Chapter 26
Chapter 26 Can you handle this
That swammed Melody. Donis stepped back but of their way in haste. What happened to her? Daris
caught a glimpse af Melody with wide, ssy eyes and foaming out of her mouth as they lited her
from the ground and carried her off to the nedical ward. Doris ced her hand against her chest and tell
her heart beat race beneath her hand. Was she allergic to the flower as well? Was she…
“What happened to her?” Prince William asked, his brows furrowed. He looked around the room as if the
answer mighte forward. Each and every one of the guests looked just confused and homified as
Prince William did.
Each of the royals nced at each other with their brows furrowed in their own confusion. Guards
crowded around then with their des drawn as if waiting for the prisoner to try and take one of their
lives as well. Someone in this room put that in Luna Queen’s soup and caused Melody’s copse.
Oh no, Doris thought and gripped her checks. Melody wasn’t truly dead, was she? Doris hated every
ounce of her, but she would never wish death upon anyone. Even someone that almost killed her the
other might
Jack stood from his chair, it was only then that Doris realized he had been the only one still seated during
this ordeal. “I saw exactly who did it!” Jack’s gaze slid right to Doris, just as everyone else’s did. He lifted
his finger and pointed right at her, she
the soup before we delivered li Es Lily
M
y
Two sirds were her side in a breath, thay grabbed her arms tight as they could not couldn’t even think to
run, Doris Kasped from the TOTEKLIF and usation. “I Do! I would never da such a thing
“I think she intended the soup to be far Lumia Queen.” Jack continued, his eyes naftowed at Daris. “I saw
her switch them, thank the goddess that my mother hadn’t had a chance to take a bite yet!”
“Nal” Doris winced when their grip tightened. “I didn’t poison anyone! Especially not my owndy
“Doris would never do such a thing.” Prince Martin spoke up calmly, he held out his hands is if trying to
ease the panic in the room. “I may not know her Very well, but,”
This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.
“Exactly! You don’t know this maid very well at all.” Jack interrupted. “I heard rumors that this maid had
stolen from Lady Melody and beaten as punishment. Perhaps she wanted revenge—”
“No!” Prince Daniel spoke up next. Doris was a little startled that either prince had cared enough to
defend her in front of everyone. She didn’t think anyone in this room Would ever have risked Speaking
up for her. It would have warmed her heart if she wasn’t so terrified of what was toe. Would they kill
her for this? “Prince Martin is right, Doris would never do something like this to anyone! Even someone
that was cruel to her, I know she has a wonderful heart. Please, let her go.” Prince Daniel pleaded.
“And how would you know what this maid is capable of?” Tack scoffed. “I saw her do it myself! 1
else, though his face didn’t h
ay much but hii
Prince William stayed silent he watched then argue before him. Hisdy w possibly dead, and he said
nothing while Jack used Doris of doing the unthinkable. He wore in emotionl mask, Doris wondered
how he could possibly manage it after what they’d all just witnessed.
“My majesty, if you say you saw me poison the bowl. why didn’t you say anything?” Doris asked Jack
with tears rolling down her cheeks. “Why didn’t you stop it if you saw me? Especially if you thought it
might have been meant for your mother?”
It just didn’t make sense for him to use her of this, he could have easily stopped her with one shout
and Melody would’ve been fine. Doris searched his face and only siw i small sense of surprise that she
would even ask him something like that.
“How dare you speak to me like that!”, Jack parted his lips, his cheeks slightly red. He quickly calmed
himself and cleared his throat. “It was toote, I didn’t think you were doing what you did at the time.
When I heard Melody choke, I knew what you’d done and it it was toote.”
Prince Martin stepped forward, his gaze lingered sadly on Doris. “I believe Doris when she said she
didn’t do what you im. This has all been a terrible misunderstanding—
l.co
T ond thant!Daniel What to blind me Prince Martin. “Please, let her free. You’re hurting ther.”
The guards loosened their grip just a little, but not much. Jack looked at the two princes and marrowed.
his eyes. Are you saying I’m a liar?
“Of course not, I’mo simply suggesting you’re mistaken in your ims.” Prince Martin said and sped
his hands behind his back. We were all here, no one else saw Donis do anything with the bowls. I think
anyone sensible would have spoken up if they saw her put poison in one of the bowls.”
