"A what?" Johnson, one of Duke’s Josef subordinates scoffed when he heard what Ava just said to everyone. By now, the chaos that the woman caused earlier subsided.
Despite this, the monarch was still furious but at the request of Lord Damon, he had no choice but to continue. Though, the Duke earlier already excused himself.
Johnson knew that trouble would be coming.
Actually, what Ava said was just the last straw that broke the camel’s back. The King and the Duke had been struggling for power for the past ten years now. The three Dukes had been wanting to challenge the King but Duke Josef’s presence was enough to threaten them. The three other Duke knew that they wouldn’t be able to fight against Duke Asad and so, they chose to stay hidden and wait for the right opportunity.
Of course, the King knew about this but he couldn’t really challenge anyone lower than him. So, all he could do was wait for them to challenge his authority. This has caused a standstill that everyone hated.
And it had been like this for the past few years.
The fact that Ava used those words against a Duke was actually a brilliant strategy. The woman must have known the current situation inside the palace so, she chose to use her words to try and sow discord between the King and the Duke. Of course, the King immediately bit the bait. And now, the trial has been postponed for a few hours as the King planned to punish the Duke for sleeping with his concubine.
The King didn’t even investigate the matter and just concluded that Ava’s words were right as he wanted to use this opportunity to kill one of the Dukes that he had been challenging his authority in silence.
To other people who didn’t know about the real situation, Ava’s actions were foolish. How could she just blatantly accuse the duke of sleeping with the King’s concubine?
It was nothing but a struggle to postpone the trial as she didn’t find anything useful in her investigation.
But to someone like Johnson who knew about current affairs, it was a very brilliant move.
Even Duke Asad thought the same. He could see it in the way the man smiled as if... he was very proud of what he did.
"A record?" Johnson continued asking when he heard another knight mention it. "A witch’s magick doesn’t work inside that hall." The palace was built on top of an ancient magick circle that stops a witch from using a witch’s magick and limiting the use of magick from a demon. In fact, one cannot teleport inside the palace because of this very reason. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
But Ava just told everyone that she is going to provide a confession. A magickal recording of what had transpired when the concubine visited her earlier. Not only this, Ava also mentioned that the video was proof that the concubine was the one who killed the Prince. It wasn’t Alexandra.
Johnson eyed the King’s expression.
Just from the looks of it, there is a possibility that the King would grant Alexandra freedom.
Johnson then looked towards Duke Asad who was still smiling like a child who received a candy.
He couldn’t help but wonder why the Duke was acting like this.
It was well known in and outside of the capital that the Duke never liked women. There were even rumors that he liked men and this was the reason why he surrounded himself with good-looking men.
Who would have thought that the Duke would suddenly become insane just because of a single other— worlder?
Seeing the crazed look in the Duke’s eyes, Johnson lowered his head. He had no right to criticize the Duke’s actions.
The smell of something burning soon caught Johnson’s attention. He lifted his gaze and looked at the fog that appeared on Ava’s hand.
"What kind of magick is that?"
"That doesn’t feel like a witch’s magick?"
"Are you telling me she is a deamon?"
"No. She didn’t feel like someone with an essence."
Soon, the murmurs became louder.
But it went silent as the recorder started playing. On it was Ava, Duke Josef, and Concubine Esmeralda.
"That’s a lie!" Esmeralda hissed. "That didn’t happen! Moreover, there is no way that a witch could— "
"Silence!" The King uttered.
And Ava successfully played the video in front of everyone.
Speechless, Johnson stared at Ava’s calm expression. He immediately started to wonder what she was. How could an other worlder perform magick inside this palace? This fact along puzzled everyone else inside the hall.
"But this doesn’t prove that Alexandra... didn’t stab the prince," Another concubine uttered. "So what if Sister Esmeralda gave him medicine? She didn’t stab her own son. The fault still lies with the person who... stabbed the late prince!"
"I agree! Why would you blame the mother for trying to help her son?"
"There is no way that Sister Esme would do something like this!"
"Silence!"
"But your majesty— "
"Kill her," The Monarch hissed at the woman who tried to interrupt her. Almost immediately two men wearing black appeared behind the woman and slit her throat.
The actions immediately turned everyone silent.
"What is it that you want?" The Monarch said.
"I know that your majesty is a magnanimous individual. Please spare Alexandra. She didn’t harm anyone."
"But that woman was right. Esmeralda might have given the medicine but she didn’t stab her own son."
"The intent was there," Ava said. "Without the medicine, the prince would have lived."
The monarch narrowed at Ava.
"Very well... since you wanted Alexandra out then I shall give her to you but in exchange, you must work for me."
"With all due respect your majesty— "
"Let me continue," the man said just as he vile smirk appeared on his face. "I have no intention of keeping you. However, Duke Asad needed someone like you by his side. He needed someone that is smart and quick-witted. Someone that could help him with his duties. You have no reason to decline. You will start working with him tomorrow!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
