The walk down the hallway towards Laris' bedroom felt like a death march to the hangman's noose, what with the way the guards refused to allow Maize to walk anywhere but forward. Even when she turned her head to taunt Forge and his arrogant attitude did one of the guards dare to nudge her with the tip of their sword. Certainly, no way to treat the Prince's consort, and she couldn't wait to tell Laris all about it.

The doors to said Prince's room were wide open, bordered by a guard in either side. Their presence was as unnerving as the guards on her. Laris never had guards this close to his room— for privacy, of course. And with his doors open as they were...

Maize's heart dropped into her stomach.

Had something happened to him between the end of her challenge on the tournament grounds to now? She knew she should have just gone to him, told him everything and there was a chance they'd have been gone far away by now, but if something happened because of her selfish need to be clean, she'd never forgive herself.

Stepping into Laris' room, his fate did not seem any better. The common room was trashed, with cushions from the sofa and chaise tossed all about, lamps broken, tables overturned, and almost every book from the shelves that lined the walls was strewn across the floor.

"Nothing to say now?" Forge sneered from behind her.

She looked back at him. Certainly, there was no way he assumed she did this. She was in her room, bathing. If Forge's perverted ass arrived moments earlier he would have seen her getting dressed. "Where's Laris?"

"I'm right here."

Laris stepped out of his adjoining bed chambers, the door also open, and the room, from what she could see, in shambles worse than the living area. The smile she had on her face once she heard the prince's voice immediately fell once she saw his beautiful face.

He was furious.

She attempted a step forward, but the guards on either side of her crossed their swords, creating a barrier between her and Laris. "What's going on?" she asked him, panic tinging her voice.

"I was hoping you'd be able to tell me." His tone was neutral, almost dark. He nodded to someone unseen in his bedroom and stepped out of the doorway.

Maize's jaw hit the floor.

Two more guards emerged with Ress between them, and he looked like he had seen a struggle. And behind them—

Maize may have growled as she saw Cade's smug face appear behind them. She clenched her fists at her sides and even dared a step forward, stopped once again by the crossed swords of the guards flanking her.

"What the hell is going on?" she asked again, this time her attention focused solely on Cade, though she could feel Laris' stare boring into her.

"I'm glad you asked." Cade stepped forward, still using the cane though she wondered now if he truly needed it or if he was pulling the sympathy card. "I've been growing quite weary of playing this game, honestly."

"You have nothing to do with this."

"Perhaps you should have asked Restor that same question, because according to him, I am the only one who's actually been able to help him since his arrival, unlike you and your distractions away from what truly brought you here."

"Don't," she warned, but Cade only appeared more confident in the straightening of his spine and the squaring of his shoulders.

Cade glanced at the prince, though Maize wasn't sure Laris noticed. She wasn't even sure if he was paying attention. He was staring at her, but his gaze seemed as distant and cold as the frown on his lips.

"Are you saying your prince doesn't know the truth about you and your friend infiltrating the castle in search of illegal contraband? That you haven't been trying to manipulate every sacred event of Remembrance Day for your own selfish needs? That you had me injured because you believed you could scare me into submission?"

"Enough—" Laris snapped.

But Cade didn't know when to shut up. "You are nothing more than a useless thief. I should have known the moment I saw you in the company of Restor. The corruption runs deep and keeps each other company. No wonder you were the prince's whore."

"I said enough."

Maize cringed— she'd never heard Laris raise his voice like that. But the smug grin on Cade's face widened and she felt nauseous. She underestimated him, and that was her gravest mistake. He knew where Ress was the whole time. He allowed Findara to keep Maize distracted while he coaxed Ress to search the Prince's quarters. He wanted him to be caught, to create this incredibly disastrous turn of events.

Maize felt like she was going to faint.

Her attention shifted to Ress as he was dragged out between two more guards. Ress, who had been her partner and confidante in all of this, in so much before this, and now...

"You told him everything?" Though there had still not been any mention of the Legacy. She'd hold that card to her chest.

"I had no choice," Ress said quietly. "He was the only chance I had to get you... what you needed."

"That's not what this was supposed to be about. Don't make this about me!" Maize cut him off.

