Page 26 of Gifted to the Alien Prince
I straightened my shoulders and left the communication room.
The distant sounds of laughter and clinking glasses grew louder as I entered the main hall. Courtiers, officials, and guests were engaged in lively conversation. People paused as I approached, waiting for me to either enter the talk or shake hands.
There was no time. I moved through the crowd. I spotted Cryostrum near the far side of the hall, standing in the periphery of a group that included the palace chancellor, the queen, Lucian, and Isa. His expression was the picture of neutrality, his smile polished but hollow.
I stepped forward. “Cryostrum,” I said, my voice low but firm. “A word.”
He turned, his eyes narrowing just a fraction before his smile widened. “Your Highness, of course. How can I assist you?” His tone dripped with practiced deference.
I gestured subtly toward the shadows just beyond the towering columns lining the hall. “In private.”
He inclined his head. “As you wish.”
We made our way to a corner of the hall. Curious glances followed us. I had to make this quick.
“I just checked the archives from the keep,” I said, keeping my voice level. “Backup files are missing.”
His brow lifted. “That’s troubling news. I trust you’ll get to the bottom of it.”
I stepped closer. “Don’t play games with me. I know you’ve been in the archives recently.”
His expression remained composed. He cast a helpless look at the crowd, as though hoping to catch the sympathetic eye of another official. I wanted to knock the look off his face. “I manage many affairs for the crown, Prince Thadron. It is hardly unusual for me to access our records.”
“But these files weren’tyourconcern. And now they’re gone.”
His mouth curled into a faint smile, condescension barely hidden. “Surely you’re not suggesting I had something to do with this theft?” He paused, his eyes glittering. “Or has Ambassador Hartman planted that suspicion in your mind?”
“I don’t know what you think you’re—”
"Thadron!" He raised his voice in a surprised shout. Heads turned, and a hush fell over the crowd, their attention snapping towards us.
"Keep your voice down, Cryostrum," I warned, but it was too late. He wormed his way back toward the crowd, waving his sinewy arms in a strange, panicked motion.
"I saw her,” he declared, pointing a finger at Isa. “Ambassador Hartman took the backup files from the royal archive!"
A collective gasp rippled through the hall, and I felt an icy dread settle in my gut. The room seemed to contract, the air growing thinner as all eyes shifted to Isa.
She stood there, her red dress now forming her into a target for all to look upon. Her face filled with shock and confusion.
Chapter Ten
ISA
Istood there, my heart pounding in the grand hall, as Cryostrum’s accusation sliced through the celebration. The music stopped. Someone dropped their drink. The shatter of glass broke through the sudden silence. All eyes turned to me, their judgment sharp and unforgiving.
"He’s lying,” I said, my voice trembling under the weight of disbelief. “I saw him take it.”
My words got lost in the storm of uncertainty clouding the faces around me. Queen Akora's lips formed a thin brittle line. Her eyes, once warm towards me, now showed doubt struggling with a desire to believe me. Lucian’s confused gaze pinged between Cryostrum and me.
I could see it in their faces. I was the outsider again. And now, thanks to Cryostrum’s wild lie, I was a criminal too.
Suspicion threading through the air like poison. My breathing got ragged as a cold dread settled in my chest. This accusation wasn’t just a blow to my integrity. It threatened everything from my assignment as a diplomat to the new bond I was beginning to build with Thadron.
He moved to stand beside me. His jaw was clenched so tightly I thought it might shatter. He glared at Cryostrum, his voice low and fierce. “This is absurd. Ignore him. He’s twisting the truth.”
Cryostrum’s lips curled into a thin, self-satisfied smile as he gave a mocking bow. “Then you have nothing to fear, Prince Thadron. Let us end this dispute with facts.”
The queen raised a hand. “I believe there’s been a mistake, too.” Her tone was steady, but there was an edge to it, along with resignation. “However, Cryostrum has raised a solution. We should go to Isa’s chamber.”