Cassandra's POV
Helena's knife gleamed in the candlelight.
Going somewhere? my former best friend asked sweetly.
My mind raced. Marcus was in danger. Adrian had gone to see the dying king. And Helena stood between me and the door with a blade.
Put that away, I said carefully. This is ridiculous.
Is it? Helena's smile twisted. You're sneaking out in the middle of the night. On your wedding night. That seems pretty suspicious to me.
My brother might be dying.
Or it's a convenient excuse to run away from your new husband. She stepped closer. I saw how you looked at Lord Ravenshade during the ceremony. Like you wanted to kill him. Can't say I blame you, being forced to marry the man who murdered your father must be horrible.
Her voice dripped with false sympathy.
Move aside, Helena.
The Queen should know about this. About how the new duchess is already causing problems. The knife didn't waver. Unless... you convince me not to tell her.
What do you want?
Information. What did Lord Ravenshade say to you in the council chamber? What are you two planning?
So that's what this was. The Queen's spy, gathering intelligence.
We're not planning anything, I lied. I hate him. He hates being trapped in this marriage. That's all.
Helena studied my face. I don't believe you.
I don't care what you believe.
Then I'll tell the Queen you tried to escape. That you're already plotting rebellion—
The door behind Helena burst open.
Adrian filled the doorway, still in his bloodstained wedding clothes. His eyes took in the scene instantly, Helena with the knife, me backed against the wall.
Drop it, he said quietly.
Helena spun. My lord! I caught her trying to
I said drop the knife. Now.
Something in his voice made Helena obey. The blade clattered to the floor.
Leave, Adrian commanded. And if you ever threaten my wife again, you'll regret it.
Helena's face flushed. I was protecting you! She was running away
She was going to check on her brother. As any decent person would. He stepped aside from the doorway. Get out. Before I have you arrested for drawing a weapon in the ducal chambers.
Helena shot me a venomous look, then fled.
When we were alone, Adrian locked the door. Bolted it.
Thank you, I said quietly.
Don't thank me yet. He looked exhausted. We have bigger problems. The king collapsed from poison. The physicians think he might not survive the night.
My stomach dropped. And if he dies?
The Queen becomes absolute ruler. Adrian ran a hand through his hair. She'll move against anyone she considers a threat. Starting with us.
What about Marcus?
Your brother's stable. The poison didn't kill him because someone warned the physicians in time. His eyes found mine. Someone who has spies watching the dungeons.
You.
Me. He moved to his desk, gathering papers. But Cassandra, if the king dies and the Queen takes full power, I won't be able to protect Marcus anymore. Or you.
The weight of it crushed down on me. We were running out of time.
What do we do?
We survive the night. Together. He glanced at the door. The guards outside report to the Queen. They'll be listening for any sign that we're not... behaving like newlyweds.
Heat flooded my face. You mean they expect us to
They expect to hear a wedding night happening. His jaw tightened. We need to make them believe we're playing our roles. Fighting publicly, but ultimately... consummating the marriage.
My heart hammered. Absolutely not.
I'm not suggesting we actually, He looked away, neck flushing. I'm saying we need to make noise. Convince them we're doing what they expect. Otherwise they'll report our suspicious behavior to the Queen.
This is insane.
This is survival. He met my eyes. I'll sleep in the study. You take the bed. But first, we need to have a very loud argument that sounds convincing.
Despite everything, I almost laughed. That won't be hard.
No, he agreed quietly. It won't.
We stared at each other. Then he raised his voice.
You'll sleep where I tell you to sleep! he shouted.
I flinched at the volume. Then understood.
I'd rather sleep on the floor! I yelled back.
Ungrateful He stormed across the room, making his boots thud heavily. I saved your brother's life!
You destroyed my family!
I threw a pillow at him. He caught it, fighting what looked like a smile.
Then his expression shifted. He mouthed: Keep going.
Everything you touch turns to ashes! I screamed.
He slammed a drawer. Knocked over a chair. Made it sound like a real fight.
You think I wanted this? he roared. You think I wanted to marry a woman who hates me?
Then let me go!
Never! He kicked the chair across the room with a crash. Then grabbed my wrist, pulling me close.
His eyes were intense. Asking permission.
I nodded slightly.
He shoved me, gently toward the bed. The frame creaked loudly.
You're mine now, he growled, voice carrying. Whether you like it or not.
My breath caught. He sounded so convincing. So dangerous.
But his hand on my arm was careful. Protective.
I pushed him away hard. He stumbled backward into furniture with a satisfying crash.
I'll never be yours! I shouted.
More crashing. More yelling. We created a symphony of conflict that must have satisfied the guards outside.
Finally, Adrian's voice dropped to exhausted-sounding. Fine. Sleep in your hatred. See if I care.
Silence fell.
I counted to sixty. Then whispered, Did it work?
I think so. He rubbed his shoulder where he'd actually hit the wall. That might bruise.
I'm sorry
Don't be. It was brilliant. He moved toward the study door. Get some rest. Tomorrow will be difficult.
Adrian, wait.
He paused.
Earlier, you said you reviewed my father's evidence a hundred times. That you think it was forged. I wrapped my arms around myself. Why didn't you say something? Why testify if you had doubts?
Pain crossed his face. I didn't have doubts then. Only after. He leaned against the doorframe. After I watched him die. After I saw you in the crowd, looking at me like I was a monster. I couldn't sleep for weeks. So I reviewed everything again. And again. Looking for what I'd missed.
What did you find?
Inconsistencies. Small ones. The kind you'd only notice if you knew what to look for. He pulled documents from his desk. Your father's signature. See here? The pressure on certain letters is different. Like someone traced it rather than wrote it naturally.
I studied the paper. He was right.
The witness statements, he continued. Three men testified they saw your father meeting with enemy agents. All three died within a month of the trial. Accidents, supposedly.
Murdered, I breathed.
Almost certainly. To keep them from recanting. His eyes burned with intensity. Someone built this case over years. Made it perfect. And I was fool enough to believe it.
The raw guilt in his voice made my chest ache.
My father's journal, I said slowly. It mentioned you. Said you were investigating together. That you suspected something was wrong.
Adrian's head snapped up. He wrote about me?
Yes. He called you 'A.R.' Said you were working together to expose corruption. Then the entries stopped. I met his eyes. Someone found out what you were doing. That's why they framed him. To stop you both.
God. Adrian sank into a chair. I should have protected him. Should have been more careful—
You didn't know.
I should have! His fist slammed on the desk. I was supposed to be smart. Careful. Instead I walked right into their trap and condemned an innocent man.
I moved closer without thinking. My father trusted you. His last words told me to find you. To work with you.
Even after I killed him?
You didn't kill him. Someone else did. You were just the weapon they used. I paused. And now we need to find who wielded that weapon.
His eyes met mine. Something shifted between us.
Together? he asked quietly.
Together.
For a moment, we just looked at each other. The air felt heavy. Charged.
Then a sound made us both freeze.
Scratching. At the window.
Adrian moved instantly, hand on his sword. Get behind me.
What is it?
I don't know.
The window opened slowly. A dark figure slipped inside.
Adrian raised his blade
Wait! I grabbed his arm. I know her!
The old woman from before. The one who'd given me the key to my father's lockbox.
She pulled back her hood, breathing hard. Lady Cassandra. Lord Ravenshade. Thank God you're both here.
How did you get in? Adrian demanded.
Servant passages. I don't have much time. She pressed something into my hand. Not a key this time. A sealed letter. Your father left this for you both. He knew if anything happened to him, you'd need it.
Need what? I broke the seal with shaking hands.
The letter was in my father's handwriting:
Cassandra and Adrian,
If you're reading this together, then I'm dead and you've finally figured out you're on the same side. Good. You'll need each other for what comes next.
The Spider's real identity is
The rest of the page was burned. Only ashes remained.
No! I gasped. The name it's gone!
Someone got to the letter first, Adrian said grimly. Burned the crucial part.
The old woman's face was pale. There's more. The young king didn't just collapse from poison tonight. The Queen gave the order to increase his dosage. She's trying to kill him before morning.
Why? I asked.
Because he discovered something. About your father's trial. He was going to announce it publicly tomorrow, that Duke Silvercrest was innocent. That he was reopening the investigation.
My heart stopped. The king knew?
He found evidence. Real evidence. And the Queen realized he was becoming too dangerous to control. She backed toward the window. She's moving tonight. Against the king. Against anyone who might challenge her. You need to act now or
A scream echoed through the palace.
Then bells. Frantic, urgent.
The old woman's eyes widened in horror. No. I'm too late.
Adrian grabbed her arm. Too late for what?
The king, she whispered. He's dead. The Queen just became absolute ruler.
Through our door, we heard guards running. Shouting.
All lords to the throne room! The Queen Regent commands attendance immediately!
Adrian and I locked eyes.
This is it, he said quietly. Whatever she's planning, it's happening now.
Then we face it together.
He held out his hand.
I took it.
As we walked toward the door, the old woman called out: Wait! One more thing. Your father's lockbox—it contains proof. Real proof of the Spider's identity. But my lady, you need to know—
The door burst open.
Commander Thorne stood there with a dozen guards.
Lord Ravenshade. Lady Cassandra. His smile was cold. The Queen requests your immediate presence. You're both under arrest for conspiracy to commit treason.