Chapter 42
The air in the room stilled instantly as Ruby stared blankly at Kira for a heartbeat.
“Why did I do what?” she asked, blinking in wide-eyed confusion. She looked from Kira to Derek and back again, her hands lifting in a small, helpless gesture. “Your Highness, I don’t understand p>
Kira took a step closer. Her voice was quiet, but every word carried weight. “You planned all of it,” Kira said, her voice steadier than she felt. “It started with the time. You sent me a message saying the ceremony was at four. You sent a dress you knew I would despise to get me frustrated, to make me look difficult. And then the tea.” She turned to Derek. “A maid came in. She brought herbal tea, claiming it would calm my nerves before the blessing. But the tea was poisoned p>
The room went still. But it wasn’t the silence of belief. It felt like the silence of a judge waiting for a witness to stop digging their own grave.
Derek let out a short, venomous snort. “So,” he said, his amber eyes mocking her. “It’s no longer just a mysterious text from a friend? Now we’ve moved on to poison? What’s next? An assassin in the closet p>
“I’m not lying!” Kira’s voice cracked. The frustration felt like a hot coal in her throat. “I know she had a hand in this p>
Declan stepped forward, arms folded. “That’s a serious accusation, Your Highness. Poisoning the Queen is a capital offense in Dravengard. Do you have proof that Ruby sabotaged your day p>
Kira opened her mouth, but the words died. She had nothing concrete. No witness. No evidence. Just the sequence of events that fit too neatly, and too cruelly.
“I don’t have proof,” she admitted. “But I’m not lying. The poison is why I didn’t make it to the ceremony. Not a tantrum or disrespect. Poison p>
Derek huffed again. “You’re telling different stories now. First it was an urgent text from your dear friend. Now it’s poison. Which is it p>
Kira met his gaze. “Both. The text lured me out. The poison kept me from coming back p>
Derek’s eyes narrowed. “And the name of this mysterious maid who brought you the so-called poisoned tea p>
“I don’t know her name,” Kira said. “But I would recognise her face p>
Derek exhaled through his nose, slow and controlled. “Then let’s settle this. I have enough time. I want every servant in this palace summoned to the grand hall. Right now p>
The next twenty minutes were a blur of agonising tension. Kira stood in the centre of the hall as the domestic staff filed in—rows of men and women in muted uniforms, their heads bowed in respect and fear. There were dozens of them.
Kira walked slowly along the line, scanning each face. She looked for the specific mole near the lip, the ginger curls, the kind eyes. She walked the entire length of the hall twice.
The maid wasn’t there.
Derek watched her.
Kira’s stomach dropped. She turned back to the line, searching again. Nothing.
“Well?” Derek’s voice boomed through the hall, making several maids jump.
“She’s not here,” Kira whispered.
Derek dismissed the servants with a single nod. They filed out quickly, heads still down. Once the hall was empty of everyone but the inner circle, he turned on Kira. “You accused my staff of poisoning you. You accused Ruby of orchestrating it. And now the maid you claim did it doesn’t exist in this house p>
Kira’s throat closed. “She was here this morning. I swear it p>
“Enough, Drek. That’s enough,” Nana said softly, stepping between them. She reached out and took Kira’s hand. “The girl is clearly exhausted. She’s been through an ordeal, whether we understand it or not. She needs to rest p>
Her voice was firm but tired. She placed a gentle hand on Kira’s shoulder. “You must be exhausted, child. Come. You need rest p>
Kira turned to the older woman, her eyes stinging. “Nana, please, you have to believe me. I’m not making this up. I wouldn’t do that to the pack p>
Nana didn’t agree. She didn’t nod. She only gave Kira a helpless, pitying look, the kind of look one gives a child who has told a lie so big they can no longer find their way back to the truth.
“It’s alright, dear,” Nana murmured, her voice heartbreakingly gentle. “Everyone makes mistakes. We all feel the pressure sometimes. There is no need to defend yourself anymore tonight. You just need sleep p>
As Nana began to lead Kira toward the stairs, she felt the weight of every gaze in the room on her. As they climbed, Kira glanced back once. Ruby stood perfectly still, arms folded, expression serene. But the corner of her mouth lifted just a fraction before she smoothed it away.
Derek sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. He looked at Kai, who was still fiddling with the mangled remains of Kira’s phone. “Don’t bother, Kai. There’s no data to retrieve from a lie. Put it away p>
Kai closed the laptop without a word.
Kira didn’t look back. She allowed Nana to guide her up the grand staircase, her legs feeling like lead. When they reached the landing, Nana started toward the master suite, the room Kira shared with Derek. Kira stopped. She couldn’t go in there. She couldn’t lie in that bed and wait for a man who looked at her with such venomous loathing.
“No,” Kira whispered, pulling her hand back. “I’m going here p>
She pointed to the small, guest-style bedroom Derek had assigned her when she first arrived.1
“Dear, surely—” Nana started.
“I wish to be alone, Nana. Please p>
Nana paused and studied Kira’s face for a long moment, then nodded. “Of course, dear. Rest. I’ll check on you later p>
Kira stepped inside and closed the door softly behind her, then turned the lock.
The room was dim, lit only by the last of the dusk filtering through the curtains. She stood by the door, arms wrapped around herself, staring at nothing.
Then the tears came. They started silently, hot tracks down her cheeks. She didn’t sob. She didn’t wail. She just let them fall, shoulders shaking, breath hitching in quiet, broken gasps. She slid down to the floor, back against the door, knees drawn up to her chest.
She cried for the mother she never knew, for the father who had beaten her into this life, and for the husband who had just decided she was his enemy all over again.
Back in the living room, Kai sat staring at the retreating figures of Derek, Declan, and Ruby. He looked back at the damaged phone on the table.
There was only one way of finding out who was saying the truth. He took out his phone and dialled a number. The person answered on the second ring.
“I need you to do something for me.” A pause. “I want it as soon as possible. Alright, bye p>