Chapter 136
RYKER’S P.O.V
“That’s bulls hit,” were the first words out of my mouth. I didn’t even realize I had said it until it was too late and everyone had turned to me. “There is no way that she is pregnant. I didn’t even f*uck her. Can’t the physician check to be sure.”
“It is a bit early since it has only been a week. We need a month at least to be able to confirm her story.”
“A month!” Camilla exclaimed with wide eyes. “I don’t want her in this vicinity for another day and you want me to keep her for a month, you have got to be crazy.”
“I think we are past the stage of wants and needs right now, your majesty,” Caius cut in solemnly. “If she goes out with this information, you will both be ruined. She will wreck this monarchy from the roots. She has to come back in. We have to keep a steady eye on her until we can ascertain for a fact whether she is pregnant or not.”
“How long do you presume that will be?” Camilla asked with her hands crossed over her chest. “What if she gets pregnant for someone else and pins it on Ryker? There are so many variables to this. Can’t you see that? There has to be an endgame to all of this.”
“I know-”
“No, you don’t,” she cut him off.
The entire room was silent. She was breathing harshly and I had to place a hand on her lower back to calm her down. She turned to me and I could see just how shattered she was in her eyes. She looked broken and I wanted nothing more than to pull her to safety and cover her. I wanted to protect her from the sh*it show that was bound to happen any moment from now. Her eyes welled up with tears but she blinked them away.
She turned back to the elders and I took my time watching them. Caius and another elder looked exhausted. They looked like they wanted nothing to do with the situation and would have preferred to end it there and then. The others had varying degrees of eagerness and curiosity on their faces. I could tell that they were more interested in the drama than they were in finding a solution to the problem.
“What do you suggest?” Camilla asked after a second and a deep breath. “I don’t want her in the palace.”
“She has to be here your majesty, if not for our safety then to keep an eye on her. Like you said, she could easily sleep with someone else to pin the blame on his majesty. She could be in cohorts with someone outside of the palace or she could be telling the truth. Either way, we want her where we can see her, where we can watch her every move and make sure that she cannot get away with anything. The moment her cycle starts, we will know. If she is pregnant, we will know.”
I knew he was right, so did Camilla because she let out an exasperated sigh and put her head in her hands. My hands were still on her but even I could tell that wasn’t enough. If only I could remember exactly what happened. If only my memory would come back, maybe I would be able to set these things to rest. I had been trying to remember since the day after but it was almost like the event was wiped out from my brain. I hated it. I hated the not knowing and I hated the confusion.
“Do what you have to do,” I spoke up because I knew Camilla wouldn’t. “Just keep her under constant lock and key. I don’t want her walking around the palace and I don’t want her seeing anyone. I don’t want her within our line of sight either.”
Caius sighed. “Of course, your majesty, but if I might suggest something?” from his tone, I could tell I wouldn’t like what he had to say but I nodded regardless. “Perhaps you could go to her? It seems she has an interest in you since you are the subject of this whole – conflict – perhaps if you spoke to her then maybe you would be able to get something out of it.”
I risked a glance at Camilla who had an unreadable expression on her face. I wanted to know what she was thinking, I wanted to see into her mind but she was hiding from me. She never did that and it had me worrying.
“What do you think, Camilla?” I asked but she shrugged. “I want your advice.”
“I don’t even know anymore,” she admitted. “He has a point but what if she tries something again? If anyone sees you going into her room then this will make the rumors worse. We are looking to squash them and not blow air into a fire.”
“I’m afraid it is our only choice,” Caius said slowly. “She will not speak to anyone who is his majesty. If we have any plans to get answers out of her then it has to be like this.”
The elders left shortly after that leaving Camilla and I alone in the council room. She hadn’t looked at me since they left. She kept her face turned away from me and her spine straight. I could practically see the wheels turning in her mind and for the first time in a long time, her wall was carefully in place. I reached out for her and she stilled the moment I touched her skin but still didn’t turn to me.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered not knowing what else to say but she said nothing. “If I could go back in time, I would. I was the one who offered her a place in this palace. If I could go back then and-”
“You can’t,” she cut me off. “Unfortunately, my powers do not transcend into time traveling. Maybe one of our daughters will get the skill but then we would have to wait at least seventeen years so it will be of no use by then.”
“You’re upset,” I deduced and she just shrugged. “Camilla, I know I am not the right person to tell you how to feel but I would much rather prefer your anger to your silence. If you need to scream at me then do it. If you need to hit me, do it. I would take the brunt of that rather than this unfeeling shell you have become.”
She finally turned to me and I could see the utter sorrow in her eyes. It knocked me back a bit and my breath caught in my throat. She smiled sadly at me and reached out for my hand.
“I am not angry with you, Ryker. I am disappointed and upset that we didn’t notice this sooner. How did we not see that this was going to happen? How did we not see that she had a thing for you? How long had she been planning this?”
“You believe she set it up?” I asked and she shot me an incredulous look.
“Would you prefer that I believed you got her pregnant?” I went silent. “I think you should see her. They were right about one thing, she wants you and if you can get some answers out of her then do it. I don’t care what you have to do, just make sure that this ends quickly. The last thing either of us needs is to be explaining to our daughters why some random woman claims to have a child for you.”
“Are you sure?” I asked and she nodded.
“If that is the only way we can end this then so be it.”
That was how I ended up in the private living room waiting for Alara. I knew the exact moment she arrived at the palace and the moment she was led to her new room. She wasn’t to stay with the other ser*vants but she wasn’t staying with us either. Her room was on an isolated corridor and she was to have guards watching and monitoring her every move. I only gave her an hour to rest before I sent for her.
She walked into the room with wide eyes. She took in the entire place and I could see the awe in her expression. It was weird to see her out of her maid uniform but I couldn’t focus on her. The first thing I did was try to get a whiff of her scent, it was still predominantly hers- there was no sign of a baby yet.
“It is too early,” she said suddenly and I furrowed my brows in confusion. “You are trying to get a whiff of my scent, it won’t be obvious for another week or two.”
“Take a seat,” I ordered and she did as I asked without protest.
“I know you’re upset with me,” she began not bothering to look at me. “I just want you to know that it was never my intention to cause problems.”
“Wasn’t it?” I shot back and she went silent. “I should have known since the day you walked into my office after it was destroyed. I should have known that there was something about you but I chose to ignore it thinking that I was just reading into things.
How long have you planned this?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“But you do,” I leaned forward on my elbows. “You waited until I was alone and drugged. You waited until I was in a position where I would not be able to refuse and you decided to act out. Was it you who had me drugged?”
Her eyes welled with tears. “I would never do something like that. You came onto me. I didn’t refuse because of who you are.”
“How long did you spend practicing that line? How long have you been preparing to tell that story to whoever will listen?”
“I don’t appreciate the way this conversation is going. I didn’t do anything.”
“Okay then, I must have made a mistake. Only someone smart would have been able to do this.”
I stood up to leave but just as I got to the door, she spoke.
“Smart? Sit down, Ryker and let me show you smart.”
