Chapter 5

"How do you know that?"

He had handled that matter with extreme secrecy. Outside his closest confidants, no one in the manor knew.

"Father, don't worry about how I know."

I looked straight at him and spoke one word at a time.

"Just remember this. You cannot accept a single thing Prince Julian gives you, and you cannot attend a single one of his banquets."

"He's ambitious and wants the throne. Right now, he's trying to pull you in because he wants to use your position as prime minister to build his own power. If he fails later, you'll be…