“My son would never lie about such a thing!” Luna Queen said loudly. She nced at the area Melody
had been a moment before as if she were wondering if it could have been her. “This majd has been
nothing but trouble since my birthday started, and how she has murdered her owndy!”
“Why did you switch the soup?” Jack neared Doris, Prince Martin and Prince Daniel stepped a little
closer in case he decided to put his hands on her. 1
“I only switched it because I thought it had an ingredient that Luna Queen was allergic to! I didn’t know
the soup was poisoned. I would have never given it to Lady Melody if I’d known.”
Her defense fell on unwanted ears, Jack turned away halfway through her exnation as if he never
wanted it. “Take her to the prison, I’ll get the truth out of her one way or another.”
“No! I swear I would never harm anyone!” Doris cried, her eyes locked with Prince William but unlike his
brother, he didn’t say a word in her defense. They began to move her out towards the
co
W
AT
inched her go, his hands faldad inta tists
“Haw could you let them do this to our mante? Waylon growled inside him. “You know the wouldn‘t be
capable of this! They’re going to kill her in there if we don’t do something – 1
“How do I know she didn’t poison Melody? You know they didn’t like each other.” William silently
responded to his wolf.
“You didn’t like Melody much either. Waylon Shapped. “If that was the case, half the pce would be
responsible for her poisoning. You can’t let thern do this to our mate!” .
William shut down his wolf when he saw the Alpha king step up to him. The king had two guards Hanked
on each side of him as if they were afraid the alpha was next up on the poisoning list.
“William, since she was yourdy I want you to make the judgement for yourself.” King Charles said. His
voice was deep and allowed no room for questions or hesitations. “Listen to all sides before you let the
anger cloud your mind. Can you handle this?
“Yes.”
Chapter 27 I believe Prince William will Bring me Justice
The cell was dark and dingy. The back stone wall looked wet and the bed in theer had only one Ehin
sheet on it to use as the nket Doris searched for the source and found there wilis a tiny window that
was much too high for her to even out of, but it had to window and allowed rain to dampen the small
room. They shoved Doris inside the cell and threw a prisoner gawn at her feet.
-Change into this.” Was all the man said before the cell door made of bars mmed shut and locked.
Doris slid down the wall and hugged her knees to her chest. She’d felt it ther, the dam inside her break
as her tears poured out. She tried to silence them, even when she choked. She didn’t want anyone to
hear her misery, she pressed her face against the prison gown and tried to muffle every sound. Why was
this happening to her? She wasn’t even supposed to be at the party! She was supposed to be resting
Oh, what will they think when they all realize Melody had beaten her just a few days before her being
poisoned? They’ll surely think it was her, just 25 Jack had said. Not even Prince Martin or Prince Daniel
had a say in her defense out there, they all listened to Jack. What if everyone believed him?
What if they sentenced her to death for this?
It’d felt like days had passed in the cell. The outside was gloomy, though she couldn’t remember if night
had passed or if it was all in the same day. It
couldn’t be, it felt like in eternity had gone by since she saw Melody copse night in front of her. Doris
changed into the ck prison gown and her own uniform had been collected almost immediately after
she slipped it discreetly off her body. It felt as if they erased her title as maid and reced it entirely with
prisoner the second she stepped through the cell door.
A creak echoed through the hallway outside her room. A light knock tapped along the bars of her cell
before a boy sild the door open and slipped in silently. Doris quickly stood when she saw it was Da—
Prince Daniel.
-Doris!” He moved further in, but a guard came in with him and stood by the wall as if he wen a shadow
of the prince. “How’re you doing? I’m so sorry they put you in here I’ve tried convincing them to put you
somewhere more…fortable.”
Doris smoothed down her dress and looked at her hands. It felt strange speaking to him face to face now
that she knew he was royalty. She’d acted sofortable with him before as she cleaned his face and
teased him about cake. Doris felt her cheeks warm. “I appreciate you and Prince Martin for standing up
for me.”
Prince Daniel took a step towards her, her head snapped up at his movements. He stilled, a small sh
of emotion she couldn’t ce crossed his features. “Are you upset with me for lying about who I am?” He
whispered.
“I’m not upset, Prince Daniel. I was just confused I suppose.” Doris admitted.
