Ascension Saga: 4. Grace Goodwin
door slammed ahead of me, her squeals of laughter clearly heard through the thick panel.
Yes! The library. Her room was empty!
I ran to the side cupboard, put down the partially full glass of wine and made my way to the lady’s room as quickly as possible. She locked herself in here for hours and hours. Now was my chance!
Closing the door quietly behind me, I took in the high ceiling, the large bed covered in ivory material even softer than silk. The carpeting was so thick I would have to rough up the floor on my way out to cover the evidence of deep footfalls with each step I took.
I started in the closet, opening and closing everything. Searching pockets. Shoes. Decorative boxes. Nothing.
Moving on to her desk, I pulled at the drawer, found it locked. Damn it.
“Key. Key. Where’s the key?” It looked like an old-fashioned lock. The lock on the lord’s desk had been much more advanced. I’d had to copy a fingerprint from one of his wine glasses and record his voice to gain access. But I’d found nothing there. Business and banking documents. All public and confirmed by hours of research I’d done on their version of the internet.
But Lady Jax? She was much more of a mystery to me, and my instincts told me she knew a lot more than she let on.
Lying on my back on the floor, I slid under the desk and saw the key jammed into a small space between the wooden braces in one corner. “Gotcha.”
I grabbed the key, slid out from beneath the desk and unlocked the drawer. Before I could open it, a woman’s cutting voice stopped me cold.
“What do you think you are doing?”
Frozen in place, I slowly looked over my shoulder to find Lord and Lady Jax staring at me from the now open bedroom door.
“Just tidying up in here.” God, I really needed to work on my lying. Even Lord Jax didn’t believe me. I could see it in the scowl on his face, the way his lips tightened into a thin line.
“Well, my lord, it appears we have found the one leaking information to our enemies.”
Who, me? She couldn’t possibly be talking about me. Right?
Wrong.
Lord Jax’s face turned red with anger. “Guards!”
Whirling to face them, I kept my hands behind me and relocked the drawer. “I was cleaning the room. That is all.”
“I don’t believe you. The way the Jax name is being destroyed in the media? The way we’re losing our integrity, our honor? Because people like you and your evil, wicked ways.” Lady Jax walked to me and yanked me away from her desk. Boy, she could be strong! I took the opportunity to flick the key under the chair behind me. It was the best I could do. At least I wouldn’t have it on me.
“You dare enter my mate’s quarters without permission?” Lord Jax was no longer soft or amiable. Now he was a male defending his mate, and I was screwed.
Two burly, well-armed guards were at the door and he stepped aside. “Lock her up in my office and summon our son and the police.”
Lady Jax went to his side, shaking like a leaf at the great danger I was to her. I didn’t think it was in fear, but fury. His scowl deepened and he wrapped his arms around her protectively. They were both flushed but it hadn’t been long enough for even a quickie in the library. I had to assume they’d decided to take a bit more time here in her bedroom. Lucky me.
“Shouldn’t we summon the palace guard? The Optimus unit? They’re the ones investigating. She is the mole, love. She is the reason so many of our guards are dead. She probably sent that traitor, Zel, to kidnap the princess at the royal reception!” She sounded as if she were on the verge of a complete breakdown. Tears. Trembling. Jeez. The woman deserved a freaking acting award.
But then, maybe she really did believe I was the mole in the Jax household. I was here, looking for him—or her—myself. So was the Optimus unit.
The guards stormed in and grabbed me. Their hands were rough, and I couldn’t blame them. If they believed what Lady Jax was saying—and they had no reason not too—I was, most likely, the reason their men had been killed the night of mine and my sisters’ arrival on Alera.
Double screwed.
“I want Thor to talk to her first, but I want the police as well, just in case she turns violent. Thor can decide what to do with her… and whether or not he wants to hand her over to the police or the palace.”
The palace guard would be easy. I could just ask to see Trinity. She’d rescue me from her own guards. But the police? Assuming I was the mole, would they just torture and kill me? Lock me up? Make me disappear?
I could tell them that I was a princess now, but they’d never believe me. Everyone on the planet was looking for me and my sister, Destiny. Everyone, although no one knew what we looked like, or even that we were princesses. And I’d been cleaning bathrooms and waiting on them hand and foot? Yep. Not exactly royal behavior. And besides, maybe this way the real traitor would show his face, or at least come at me so he could gloat.
I’d have to let this play out.
When the guards led me away, I didn’t fight. And when they stood guard around me in Lord Jax’s office as they awaited Thor and the police, I refused to cry.
I was a fucking princess.
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