The Warrior and The Princess

Chapter 26

Even though Sandh was no longer in the army, he certainly wasn't lacking in resources. Theoda stood across his room, arms crossed over his chest, glaring at him. Sandh, however, paid him no mind, sitting at the study desk, his attention fixed on a document in front of him.

"Where did you get that?" Theoda grunted, noticing the seal in the document that Sandh was reading. The document was from the Palace infirmary, detailing the status of the Queen Mother. How Sandh had managed to get his hands on such a confidential file was beyond Theoda's comprehension.

"From my source," came the swift, evasive reply.

"And what are you planning to do with it?" Theoda asked, his anger rising. If anyone found out Sandh had this, it could mean prison—even for someone of royal blood.

Sandh didn't even bother looking up. "I just need to find something in this document."

"What something?"

With an exasperated wave of his hand, his eyes still glued to the paper, Sandh snapped, "Would you shut up and let me read this? There's a lot of medical jargon here, and you're distracting me."

"I don't like what you're doing," Theoda said with a frown. "This is highly dangerous." He waited for a response, but Sandh remained silent. Frustrated, Theoda pressed further. "Caleth was your hero, Sandh. Our hero. Surely you don't believe he's as heartless as you think?"

Sandh scoffed, lowering his gaze further into the document. "I know it's hard to believe, but until I have facts to prove otherwise, he's no longer a hero to me."

Theoda let out a frustrated sigh. "When you find that something, what are you planning to do?"

Sandh didn't reply to him, too busy reading.

With a grunt, Theoda sat at the edge of the bed, waiting. He knew that when Sandh was like this, it was impossible to engage him in a conversation.

"You're breathing too hard." Sandh complained after a while. "It's distracting."

"I'm pissed off." Theoda said.

"I'll be with you in about... an hour."

Theoda sighed again, giving up.

***

Alina couldn't shake the thoughts swirling in her mind about Caleth's recent visit with Siella. She knew her husband well—he was always a planner, a strategist, never doing anything without a reason, and she suspected there was something more behind his actions than what appeared on the surface. Caleth's dedication to Ashyra was unwavering, and she couldn't help but wonder if, in the grand scheme of his plans, she might be a part of the cost he was willing to pay to protect the kingdom.

Alina felt conflicted. Caleth had to know she would never harm his mother—she adored Delia deeply. Yet his acceptance of the accusations felt too quick, too easy. Something didn't add up. And Siella—Caleth was well aware of her obsession with him. If he had wanted Siella, he could have had her long before they even met. The whole situation felt wrong, but no matter how hard she tried, Alina couldn't quite grasp what was really happening. Something was being kept from her, and it gnawed at her thoughts, leaving her with a sense of unease she couldn't shake.

Alina also couldn't ignore the excessive security around her. Twelve guards for one prisoner felt extreme, even considering her abilities. Sure, the crime she was accused of—killing the Queen Mother—was serious, but the level of caution seemed beyond what was necessary. Something didn't feel right. It was as if they weren't just guarding a prisoner; they were hiding something else entirely.

Alina replayed the trial in her mind. All seven council members had voted for her execution, and Caleth—silent and expressionless—had offered no objections. His brother, Jevan, had mirrored the same unsettling silence. Both of them were masters at controlling their expressions, making it impossible for anyone to discern their true thoughts or predict their actions. Then there was King Aires, whose sudden decision to imprison her instead of ordering an immediate execution felt oddly contrived. Everything had seemed scripted, down to the last moment when the King made his unexpected declaration.