CHAPTER 49
The grand hall was filled, She studied each face. Everyone was present, no one missing. Queen Jonah sat wrapped in her sleep coat, a clear sign she had not left the palace. Mathew Sterrn, as always, occupied his usual seat at the grand table, confirming he too had remained within the castle.
Grace furrowed her brows. A slow, seething frustration coiled in her chest, then erupted in a powerful, baritone scream that echoed through the walls. The sheer force of it sent a ripple of unease through the gathered crowd. The tension in the air was palpable.
She wasted no time. "Gather the council. Everyone must be present," she commanded with a sharp voice.
Within minutes, the nobles and key figures of the kingdom filled the hall. The citizens, drawn by whispers as a result of the body covered in blood, gathered at the edges, their faces were a mix of curiosity and unease.
Some gasped. Others turned away, covering their noses with their fingers to block out the stench of death.
Grace let the silence stretch, let them take in the weight of the scene before speaking.
"Sit," she ordered.
The council members took their seats, their postures stiff with apprehension.
Grace exhaled sharply, sweeping her gaze across the room. She saw how their eyes flickered, not with concern, but with something else, they didn't seem fearful. They were intrigued, almost lustful.
A slow grin tugged at the corner of her lips. "You all seem surprised." She allowed the words to linger, feeding the growing unease.
Then, her smile faded. "have called this meeting not for deliberation but for declaration," she continued with a commanding voice. "From this moment forward, I will handle matters personally."
She let the words sink in. "A grand prize was set for the capture of the intruder, yet nothing has been discovered. And now, another intruder lies dead at the grand gate?" She paused, her gaze burning with fury. "This is the last straw."
The tension in the room deepened.
"If I may, King." A chief councilman, his tone carefully measured, sought permission to speak. Grace gave a curt nod.
"This is the first time such a tragedy has befallen our kingdom," he said. "For decades, Alagascar has been known for its peace and purity, no record of bloodshed within its walls. But ever since you took the throne, everything has changed."
There was a heavy silence before Grace could speak. Her jaw tightened. "I.."
But before she could proceed, a voice rose from the gathered citizens. "We remember your coronation. We still remember what we saw. You are no ordinary king."
More voices followed. "We want to know the truth."
Grace rose slowly. The air shifted as she stepped away from her throne, walking toward the crowd, her presence alone silencing them.
Her gaze swept over them, then down at the dead body on the floor.
She crouched beside it, her fingers grazing the edge of the fabric soaked in red. Then, she stood again, lifting her head high. "You all claim to be grateful," she said, her voice eerily calm. "The kingdom of Alagascar needed a ruler, and I took the crown without question. I led as my father, King Charlenugo, once did. I upheld his ways. And yet, here you stand, questioning my rule?"
She let the words settle, for a brief moment, as her past clawed at her. A flashback of her struggle to become Quicke. The endless battle between who she once was and the expectations of Alagascar.
She drew in a slow breath. "I will answer no questions about my coronation," she declared. "You all saw it. I did not orchestrate it. I did not ask for it, i am as confused as you are."
Her voice hardened. "But I have called this meeting for one reason only, to warn you all. From this moment forward, matters shall be handled by me, and me alone."
She turned her head slightly, her gaze falling once again upon the body of Nuel. "The grand prize remains. But now, I ask another question, who killed the man lying dead at my feet?"
Murmurs spread through the hall, hushed conversations between nobles, exchanged glances of uncertainty.
Grace clenched her jaw. "Speak your doubts aloud, not in whispers."
A voice cut through the crowd. "But we have already spoken, King. What more do you expect to hear?"
Grace stiffened. The voice was familiar.
She turned sharply, her gaze locking onto him. "Mathew Sterrn?"
He met her eyes without hesitation, a smirk appeared on his lips. "Yes, King."
Grace studied him carefully.
Mathew leaned forward slightly, his voice carrying across the hall. "The kingdom is confused," he said. "We have watched as strange things unfolded, one after another. And yet, there has been no answer, no concrete 'why'. Only more death."
His hand gestured outward, swaying across the grand hall. "And now, we have a fresh corpse at our feet." He paused before continuing to speak. "Whoever is responsible for these killings," he said slowly, "is within these walls."
A chilling silence followed.
Mathew's eyes narrowed. "But the question remains, King Quicke, who?".
"That isn't in Quicke's place to answer". A deep voice spoke through the entrance.
As everybody turned to see who it was it. It was King Charlenugo.
They stood up, bowing their heads as he stepped in. Everyone looked in complete awe as he walked through the crowd.
"You lots doubt the one person, you waited for years to be king" He spoke as he finally got to Grace. Who stepped out of the throne, allowing him to seat. "No", he said to Grace. "The kingdom of Alagascar belongs to you".
"Sit" He commanded.
He took a steady glance at the table before speaking. "Every member of the castle shall undergo a test". He paused.
"Now this test, shall involve your brain and the conversation you had during the last few days, before the murder of the intruder". King Charlenugo spoke in a calm but dismissive voice.
The council elders gasped. This test was discovered by the ancestors and was scraped out because of the impact it left on the victims. If anyone is found guilty, they either become numb or dies immediately.