Rivals

Chapter 10: Truth

Evangeline

Evangeline had found out who worked for the king directly through eavesdropping and asking a few questions. She had learned that when they were of close perimeter to the king, they felt uneasy and as if there was an uncomfortable pressure on their chest. She asked if they had seen the king behave oddly or possess something that seemed off. No one dared to speak a word about it, but Evangeline could see their fear. She managed to learn one thing from one of the servants. At midnight, the king goes to a hall in a part of the castle that he had called off limits to anyone. There was always a guard standing there and the only person allowed to pass was the king. She knew they had to get to that hall.

Sunset was approaching, Evangeline made her way to the rendezvous point. She stayed a distance away waiting for Kaden not wanting anyone to seem suspicious of her. She saw him walking up to the point when she began making her way there as well.

"I found something," Evangeline said. "There's an off limits hall guarded at all times, the only person allowed through is the king. He goes there everyday at midnight. That has to have a lot of answers.

"That means we have one chance and one chance only when we decide to go to that hall," he said. They had to have all the details and a backup plan to the backup plan ready for when they decide to go.

Kaden took out a bottle contained a thick yellow liquid. "I obtained this. It is a truth serum. All it takes is one drop and in a few minutes the victim should be open to truthfulness. Just as long as the serum goes inside them then it should work."

Usually, she would be skeptic but she knew Kaden was no fool.

"Do you think we could use it on the king?" Evangeline asked.

Kaden shook his head immediately. "It's too soon. He's seen our faces, he'll order an attack on Adaresa immediately. We can't risk that."

"You're right." Evangeline agreed. It was too risky. "How about the King's Ten?"

Kaden furrowed his brows thinking about it. "Maybe. We'll need to isolate one, get him alone. There is always the risk he'll remember us. We don't know who had gotten a good look at our faces when we ran away."

"We'll have to do it somewhere dark and pick the right target," she said and Kaden nodded in agreement.

"How about one of the men that guard that mysterious hall?" He offered.

"That's actually a good idea Kaden, they are bound to have heard or seen something," she said.

"Of course it's a good idea, it's my idea," he teased, earning an eye roll from Evangeline.

"Let's go do some spying."

***
Evangeline

They had watched the hall every day for three days. They found that only two guards guarded the hall; one in the morning and one at night. They followed each man after their shifts to see what they did and where they were on their free time. The men only went to their room where a meal would be waiting for them and slept. It was a very dull job. The only person that entered or left the hall was the king himself. When he did he spent hours inside.

They figured their best target would be the guard that got off at nightfall. Offering to bring the meal to his room, Evangeline set up a cup of wine with a drop of the serum and waited for the guard. She sat on his bed with one leg crossed over the other while Kaden hid behind a curtain. They made sure not to turn on any candles and letting the darkness be their ally.

The guard walked into the room looking exhausted before suddenly going on alert, his hand pulling out his sword. Evangeline stood with her hands up in surrender.