The Crown's Fire - Chapter 220

Chapter 220: Seeds of Doubt
King Father Stephan nodded. “Good. We cannot afford to let baseless rumors destabilize our kingdom, especially now. Keep me informed of any progress. In the meantime, I suggest we wait for our King before drawing any conclusions.”

After further discussion, King Father Stephan dismissed her.

As Greta left the throne hall, unease gnawed at her. The servant she had instructed earlier approached, panting. “Where is the one who left this letter?!” Greta demanded.

“I apologize, Lady Greta, but no one among the servants present came forward. They say the person assigned to clean your bedchamber suddenly asked to leave the palace because of an emergency. Her mother is sick…” the servant explained.

“Who is that?” Greta’s eyes narrowed.

“Tessa Russo, milady,” the servant informed.

“Get me her address right this instant,” Greta ordered.

The servant bowed quickly and scurried off to fulfill the request. Greta’s mind raced with questions and possibilities. Was Tessa truly in a desperate situation, or was she fleeing from the repercussions of delivering such a letter? The timing was suspicious.

As Greta waited, she formulated her next steps. If Tessa had indeed left due to an emergency, she needed to ensure that Tessa was not simply being used as a pawn in a larger game of intrigue and deception. She needed to get to the bottom of this, and fast.

After a few tense minutes, the servant returned with a slip of paper. “Here is her address, Lady Greta.”

Greta snatched the paper and scanned it. “Prepare a carriage. I’ll go there myself.”

The servant bowed again and hurried off to arrange the transport. Greta felt a surge of determination. If there was any truth to the letter, she had to uncover it, this could be an unexpected opportunity for her, maybe there was still a chance for her to be Ezekiel’s Queen.

The carriage arrived promptly, and Greta wasted no time climbing in. As the carriage rolled through the streets, Greta rehearsed her approach. She needed to be firm yet compassionate, to ensure Tessa felt safe enough to reveal the truth. The carriage came to a halt in front of a modest home. Greta stepped out and approached the door.

She knocked firmly, waiting for a response. The door creaked open, and an older woman peered out. “Yes? Can I help you?” she asked cautiously.

“I am Lady Greta from the palace. I need to speak with Tessa Russo immediately,” Greta said, her tone leaving no room for refusal.

The woman’s eyes widened. “Tessa is inside. Please, come in.”

Greta entered the humble home, her eyes scanning for anything suspicious. Tessa appeared from a back room, her face pale and eyes wide.

“Lady Greta, I—”

“Save your explanations, Tessa. I need to know everything about the letter left in my chambers this morning,” Greta interrupted, her voice stern but not unkind.

Tessa’s eyes filled with tears, and she began to speak, her voice trembling. “I swear, Lady Greta, I only delivered the letter. I didn’t read it or know what it contained. I was asked to place it on your table by a man I didn’t recognize. He paid me handsomely, and I needed the money for my mother’s medicine.”

Greta’s gaze softened slightly. “Describe the man to me, Tessa. Every detail you can remember.”

Tessa nodded, wiping her tears. “He was tall, with dark hair and a cleft chin. He wore a hooded cloak, so I couldn’t see his face clearly, but his voice was deep and commanding.”

Greta processed this information, her mind working quickly. “Did he say anything else?”

“No, milady. Just place the letter on your table and leave. I swear, that’s all I know.”

Greta believed her. The fear and desperation in Tessa’s eyes were genuine. “Thank you, Tessa. You did the right thing by telling me this. Stay here and take care of your mother. I will ensure you’re not implicated in this matter. But expect an artist on your doorstep soon because I want a sketch of this man you’re referring to.”

“I understand, Milady. I will cooperate on this well,” Tessa answered.

Tessa nodded gratefully, and Greta turned to leave.

Meanwhile, as soon as Greta was gone, Soka appeared from the shadows, his presence menacing. He looked at Tessa with a smirk and commented, “I must say, you’re quite good at acting.”

Tessa’s face was pale, but she stood her ground. Soka handed her a bundle of letters and instructed, “Have these spread all over Ebodia. The people of Ebodia have been rejoicing for far too long. Let fear be instilled in them once again. Let them believe that the Queen Regent of Zion will bring nothing but chaos and omen, for King Devon will return, and she is his woman, his queen.”

Soka’s eyes glinted with malicious intent. “People are quick to believe the worst, especially when it involves their safety and peace. The mere hint of Devon’s return will spread like wildfire. And with the Queen Regent’s past, it will be easy to turn the public against her.”

Tessa nodded, though unease gnawed at her. “What if Lady Greta finds out the truth?”

Soka’s smile was cold. “By the time she pieces it together, it will be too late. The seeds of doubt will already be sown. Now go. Ensure these letters reach every corner of Ebodia.”

Tessa hurried away, clutching the letters tightly. She had no choice but to follow Soka’s orders since it was what her Master wanted. As she moved through the streets, she wondered if there was any way out of this tangled web of deceit.

Soka watched Tessa leave, a satisfied smirk on his face. The chaos was only beginning, and he relished the thought of the turmoil that would soon engulf Ebodia. With the public turning against the Queen Regent, their plans to destabilize the kingdom were well underway.

“And Lady Greta will be the perfect scapegoat for all of this, just as he wanted…” he murmured with a heavy sigh. Soka then exited Tessa’s house and entered his waiting carriage, where a lad lay unconscious.

Now that his task in Ebodia was complete, Soka couldn’t wait to return to Marla and receive his reward. He envisioned the look of satisfaction on her face and the praise she would bestow upon him for executing the plan so flawlessly.

As the carriage rumbled away from the palace, Soka allowed himself a moment of relaxation, leaning back against the plush seats. He glanced at the unconscious boy and chuckled softly. “Marla will be very disappointed if this boy is her last resort for reviving King Devon.”