Reborn, I Let My Sister Take the Poisoned Crown novel · Chapter 22 of 24
Chapter 22: The Ledger
Hester climbed the three steps of the dais one at a time, because of her knee.
She stood in front of the high chair and opened the yellow book.
The pages crackled.
"Forty years of names," she said. "The Lord Councilor wrote them himself. Date, family, which twin took the circlet and which twin was left to carry the half."
"Forgery," said Pell.
"Then you will not mind if I read."
She turned a page with one thumb.
"Year one. A pair from the Stonewater mills, sixteen. The first twin lasted four years. The second twin lasted two."
A whisper ran along the benches.
"Year nine. A pair from the northern farms, nineteen. The first lasted six. The second died in her mother's kitchen, and Lord Pell wrote beside it, *Cause given: the wasting.*"
"Stop," said Pell.
"Last winter." Hester's voice did not rise. "A girl of twenty-three. Chestnut braid. Grey-green eyes. First twin. Dead in the Healer's Tower, in the fourteenth month."
Rurik had gone completely still beside me.
"Her sister was a seamstress in a river town, and nobody told her why she was ill. She lasted a year longer."
"You old fool," said Pell. "That book proves nothing."
"It has your hand in every line." Hester closed it. "And it has the king's name in the last."
She held it out to Rurik.
He took it and looked at the final page, and I saw the muscle jump in his jaw.
"Written at the foot of the last page," he said, in a voice that carried to the doors. "*King to be held at one third strength until the Council's pleasure.* It is dated the week I took the throne."
Keep reading free with an account. Start Reborn, I Let My Sister Take the Poisoned Crown from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.
← Chapter 21 · All chapters · Chapter 23 →
Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend