Chapter 210

Evidently, the law moved a lot faster for the king than for anyone else I’d ever heard about because it was less than an hour later when the mousey chamberlain showed up.

He gave me a low bow. “Lady Elena,” he said. “I'm here to escort you to the opening proceedings of the trial.”

“Already? I guess the lawyers don't need any more time to prepare.”

He shot me in an incredulous look. “The lawyers have been working tirelessly on this case since, somehow, a recording of your private conversation with the king got admitted into the public sphere last night. They are at least prepared to take opening statements. Make sure you have yourself ready,” he said disdainfully.

“For what I demanded. I haven't even had time to consult with a lawyer or anything.”

“When making a blatant power grab, one ought to be prepared for the consequences.” The Chamberlain turned on his heel and started walking down the hall, not waiting for me.

Charles started after him, fury on his face, but I caught his arm and shook my head. He looked for a moment like he might go after mouse-man anyway, then tension released, and he nodded.

The two of us followed the chamberlain. Theo followed Charles and me. A hallway later we were joined by David. Theo must have texted him. Our two bodyguards flanked us from behind, protecting us. But the halls were empty.

Palace guards were posted at every cross hallway. They were all fully armed.

When we entered the courtroom, it was packed to the gills, mostly with people wearing press badges.

My chest suddenly felt naked without mine. If my role was reversed with literally any of those people in the press, I'd sure as hell be there trying to watch the trial of a lifetime, maybe even more than one lifetime, a generation.

The king sat on the side of the defendant, a sour expression on his face. The chamberlain led me to the opposite side and gestured for me to take a seat next to a man whose werewolf scent nearly knocked me off my feet when I squeezed past him.

It was as if he had bathed in pines sap. The smell almost stung my nose, but I didn't want to offend him, so I took a seat next to him. He leaned in my direction.

“You must be Miss Laurentia.”

I nodded.

“I'm your court-appointed lawyer, Mr. Wilcox. We'll have a chance to get better acquainted after opening statements.”

I made a face at him. “How are you supposed to make yours? When you've never even talked to me.”

He slid a pad of paper in my direction. “Write down all of the relevant details you feel that I need to know. But I already know about the blood test, and I've heard the tapes that were released. Or they edited?” he asked.

I shook my head. “The original copy is in safekeeping with someone I trust. Friends of mine are already working on making sure that the recording gets verified as authentic.”

His expression brightened a little. “That would be most useful. They haven't given me any time to prepare. But the arrest of the king and the appearance of an heir shakes Orlune to its very foundation. So they couldn't leave a trail like this hanging with no one but an unknown to run the country? Maybe if Queen Yarrow were here to take over while the king was indisposed, but…”

He left the word hanging. I knew where Queen Yarrow was, or I had known. Clearly, he had no clue as to her whereabout. Then again, the last time I’d spoken with her was a couple of weeks ago. Where she'd gone from there, I couldn't guess.

I wondered if this trial would bring her back to the palace or if she would stay hidden until she knew how the trial was going to turn out and whether or not she was safe. I certainly hoped she felt safe with me as the heir.

The judge walked in a few minutes later and all of us stood until the judge sat, and then we all took our seats, as well.

The king's lawyer stood and gave his opening statement. The long-winded man began going on and on about the king's legacy and everything that he had done for Orlune. The speech was a masterful spinning of the truth.

The lawyer made exactly the accusations that we had all feared, accusing me of trying to exploit the revelation that I was supposedly the king's heir and ultimately trying to make a power grab. They accused me of fabricating the conversation between the two of us to clear my path to royalty.

All the way through his statement, the king was very much the victim, and I was just some grasping nobody trying to drag myself out of my impoverished life. They painted me as having a villainous plan of first attaching myself to an alpha and then aiming for the throne.

When the king’s lawyer finally finished and took a seat, my lawyer stood and gave an opening statement, as well. He declared my innocence and swore that he could prove that nothing about the tape had been doctored.

Mr. Wilcox talked about the fact that I had had no idea that I was the king's offspring until mere hours before the release of the tape. So, then, how could I plan for a takeover of the throne, using my fiancé as a ladder?

When my lawyer finished and sat, the judge banged her gavel and gave the entire courtroom a slow, hard stare.

“These circumstances are unheard of,” she started. “Therefore, standard court proceedings are hardly adequate to deal with these circumstances. Especially since it is impossible to find a jury of the king's peers when Orlune is quite short on royalty.”

“We've given the alphas forty-eight hours to assemble,” she continued, “because they are the closest thing that the king will get to a jury of his peers. Also sitting on the jury will be will be the top judges from each judicial district in Orlune.”

“Until then, I'm adjourning this trial.” The judge focused on my lawyer, Mr. Wilcox. “You have until we reconvene to sift through the evidence and prepare your case.”

“Forty-eight hours!” I heard the king exclaim.

His lawyer leaned and whispered furiously to him, and the king fell silent. But the look on his face said everything I needed to know. He thought the gap was unacceptable.

I gave Mr. Wilcox's sleeve a tug.

He leaned toward me. “What?” he hissed.

“What about my safety?” I asked. “The king looks furious.”

Mr. Wilcox let out a sign and raised his hand.

“Yes, Mr. Wilcox?” The judge invited him to speak.

“We would like to request that the king be kept under house arrest in his portion of the palace. He already has his own wing, which has restricted access. But I fear for my client's safety, seeing as how he allegedly threatened her once already.”

The judge pressed her lips together firmly before speaking. “I don't see any reason not to agree to your request.”

“Objection!” the king’s lawyer shouted.

The judge held out her hand to quiet him. “Objection overruled.” She looked hard at the king's lawyer. “They didn't request that the king be jailed. Only that he is not free to wander and possibly threaten anyone.”