"It's always been about you," Ress countered. "Why did we take on this mission? Why did we put ourselves through all we did? Why did we lie? Cheat? Attempt to steal?"

So there was no holding back any longer. She heard his choice of words. Attempt. They attempted to steal the Legacy. Attempted to steal—

"What were you doing in Laris' room?"

He scoffed and shook his head. "It's over Miaze."

"It is not." She spun towards Forge, who was now being protected by the same guards who walked her there. She stepped as close as she could, chancing the blades pressing against her shirt. He only remained where he stood, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Tell them the truth," Maize snarled.

"The truth is all I've heard so far." He smirked. "I knew there was something suspicious about you the moment you stepped foot in this castle. I should have known what your intentions were the moment I watched you attach yourself to the Prince like a parasite looking for its next meal."

Laris tensed like he was ready to attack, but she wasn't sure if it was against Forge or anyone else in the room. Forge, unaware, continued.

"It was luck that Lord Caden found it in his heart to inform us of the treachery your footman attempted to conduct under the King's roof, the monarch who welcomed you into his home out pure charity."

She spun back to Cade, ready to throw down. The two-faced bastard just didn't know when to mind his own damn business.

But it was Laris who finally stepped forward. Accepting a small package from one of the guards supporting Ress. Maize's gaze went to it— she knew what it was. She paled as she looked up at the prince, whose icy gaze was already piercing into her soul.

"What need do you have for ruggoria?" His voice was so level it was barely above a whisper.

She felt her heart flip as panic laced her palms with sweat. "Laris, I was going to come to you, to explain—"

"So explain."

But Maize looked around the room. Forge. Cade. Ress. Save for the latter, she wasn't going to give the others the benefit of knowing her deepest secrets. Not like this. She couldn't...

"Laris, please—"

"More lies, Maizelyn? If that's even your real name."

"It is, but no, not lies just—"

"That's what I thought," Laris growled, and he looked to the guards who were detaining Ress. "Take him to the dungeon. He can sit there until the end of Remembrance Day. I'll not sully my mother's memory with petty criminals."

"Petty—" For the first time Ress seemed like he gave a damn that he had caused this. That he told Cade everything and then Cade betrayed him, as much as Ress had betrayed her.

That actuality was slowly seeping into her bones. She couldn't even look at her best friend any longer.

"And you—" Laris' attention returned to Maize. "Get out of my sight before I forget the mercy I'm bestowing upon you out of the kindness of my heart."

"Uh— your Highness?" Forge hurriedly removed himself from the protection of the guards surrounding him to come between the Prince and Maize. "Are you sure this is the time for mercy? After all, she is an accomplice to the felon. She should suffer the same fate."

"I see no reason. She was not the one who was caught ransacking my personal chambers. She was not the one who sought out the illegal substance in the darkest markets. If I throw her in the dungeon, should I send Lord Caden there as well?"

"Wait, that wasn't the deal—" Cade interjected but Forge quickly shut him up with the fakest, most sardonic laugh Maize ever heard him make.

"What Lord Caden means to say, is he is looking for the utmost justice our system can provide, seeing as it is his commerce that is being infected by urchins such as there, therefore—"

"Therefore you will not question my decisions, Forge, or you'll be tossed into the dungeon for insubordination and treason."

Forge bit his tongue, pursed his lips, and bowed his head. Because he knew. He knew Maize knew. That one word from her and he would be in that dungeon. But she bit her tongue and kept her mouth shut. For now.

"Of course, your highness," Forge resigned.

Laris looked back to Maize. His gaze this time was assessing. Like he was finally trying to understand the truth of the situation before them, but it was too late. The guards that had brought her there were the ones grabbing her arms and leading her from the room.

Ress was yelling for them to let go of her.

Cade was laughing.

Lawson Forge was arguing with Laris about remaining where he was, ensuring the lesser advisor that he did not need to monitor the removal of his former consort when she was already accompanied and would be until she was outside the castle walls.

But Maize couldn't hear any of it over the raging headache roaring in her mind.

You were alone before.
You are alone again.
Alone is all you will be.
Forever.