Each year the Kingdom of Khearia throws a festival in remembrance of one of their most beloved kings who had tragically perished along with his wife and second son. His first son, Prince Fabian, was the only one to survive. Witnesses claimed his cro...
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There was nothing in the palace's library that gave any indication as to who James really was. Whilst there were many connected families to the Ankaid royal house, only one person matched James' age and that was a person Alex had personally met before on one occasion. It was possible James had been lying about his age, but the people that were within ten years of his claimed age were politically active.
ㅤWas it possible he was marked as dead?
ㅤAlex sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. Too many men who fit his age in the adjacent houses were dead as a result of war and disease. Even if he used James' exact age and traced it back fifteen years prior, there were numerous candidates to choose from. It was like trying to pick a single thread out from a rope whilst blindfolded, he had no idea which strand to tug on.
ㅤThe death rate had fallen since the country of Ashad had agreed to a truce but the death toll among the aristocrats had been excessive in the near past considering their military importance.
ㅤHe supposed he could try asking again but James had refused to answer once before and it seemed to be a touchy subject. He didn't want to poke the sleeping lion. As long as he remained on James' good side, he could remain involved in the coup. Alex needed to be important to his father and the more entrenched in the plot he was, the more value and power he would have.
ㅤHe mustn't lose sight of his goals.
ㅤAsking anyone else wasn't an option either, there was a risk they'd tell the duke about it. He couldn't let his father ever come to know that he was making his own moves outside of orders.
ㅤHe was going to have to keep searching independently.
ㅤRiley's key for the records room was still in his possession. He'd been reckless not to turn it in but he didn't think Riley would have reported it considering he shouldn't have lended it out in the first place. It was possible Alex would be able to find something in the case files if he looked.
ㅤHe made his way down those narrow stone steps, the air dusty and smoky. He carefully watched his feet as he descended with his lamp, not wanting to fall and break his neck. People had died in stranger ways.
ㅤThe air was dry and sooty as always, the ashy taste sticking to the back of his mouth. It perpetually made him want to clear his throat to force the taste out but he knew from experience that no amount of coughing would get rid of the sensation.
ㅤThere was no one behind the front desk. Normally that wouldn't have been unusual at this time of the night but the royal knights had been placed on perpetual overtime since the plot began. The fires were still going so someone must have been keeping an eye on the place.
ㅤFrowning, Alex tried the archive door, finding it locked. He used Riley's key to open it, his hand automatically hovered by his side where his sword would normally sit but he was unarmed.
