The Alpha King's Bride novel · Chapter 19 of 24
Chapter 19: The Price of the Crown
Aldric's POV
The first thing I did that morning was break a door.
I had come back from the war room to find four guards on the floor of the east corridor and Finola's room open.
The bed was empty.
The window was latched from the inside, and the whole room smelled of honey.
Perrin knelt in the middle of the corridor with a dried line of blood across his temple.
"They came through the servants' door," he said. "Six men. One had a cloth soaked in it. I couldn't..."
He was shaking with fury, not fear.
"I took the oath to her two days ago," he said. "Two days, Majesty, and I let them take her."
"Get up," I said.
He got up.
"Find the gate captain. Find out who opened the east gate at three bells."
"Yes, Majesty."
My captain was already at the door.
"Judith Rooke's guest room is empty too. She broke the truce before sunrise, and she was gone before the guards changed. Six wagons left by the east gate in the night."
"Who opened it?"
"A sergeant with Lowe money in his pocket. He ran."
I stood in the middle of her room and breathed in once.
Under the honey, under the horse and rope and leather, was the faint trail of her.
North.
I had the reins of my own horse in my hand before the captain finished his report.
"Majesty," he said. "The Frostmark is nine days' ride with an army. If we go in force, the Northern Lord will say you invaded."
"I know."
"If we go alone, they will kill you at the border."
"I know."
"Then what..."
A page ran into the stable yard, white-faced.
Keep reading free with an account. Start The Alpha King's Bride from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.
← Chapter 18 · All chapters · Chapter 20 →
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