Chapter 72
RYKER’S P.O.V
We spent the next two days preparing for a potential attack. The guards were prepped and ready and
border patrol was tightened. We knew that Frederick was within the borders but if he had an army,
there was no way they were going to cross our territory. I wasn’t worried as worried about the war as I
should have been because most of my energy was spent worrying about Cami.
Ever since ourst conversation about Frederick, I noticed that she has been more sympathetic to his
plight. Her kindness was one of the things I loved most about her but Cami needed to learn that it
was not needed in every situation. She was under the delusion that Frederick would change his mind
but I had fought enough wars and seen enough of them to know that Frederick was not going to stop
until he got what he needed and he was going to damn everyone else to do so.
At the end of the two days, the tension in the pce could be felt. Not everyone knew the situation but
everyone knew that something terrible was going to happen. Even Aurora was extra frolicky and I could
see that Cami was at her wits end trying to navigate everything which was why I took the child from
her and handed her over to Christine who was more than happy to have an excuse to stay away from
her duties.
“What if he was just bluffing and he isn’t going to attack?” Cami asked as we were walking out of a
meeting with the head generals. “If he was going to, don’t you think he would have by now?”
“It is a battle strategy,” I tried to exin it as calmly as possible. “He wants to keep us on edge and
make us wait because he thinks it will make us sloppy,”
It was clear she didn’t like my response because she frowned. “Do you really think that he is incapable
of change?”
“Not in the way you’re thinking. Power can be a dangerous thing, Cami, you have not seen what the
want for power had done to people and to families.”
She sighed and dropped the conversation even though it was clear she didn’t
want to. We went off with the rest of the day in silence and I could feel a visible distance between us
over it. I hated it but there was nothing I could do about it. I knew better than anyone else how stubborn
Cami
could be when she wanted to and I knew that unless she saw with her own eyes that Frederick wasn’t
going to change then she would continue to believe in him.
It also didn’t help that Frederick didn’t attack. Cami was relieved thinking that it was a testament to
her faith in him but I knew otherwise. That threat wasn’t a mere threat, he had every intention to attack
and I knew that he must have done something that was small enough that it went unnoticed but I knew
that we would see the repercussions soon.
While Cami went for dinner with the children, I managed to hold a very quick discussion with the
generals. I could tell that even they were confused at the absence of an attack.
“I am going to make this as quick as possible,” I said as soon as I walked into the council room. “Send
out some of your best men to make sure that everything is fine in the pack. I don’t believe that
Frederick had a change of heart and decided to stand down. Make sure that everything is where it
should be and that tomorrow will not bring in a new wave of problems.”
There was a chorus of “Yes, your majesty,” and I waited until they had all left before I allowed my hands
run down my face in frustration. The worst part about all of this was not knowing. It was scarier than it
should have been because I was not just worried about myself, I was worried for my family. Unless I
was certain that what he did would not affect my family in any way, I knew I would not be able to get
some rest.
I didn’t need to wait long to know because the next morning, Cami and I were woken up by frantic
knocking on the door. It wasn’t even six a.m. yes but we dressed and rushed out of the room. No one
would tell us exactly what was wrong but we were ushered into a carriage and taken into the town. I
could feel Cami’s confusion mixing with mine whenever she nced at me but I couldn’t say
anything because even I didn’t have the words.
The sky was a beautiful orange and on a normal day, I would have enjoyed the view with Cami but
something told me that my day was not going to be normal. There was tension and anxiety in the air
and the further into town we were taken, the more worried I got.
The ride took over half an hour and we were led into a part of town I had never been to before. It was
quaint and I was shocked that there were not more people roaming around. I would have expected to
see people going about their day but the town was all but deserted. Some guards were
waiting there in front of what looked like a small stream. Everything
looked fine at surface level but I could feel the unease in the air.
“What happened here?” I asked because Cami was having a hard time speaking.
The guards led us into a house where a woman who looked to be in her sixties was lying on the bed.
Her skin was pale and sickly and if I didn’t know better, I would have said she was already dead but her
chest rose and fell every few seconds.
“A few of the vigers started to disy these symptoms,” one of the guards exined.
“It startedst night and we found out that someone had poisoned the water. We described Frederick to
them and this woman recalled seeing him around their vige in the early hours of yesterday morning.”
Cami took a step back and I could see the disbelief coloring her face. I felt bad that her hope had
been dashed but I knew it was bound to happen sooner orter. I ced aforting hand on her
shoulder in an attempt to remind her to gather herself because we were in public and thest thing
these people needed was for them to think she was on the side of the man who was causing them so
much pain. She thankfully got the hint and warped her expression into something unreadable.
I turned to the guard. “Take us to the stream.”
We were led out of the house and towards the stream. It looked normal on sight and if I hadn’t been
informed that it was poisoned, I would not have guessed. I could not imagine how many people had
drank from it between yesterday and today. It was obvious that it was their primary
water source.
“Take a sample to the pce physician so he can figure out what kind of poison was used and if he can
come up with an antidote,” I instructed. “We have already done that, your majesty.”
“In the meantime, test the other water sources in the pack. Test the dams and the streams and make
sure that this is the only ce he hit. We will have the doctors here as soon as they can to ensure that
these people get the best treatment that money can buy.”
The guards nodded and went to do as instructed. I watched them all leave and I grabbed Cami’s
hand and led her into the carriage. She hadn’t spoken at all and I was beginning to worry for her. I
could have pushed and ensured that she spoke but I knew that wouldn’t help matters
at all so I waited.
It was ten minutes into the ride that she finally lifted her head. “What happens now? Do those people
die?”
“Let’s hope not. The doctors will do their work and we will do ours by making sure that Frederick is
found and brought to justice.”
Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.
“I didn’t think he would do something like this,” she admitted. “Is ? it wrong that I still feel like he is
redeemable?”
I sighed and grabbed her shoulders so she was facing me. “Forget about Frederick and think about the
people. They put their faith in you, you are their Queen. Whatever you do has to be in their interest and
if that means getting rid of Frederick then you have to do it. It doesn’t matter if he is redeemable or not.”
It was clear that she wanted to argue but she knew I was right so instead, she changed the subject.
“How was he able to move around long enough to get to that town? There are guards crawling
everyone and searching for him. Don’t you find it suspicious?”
“I do but I think I know the answer,” I leaned back. “Frederick has allies in the pack and we need to find
out who they are or there is no telling what he will do next.”