Chapter 216

It took me a long time to fall asleep that night, plagued both by worry and growing apprehension over how the next day was going to play out. It could end up being the longest, most brutal day of my life, if I had to spend it waiting and wondering what the jury was going to decide.

Worse, what if they took weeks? Months? I’d go crazy before I found myself free from this mess.

When we woke in the morning, Charles distracted me by teasing me in every possible way before bringing me to yet another overwhelmingly intense orgasm. I would never have thought that pleasure and pain could be such close neighbors, but he managed. However Charles and I were connecting in bed right now, it was certainly coming very close to more than I could handle.

Theo must have told the chef what my favorite foods were because when Charles and I left the bedroom, breakfast was waiting for us. And it was one of my favorites. Belgian waffles with lots of fresh strawberries and whipped cream.

I sat down and ate ravenously. Despite the anxiety riding me, the one thing pregnancy was not letting me do was lose my appetite. Although, thinking back on it, I realize that those mornings that I had been sick might have actually been morning sickness.

I wondered if I was far enough along to be over that and, if I was, how far along that meant I'd gotten.

I swear Gwen watched me eat with a gleam in her eye. But she said nothing one way or the other. For which I was grateful.

When she finished her waffle, she patted her mouth with a napkin and sat back in her chair, eyeing me. “Have you decided how you're going to keep yourself occupied until the jury comes back with its verdict?” she asked as if somehow reading the apprehension I was trying to bury.

I shook my head. “In all honesty, I haven’t. And I've been almost as worried about how to keep myself from going crazy as I have been about the actual verdict,” I admitted.

She nodded. “I thought as much. I think we could all use something to do. The judge gave you instructions on who to admit into your chambers. But if you trust me, I can have some entertainment delivered to here.”

“Of course, I trust you,” I said. “What were you thinking about having sent in?”

She smiled at me and shook her head. “That's not how this works,” She said. “I'm not giving you a head start on knowing what I've got planned. The surprise is half of the fun for keeping your mind occupied.”

Charles smiled at his mother. “I agree with you. I think we could all use some distraction. Whatever it is you have up your sleeve, go ahead and do it,” he said.

“Excellent.” She stood at the same time my phone rang.

I rushed to get it.

“Elena?” It was Mr. Wilcox, my lawyer.

“Is there news?” I rushed, gasping and half-choking on my own spit in my excitement.

“There is news,” he said.

The pause before he spoke again seemed to take years. It made me want to scream.

“We're due court in an hour,” he explained.

“So fast?”

“Yes. I don’t know if this is a good or bad thing, but I'll see you there.”

“Okay.” I dropped the phone the moment he hung up and stared between the others. “The verdict is back,” I said.

All the feeling had drained from my body. I didn't know if this was the start of a whole new, wonderful life for me. Or the start of my doom. But at least I wasn't going to have to wait around for answers.

Just knowing was a huge relief. Now, if only my luck continued to go that well.

I rushed into the bedroom to get ready to go, followed by Charles. This time, he didn't bother to distract me. Instead, he focused on getting himself ready, as well.

He put on his best suit, and he looked so handsome it shouldn't be allowed. It wasn't fair that he would go into court looking so good.

And I'm sure, after the night of worry that I had spent, that I was going to go in looking like a raccoon, even with makeup trying to cover the dark circles under my eyes.

Charles and I stayed hand-in-hand and silent all the way to the courthouse, where Mr. Wilcox was already waiting for us.

I hurried over to him. “Any ideas?” I asked, hoping that he would have some words of comfort to ease my mind, but he just shook his head.

“They don't tell us these things ahead of time,” he replied. “Even lawyers have to wait for the jury's decision, just like everyone else.”

“Even so,” I pressed. “There was like no indication of which way things were leaning?”

He took my hand in one of his and patted the back of it with his other hand. “If I could spare you the anxiety, I would,” he promised. “But I honestly have no idea how this is going to play out. The best we can all do is hope that the jury isn't too frightened of the king to come back with a reasonable verdict.”

He smiled at me and then let go of my hand. “But remember, you have my word. No matter what happens, I will do my best for you.”

I nodded and tried to take solace in the fact that, one way or another, this man was my ally.

It seemed to take forever for the judge to take her place. The waiting was ridiculously agonizing.

When she finally sat, she wasted no time addressing the jury. “Have you reached a verdict?” she asked.

The head of the jury stood. He was a stern-faced alpha, and from his expression, I got no indication of whether or not things had gone in my favor.

“We have your honor,” he replied, and he held up an envelope, then opened it where the entire court could see him pulling out the piece of paper on the inside.

Several lifetimes seemed to pass in the moments it took for him to unfold that piece of paper so that he could read the verdict formally. And I think my heart started, stopped, and restarted several times during that space.

“The jury finds the king guilty.”

The court erupted in noise, and I couldn't hear what he continued to read through the rushing of blood in my own ears. Goddess, in heaven. They had found the king guilty, which meant that I was safe. Or at least safe from the king directly. I was now officially in line for the throne, and no one in that sort of position was ever completely safe.

“Order! Order!” the judge yelled, banging her gavel on the desk. The courtroom fell silent.

“Officers, please arrest the former king and take him to the palace prison, where he will await sentencing. I will take through the weekend to decide, and the court will reconvene on Monday with my decision.” With that, she stood, and we all joined her, and she left the building.

I let out a huge sigh of relief. The king was no longer a danger to me.