I wandered down the dimly lit halls, my footsteps echoing softly as I searched for Lyle. I knew he wouldn''t have gone far, but I thought it was odd he wasn''t in in sight. My gaze caught on a room to the right, partially hidden by a lush red velvet curtain. There was no door, and the curtain was elegantly pinned back, suggesting that Lyle might have ventured inside.


    I stepped closer and peeked inside, my eyes instantlynding on Lyle. He stood on a narrow balcony, silhouetted against the soft glow of the setting sun, gazing contemtively into the distance with a gentle breeze ruffling his hair.


    "There you are." I walked up to him as he continued to keep his gaze at the sky. "Darren is okay but... well, it doesn''t seem like he will being home anytime soon. I-I don''t know if he will even make it home for the birth of our child. As long as he eventually makes it home in one piece, I guess-" I looked up at Lyle''s taut face and stopped talking. "Lyle, are you okay?"


    "I was so relieved to hear his voice. I can''t protect him. I''ve always protected him. I''ve always been with him. And now, he''s fighting in a war. Risking his life, and I''m not there protecting him."


    "Then go to him."


    He turned his head, looking at me in shock. "What?"


    "Then


    1. go. We both don''t need to be here. I can manage, and-" He started tough, cing his hand on my head.


    "You aren''t getting rid of me that easily. For one, Darren would kill me himself if I left his pregnant mate. And another thing ... I couldn''t leave you. Not when you''re in such a vulnerable position, pregnant and newly crowned. Not happening. I''m not upset about being here with you, Issy. I just wish I could protect him, too. My heart has never been so torn. But-" He leaned down so that he was at eye level with me. “You have trialsing, and I am determined to be here. And when your baby arrives, I''ll help you. Taking care of a baby is tough, and if Darren can''t be here, then I''ll step up in his ce. I''ll fill in until the little one''s real daddy can. As a family, we will all pull together and do our part. My ce is by your side. I want to be with you,


    but I am frustrated. I also want to protect my brother. I know you understand this because you wish you were with him, too. Besides, Ren has Ivan and Finn looking out for him, and your friend Dayanara, and you only have me."


    "Don''t say it like ''only have.'' I am lucky to have such a caring brother-inw. Darren is very fortunate to have you as a brother. If I have to be isted from Darren, then I''m d that I have you to lean on." Lyle wrapped his arms around me in aforting embrace and I smiled against his chest.


    "Oh-uh-forgive the intrusion. I didn''t see anything." A guard turned abruptly, facing away from us. I realized how we must have looked, and my eyes widened.


    It was innocent enough, but we could easily be misunderstood.


    "You didn''t intrude on anything. I take offense to that remark. Chapter 88


    Issy is


    my brother''s mate." Lyle let his arms slide away from me as he red at the man. "Is there something you need?"


    "My apologies, but this letter arrived... but we don''t know who delivered it or how


    it arrived in the castle. If is addressed to the queen."


    Lyle plucked the letter from the man, who quickly scampered away. I hope he didn''t spread unnecessary gossip.


    "What is it, Lyle?"


    "I''m going to open it, okay?"


    "Sure, have at it." I could see he was studying the letter cautiously. He quickly broke the seal and opened it. I could see there were several papers folded in the letter. Lyle''s eyes turned ck... BLACK. Whatever he was reading had instantly set him.


    off.


    "What is it?" I stepped forward and he stepped back, holding the letter out of reach.


    "It''s nothing, Issy. I''ll take care of it."


    "Lyle, let me see." I reached up and he continued to evade my hand.


    "Issy-" He flicked his wrist to the side to avoid my hand. As he did, one of the papers slowly floated to the ground. "L. n''t, Issy!" But I quickly snatched it, flipping it over. I froze as I looked at the picture. I blinked at it in confusion as I tried to make sense


    of it.


    "Let me see the rest," I growled, my voice turning to ice as I red at the photo.


    "Iss-"


    "That is an order!" I smarled, feeling the room tremble from my voice. I didn''t know where that power came from, but it flowed naturally from me. Lyle winced and slowly lowered the contents. I quickly grabbed them out of his hands, my eyes wildly looking at the other pictures.


    This didn''t make any sense. There were several images of Darren in very intimate-looking positions with a beautiful woman. Maybe the pictures were fake? Ph sure we would be able to tell. And I didn''t feel any pain of betrayal. But then I thought about what Darren had said to me on our phone call. What I had thought was because he wanted to reassure me. Now, it seemed like a guilty conscience. Maybe he was lonely, and things went a little too far? But still, nothing had happened that caused me to feel any pain.


    I flipped to the letter. It was imbued with magic and the letters materialized in front of me.


    You won''t feel the pain of this betrayal. He wouldn''t want you to experience losing your pup again. He had a sorcerer use a protective charm to be sure of it. I don''t know wh to say, but I thought you should know. They didn''t mean to. It just happened. I''m sorry.


    -Just doing the right thing-


    I stood there in shock. I didn''t know what to believe, but I would be a fool to take this at face value. Even if the evidence was damning. It wasn''t true. It wasn''t true.


    It wasn''t true. I was crumbling. Internally spiraling. I just talked to him... he wouldn''t.


    Darren, please tell me, it isn''t true?! Gods, please. Is this part of our trial? To test our faith and strength? I can''t go through this again. Not again.


    Was this to test my strength? Would the gods give me mates who wouldn''t be faithful to see if I would crumble?! I didn''t want to jump to conclusions. I gripped the photo''s, lifting my gaze to Lyle''s.


    "Are they authentic? Is there a way to tell?"


    "If magic is at y, I don''t know if we have anything stronger. We can test for photo maniption, but that isn''t a guarantee. I''m sure he wouldn''t-" He pursed his lips together. "He wouldn''t." But even his voice sounded vulnerable. As if someone had opened a door and shown him a disgusting truth.


    "Have them tested." I reeled my emotions in. "We need to finish signing those papers and investigate the nobles more. I want to have more evidence on the maniption this week. And I want names by next week." That was what I would focus on. There was a chance this was a set up. And if it wasn''t... if it wasn''t... damn, I didn''t want to think about that part.


    "Inny, I


    "I don''t want to talk about it right now, Lyle. Let me just process this on my own. There''s work to do." There was work to do, and at the end of the day... this was my kingdom. I was the rightful queen. This was my family''s legacy, and I was going to im it. Even if that meant a royal overhaul.


    Darren, I''m praying this is foul y. I want to believe in you. But I promise, if you''ve betrayed me, there will be no ce for you among our people. It would be better that you don''t return at all, because hell would be kinder to you than I will.


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