Page 27 of Gifted to the Alien Prince
The words were a slap. My chest tightened. I wanted to scream, to fight back, to make them see the truth. The judgment in their eyes told me it was already too late.
Guards stepped forward, their armor gleaming coldly. They positioned themselves around me, making their silent message clear. No one would leave until this was resolved.
Thadron’s hand brushed against mine, a whisper of warmth in the void that opened inside me. “We’ll sort this out, Isa.” His words were a promise. But beneath the strength he showed me, I could sense his own unease.
I swallowed hard and lifted my chin, fighting to hold onto some shred of dignity as we began the walk to my chambers. The rustle of the crowd faded behind me, replaced by the echoing footsteps of the guards and the relentless thud of my own heart.
The walk to my chamber felt like a long spiral into a dark pit. The cold air of the palace's corridors bit at my skin. Every step tightened the knot in my stomach. Thadron stayed close, his warmth barely reaching me, his anger simmering beneath a surface of strained composure.
When we reached my door, the guards got it open and spilled inside.
My room looked exactly as I had left it. For one second, I allowed myself to calm down. There was nothing here. This had to prove my innocence.
The guards moved with precision, lifting and examining everything within reach. They opened drawers, shook out myclothes, and peered under the bed. I could feel the weight of every gaze behind me, the queen’s silent scrutiny, Lucian’s furrowed brow, and Cryostrum’s fake concern.
One of the guards held up a garment, dark fabric spilling over his armored hands.
Thadron’s tunic.
A flush of heat surged up my neck. I swallowed hard, embarrassment igniting my cheeks as Cryostrum smirked. His eyes lit with mockery.
“Well,” he drawled, “it seems the ambassador has enjoyed more than diplomatic relations.”
A ripple of whispers spread through the onlookers. A guard stepped in front of Thadron as he clenched his fists, ready to go in Cryostrum’s direction. I wanted to shout at the onlookers, to wipe that smug smile off the advisor’s face.
“That’s enough, Cryostrum,” Thadron growled. “This means nothing.”
The advisor bobbed his head. “Of course, Your Highness. Let’s stay focused.”
The guards moved to my travel bag next, unbuckling it and sifting through its contents. His search uncovered my clothes and toiletries. Nothing incriminating.
I closed my eyes in silent prayer.Please, let this end here.
But then, one of the guards turned toward the small desk by the window. A small grey device lay there, gleaming innocently under the pale moonlight filtering through the window.
“That looks like the hard drive for the backup files, I presume?” Cryostrum asked the question as though he were in a classroom.
For a heartbeat, the world stopped. I stared at the drive, a cold sweat prickling at the back of my neck. My vision blurred at the edges.
“This isn’t mine.” My voice cracked.
“Of course it isn’t.” The advisor stole a bored glance at me. “It’s the property of the Glaciarian people.”
“I didn’t steal the files. I’ve never seen that hard drive before.”
The guard picked it up carefully, holding it between his fingers as though it might combust. He turned to Queen Akora and Lucian. The queen’s mouth was a thin line of disappointment. Lucian’s gaze fell away from mine, avoiding the plea in my eyes.
I turned to Thadron, my panic breaking free. “You have to believe me. I didn’t take anything. I don’t know how it got there!”
“I believe you.” His voice was a lifeline, a thin thread of sanity in the chaos. He turned on Cryostrum, his anger a storm barely held in check. “This is a setup, and you know it.”
Cryostrum spread his hands, his face a perfect mask of innocence. “I only wish the evidence said otherwise, Your Highness.”
Queen Akora’s voice cut through the tense air, cold and regal. “Enough. We’ll resolve this formally.”
“Your Majesty, there is nothing to settle,” Thadron interjected. “Isa didn’t do it.”
The royal advisor gasped. “You dare to interrupt the queen?” He gave a theatrical gesture to the crowd behind us. "Look at these two working together. Can this human truly be trusted? And Thadron, the bastard half-brother, has always been jealous living in the shadow of Lucian, the true heir to the throne."