on the table with a dramatic thud. Harald's eyes lit up, and his own smirk stretched wider as he picked up the top sheet, skimming over my neatly written questions. Within moments, he broke into laughter—full-bodied, tears-in-his-eyes laughter. I blinked in surprise; was this amusing to him?

"So, you locked me in here just to make sure I answer all these questions?" he asked between chuckles, dabbing at his eyes with a theatrical flourish. "I should've known."

I raised an eyebrow, meeting his mirth with deadpan patience. "What exactly did you think I locked the door for?" I shot back. "Unless you're hiding something miraculous, your current value here is answering these questions—truthfully, if I'm lucky." I paused for effect. "As it stands, I'm only about seventy percent certain you're even giving me reliable information."

Harald rolled his eyes at my pointed emphasis on seventy percent. But it was true. The past week, in his absence, I'd been doing a little research of my own. Not that it was easy—Harald's family was entrenched deeply enough in Imperial politics to make getting solid information a feat in itself. But I had managed to piece together a rather interesting puzzle: Harald's father, Grand Duke Frederick Talbot, wasn't always a grand duke. In fact, his family title was originally a mere Marquessate. Frederick's sudden rise in rank was courtesy of Emperor Apollo himself, as a reward for his support during the last coup. To sweeten the pot, Frederick was granted the position of Apollo's right hand, making him one of the most powerful men in the Empire.