Chapter 30

It was going to be an eventful day, Amelia presumed. She’d agreed to meet with Harry at the market; it was the perfect place since it was a few miles away from Maria’s house. She gazed around, her eyes searching for him. It was unlike him to be tardy.

Placing her hand on her hip, she took in the fragrance she’d grown to love. He was right in front of her.

“Nice costume, your highness,” she chuckled, and Harry flinched.

“What is the matter?” She questioned sweetly, glancing at him.

“It is a disguise, not a costume,” he whispered. “No one was supposed to recognize me.” He frowned.

Amelia smirked, “your fragrance.”

Harry formed his mouth in an oval. But candidly speaking, he could pass out to be a middle-aged man considering the fake mustache and glasses he had on.

Side by side, they began to stride in silence. It was amazing how so much could be said—how so much can be felt in silence.

Suddenly, Amelia grimaced. “At the ball,” she began, and Harry paused to gaze at her. “You and Francesca were mocking me.”

“I only care for you,” he said, making her heart twist.

Still, it didn’t wipe out the fact they mocked her.

“She gazed at me, and was laughing, mocking me.”

She knew she was acting like a little pup, but for all she cared.

“I only told her to laugh to convince people we had some form of chemistry,” his voice lowered, “but I might have told her to gaze back to make you, you know…jealous.” He gave a sly smile.

“You’re—”

“I’m sorry,” he said, reaching for her hand.

Another wave of silence lingered around. Maria’s house was now in view, and some women were leaving the place.

“It is strange, don’t you believe so?” Her wolf said.

“It is,” she replied.

Harry pushed her to the side of a wall, peering around. Amelia felt her heart flame up; he was so close to her. “What is the Big plan?” He questioned after cocking his head back at her, “we can’t just walk in there.”

To be candid, there was no ‘big plan’.

“I have no idea,” she sighed.

What was she thinking? Coming here without a plan.

Suddenly, she smiled, feeling the bright light over her head. A maid was approaching the gate; she seemed clueless, one she could suck out information from.

“Stay right here,” she whispered to Harry, but he shook his head.

“She might recognize you!” Amelia tried to whisper but failed.

“I’m not leaving your side, Amelia.” He simply said. She gazed at him intently, finally heaving a sigh of defeat.

“Fine.”

Every woman wanted to feel important in the country, and the best way, she thought, to gain the lady’s fondness was to treat her like a real lady.

“Greetings, my distinguished lady,” Amelia bowed. Harry stood frozen, and she hit him by the side.

“Follow my lead,” she said, through the mind link.

“This woman,” Harry said, but she blocked him out and continued to smile at the lady.

“We work in the house next door,” Amelia said, “so exhausting,” she dramatically clamped her hand on her chest.

“But you…you look so gorgeous, my lady,” she said, and the lady returned her smile, fondling the valise around her shoulder.

“Thank you,” she simply said, and Amelia knew she’d broken a wall.

“I work all day, it gets so tiring,” Amelia muttered with the most depressing voice.

“I share your hurt,” the lady had a grin at the side of her lips, finally looking interested.

“This country…this country forgets women like us,” Amelia sighed, trying her best not to go overboard.

“We haven’t heard from the king for over a month,” the lady whispered and leaned, “and the prince…he does nothing!”

Amelia smiled internally, her scowl hinted at her dislike for Francesca, most likely. She gazed sideways. Harry had shifted. The lady had basically just insulted him.

“Is this what my people think of me?” He said through the mind link.

“They know nothing about your sacrifices,” Amelia responded, “you’re a wonderful prince and would even make a better king.”

Amelia diverted back to the woman, “How long have you been abiding here, my lady?”

“Since the chancellor, May his soul Rest In Peace, was alive,” she clamped her hand on her chest, “he was a good man.”

Amelia smiled, “I heard so much about him.”

“You know what to do,” her wolf said, and she nodded.

She knew exactly what to do.

“I heard he was very ill,” she frowned, “so tragic!”

“You’d make a beautiful actress, '' Harry said through the mind link, and Amelia tried to hold in her stirrings of laughter.

“The poor man. He was so frail,” she said, it was clear that she was trying to hold in a torrent of tears. She clamped her hand on the lady’s shoulder and patted it tenderly.

“He was always coughing out blood,” the lady said, and Amelia cut her off.

“High temperature? Shortness of breath?” The lady froze.

“How did you…” the lady trailed.

“Is it possible…” Harry said through the mind link.

Amelia herself wasn’t shocked by the revelation. They were the same symptoms as the king.

Thomas Flyer had passed on years ago. It only meant Maria had discovered the passage much earlier than she had.

The woman was a murderer.

It was unbelievable.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Amelia said to the lady, “but I reckon you’re busy, I hope to see you again.” She smiled.

“Goodbye!” The lady yelled from behind as they stalked away from her. Amelia jerked her head and waved.

“Maria Flyer might perhaps be the mastermind of the killings,” Harry said after a while.

“She’s a cruel woman.” Amelia shook her head. She thought they were the same—women with the same mandate. It was disappointing.

For a moment they strode silently, their hands swinging and crashing into each other. Amelia cocked her head. He was already looking at her.

Her heart stopped for a second, “why are you staring?” She smiled nervously.

Harry had his hands behind his back, “I keep wondering what I would have done without you,” he said, and she buried her head; it was humble of him, really.

“You’d have done a pretty good job,” she said, wavering for a moment, “what is the next step?”

“I really don’t know,” he scratched the back of his head, “I shall think of something tonight.”

“I see,” she said, “I have to go now.” The house was close by, and she didn’t want her mother to see them together.

“Allow me to escort—”

“I shall be fine,” she cut him off, and he raised a brow.

Just before diverting, he held her hand tenderly, “I love you, Amelia.” He revealed. Without waiting for a response, he stalked away, her gaze following his trail.

How could he just confess it so casually?

She felt her heart thumping as she continued to stride ahead. Suddenly, she paused. She was having a bad feeling in her stomach, and—

She felt a hard blow at the back of her head, so painful she fell to the ground.

Her eyes blurred, but she could clearly count the five figures that'd ambushed her. There was no way to escape.

She tried to connect with Harry’s mind-link, but he was too far.

Her eyes were shutting, but just before it went black, she noticed a familiar face.

Beth….