Chapter 12 Losing Game
ARTHUR'S POV
"She's heading to House Noir's estate, Your Highness."
My spy —Tir— stood at attention in my study, hands clasped behind his back.
Going home. Back to her family.
I should have felt relieved. The difficult wife was leaving. Instead, something cold settled in my chest.
"What else?" I asked, my voice coming out rougher than I intended.
Tir hesitated. "Your Highness, I wasn't able to hear her full discussion, but... there was a man in her chambers. They spoke for some time before she departed."
My hands stilled on the document I'd been pretending to read. "A man. In her private chambers."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The vampire. Had to be.
Something cold and sharp twisted in my chest. Not jealousy. Couldn't be jealousy.
Just... concern. For her safety.
"Your Highness?" Tir prompted carefully. "Shouldn't we have him arrested?"
"No." The word came out sharper than I intended. I forced myself to breathe. "That creature could kill half the palace guard before they realized what was happening. If you value your life, keep your distance."
Tir's face paled slightly. "Then what should I—"
"Watch Silver. Report her movements, her safety, anything unusual." I met his eyes. "But do not engage with the vampire. If she appears to be in danger, you come directly to me. Understood?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"And Tir—" I paused. "Be discreet. If Silver realizes she's being followed..."
“I understand, Your Highness." He bowed.
The door closed behind him, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
What was Raven's true intention? He'd gone from captured assassin to a man in my wife's chambers.
\~~~
I swept my arm across the desk. Papers scattered. An ink bottle crashed to the floor, black liquid spreading across the marble like blood.
The sound of breaking glass was sharp in the silence.
What was I doing?
Silver had changed. Become cold and I'd driven her to it.
Every bit of it. My fault.
I was an asshole. I'd treated her like trash. Ignored her. And now...
I ran a hand through my hair. Why did it feel like I was losing something I'd never actually had?
I sank into my chair, head in my hands.
\~~~
"Your Highness."
I looked up. A servant stood in the doorway, carefully avoiding looking at the mess on the floor.
"What is it?"
"Baron Aldric requests an audience. He's waiting in the garden."
I frowned. "Baron Aldric?"
"Yes, Your Highness. He says it's urgent.
"Tell him I'll meet him in the garden," I said, standing.
\~~~
Baron Aldric was a thin man with sharp features and graying hair. He stood by the rose bushes, hands clasped behind his back, looking like a minor nobleman trying very hard to appear important.
"Your Highness." He bowed. Just deep enough to be respectful, not deep enough to show real deference. "Thank you for seeing me."
I didn't waste time on pleasantries. "What is it?"
"Direct. I appreciate that." His smile didn't reach his eyes. "Shall we sit? This may take some time."
I gestured to the bench. We sat.
"I assume," Baron Aldric began, "that you're wondering why I requested this meeting in the garden rather than your study."
"I assumed you had your reasons."
"Your father's spies are everywhere in the palace, Your Highness. But the gardens..." He glanced around. "The gardens muffle conversations quite effectively."
I said nothing. Let him talk.
"Cateline is my daughter," he said. "My only child. And she's told me about your... arrangement."
My jaw tightened. "What arrangement?"
"The arrangement where you promised to marry my daughter." His eyes locked on mine. "Cateline tells me that when you dissolve your marriage to Lady Silver, you intend to marry her instead."
The words hit me like cold water.
Had I said something? Some careless words in Cateline's bed when she'd asked about our future? Some half-promise made in a moment of frustration with Silver?
I couldn't remember. And that was the problem.
"I'm married," I said carefully. "To Lady Silver. So I don't know why you'd think I would promise such a thing."
Baron Aldric's smile was thin. "Your wife just left the palace. Made quite the scene with my daughter. Cateline still has the mark on her cheek from where your wife struck her."
"Silver didn't strike Cateline," I said coldly. "Cateline struck Silver. In front of witnesses. She assaulted the Crown Princess."
"Details." He waved a hand dismissively. "The point is, your marriage is crumbling. And when it does, Cateline expects you to honor your word."
"I gave her no word of marriage—"
"Then perhaps you should clarify that with her yourself." His voice hardened. "But understand this, Your Highness. My daughter's reputation is at stake. If you cast her aside after all this time, there will be... consequences."
"I trust that's not a threat?"
"Perish the thought. I'm merely stating facts." He leaned forward. "But I didn't come here to threaten you, Your Highness. I came to offer help."
"Help."
"I know how to remove House Noir's political power." His voice dropped. "Weaken them enough that divorce becomes not just possible, but advantageous. Free you from that marriage properly."
Every instinct told me to walk away. To call the guards. To end this immediately.
But I needed to know what he was planning.
"House Noir is one of the Five Founding Houses," I said slowly. "Their power is absolute. You can't simply—"
"Remove them? No. But undermine them? Discredit them? Create enough political pressure that the King himself would support dissolving your marriage?" He smiled. "That can be done. With the right moves. The right pressure. The right... accidents."
"You must be a genius, thinking I can't see your schemes perfectly.
"It's not a scheme—I'm talking about freeing you from a loveless marriage to a woman who clearly despises you." He watched me carefully. "Or do you want to ignore the fact that she's changed toward you?"
How much had Cateline told her father? My hands clenched into fists.
"Silver is my wife," I said, voice low and dangerous. "And nothing will change that. If you have issues with my personal affairs, take them up with your daughter. But do not presume to involve yourself in my marriage or threaten House Noir."
Baron Aldric's face reddened. "Your Highness, I'm offering you a way out—"
"If I need a way out, I can figure it out myself." I stood. "If you have nothing else to say, good day, Baron."
"You're making a mistake—"
For a moment, he looked like he wanted to argue. Then something in my expression must have convinced him otherwise.
"Yes, Your Highness." The words were forced through clenched teeth.
"Good. Now get out of my sight."
He left.
I watched him go and felt nothing but cold certainty.
I stood alone in the garden after Baron Aldric disappeared into the palace.
I needed to talk with Silver after she returned. But first, I had to end things with Cateline.
I'd spent a month wishing Silver would stop loving me.
Now she had.
And all I could think about was how to make her look at me again. Really look at me. Not with desperation or tears, but with... something. Anything but that terrible indifference.
I turned back toward the palace.
Life was already a mess, and I wasn't even king yet.
\---