Daniel looked down at her hand as if he wanted him
just thought you would’ve treated me differently as a friend if you knew who I really was, I never meant to
deceive you.”
“I know you didn’t.” Doris said quietly, she cleared her throat. He wils a kind boy, that wils one thing she
knew for certain. But it didn’t change the fact that they weren’t meant to be friends. “You must have
known there was never any hope for us to remain friends. You’re a prince-you’re not meant to speak with
a maid like me.
* And why can’t I?” Prince Daniel raised his chin as if daring her to challenge his decision. “As you said,
I’m a prince and I can make any choice I want. I can be friends with whomever I want. my title shouldn’t
prevent that.”
“But it does!” Doris shook her head sadly and lowered her voice. “You know it’s not proper. A prince is a
prince, and a maid is a maid. We’re inpletely different worlds and you knew that when you told me
you were a guard.”
Prince Daniel frowned as he looked down at her. Sadness coated his features and she wished she
wasn’t the cause of it. She wished he really was a guard and it wouldn’t be wrong to call him a friend.
“I’m sorry you feel that way. Doris.” He said quietly. Doris looked down at her hands again. She was
sorry, too.
Daniel scratched the back of his head and nced back at his guard before his light eyesnded on her
again. “You know, the alpha king assigned Prince William to be the judge of your case. He thinks since it
was hisdy that was poisoned, he should be the one to decide what happens to you.”
ROLT to be the judge Doris W n’t sure while that should make her feel, but she didn’t feelpletely
hopeless. At least I wasn’t Prince Jack though perhaps Prince William hated her just as much. A chill ran
through her. Would be be fair, or blindedi by revenge for his ex lover?’ He must have cared a lot for
Melody. didn’t he? Did he believe she was capable of killing her owndy just because they didn’t get
along? He witnessed what Melody did to her, perhaps he would believe it was possible.
But it wasn’t surely he had to
me that.
***Prince Martin and I are trying to find a way to get you out of here. We’ve been looking into who
prepared the soup and anyone else that might have had ess to it before you helped pass them out.”
Doris flinched at his words, the quickly softened his tone. “We both know you didn’t do that, Doris, Prince
Martin sid he was looking at you the entire time and didn’t see you once polson Melody’s bowl. We don’t
know why Prince Jack is iming it was you, perhaps he was just confused.”
“I don’t understand why he wouldn’t have stopped me if he said he did see me poison her.” Doris picked
at her nails and started to pace her cell. She didn’t have much toom, it only took a few steps to walk
between each wall. “I only switched the bowl because I thought someone had identally put something
in Luna Queen’s bowl that she was allergic to. I didn’t think
Prince Daniel stepped in front of Doris and put his hands on her shoulders to still her. “I know your
intentions were harmless. Doris. You didn’t mean to give her a bowl of poison, and I know for certain that
you weren’t the one to put it in the bowl to begin with. Someone else must have had it out for
co
either Melody or Luna Ouren. Do you know anyone else that might have done something like this? A
maid or a servant
“No! I know many other maids weren’t fond af Melody, but nobody hated her enough to kill her!” Doris
took a breath a closed her eyes for a moment, Melody had more foes than friends, but none that Doris
would suspect. As for Luna Queen, Doris didn’t know anything about her to even guess who might not
like her. She supposed it was possible anyone might have it out for a royal, but no one would be
ridiculous enough to harm her at her own birthday party-would they?
Her shoulders felt warm, Doris nced at his guard who watched both of them like a hawk. She quickly
stepped out of Prince Daniel’s hold, his hands dropped to his side as if defeated. She knew he meant no
harm, but she couldn’t help but feel sad when she thought about the friendship they could have had if he
wasn’t a prince. It wasn’t time to think about something like that, they had much more important things to
think about.
As for Prince Jack-Doris had never met him before the party. She’d heard of him, of course. But never
had she crossed his path enough for him to dislike her or use her of something so serious. Did he
truly think Doris slipped something into the bowl? In front of an entire crowd of people? Doris knew it
didn’t make sense, she was alone with Melody all the time and not once had she thought about harming
her
“I’m sure Martin and I can talk to William and try to reason with him.” Daniel took a step back and
Scratched the back of his head again. “I know he can be a pain in the a
“I believe Prince William Doris said.
will bring me justice.”