Page 78 of Exiled Heir

Much.

“So, what did Jay mean? That we’re all trapped? Who’s trapping us?”

House Bartlett.

The words were matter-of-fact, strangely bloodless.

“The house itself? Or just the idea of the house? The pressures and the need to serve the house?”

There was silence, and then Basil said,Yes.

“Right.” I could see it. Cade might want the crown and the freedom it brought, but that freedom had a cost: his ability to decide his own fate. Once he wore the crown, he was trapped. Everything he did would have to be for House Bartlett.

The edge of the forest came into view, sunlight streaming down on the wide lawn.

“Sorry, Basil,” I said, tugging up the collar of my shirt.

Basil tightened once but didn’t say anything more.

I walked through the servants’ hallways, heading straight to Cade’s room. I needed privacy, and I knew that his room was the only place I would find that.

Once inside, I shut the door, raising my hand to check that the collar was still high enough Basil wouldn’t be able to see anything.

Sitting down on the bench I had been sleeping on, I pulled the ring out of my pocket. It was silver, a wolf’s head taking over most of the face. The wolf itself was fierce, its teeth bared, its eyes narrowed and sharp. She was hunting.

I remembered when my father had given it to my mother, although I had been so young I hadn’t understood the significance.

Mom had held it up, grinning at him.

“Every emperor needs a signet ring,” Dad had said.

Inside, the Latin inscription left my heart beating fast.

Lupus Imperator. Emperor Wolf.

How had it gotten into the cabin? The story was my parents had attacked Cade’s in their bedroom. Then, Leon had killed them. So why was the ring all the way out in the forest? Why was it in one of those small prison cells?

Leon must have captured my mother after the attack. My stomach tightened.

They had kept my mother. They had put her in that small little cell and locked the door, chained her to the ground.

I struggled, keeping my breath even. I didn’t need Basil wondering why I was suddenly breathing fast, why my heart was fluttering in my neck.

The door handle turned, and I shoved the ring back into my pocket. Cade came in, his brows drawn together, his lips pursed so tightly they turned white. When he saw me, he opened his mouth.

I could see the venomous words before they were even formed. He was going to say something that was going to hurt. Then he closed his lips tightly. Striding into the bathroom, he slammed the door behind him.

“What was that about?” I asked.

Council session, Basil hissed.Unpleasant.

When Cade came out, his hairline was damp, his skin dewy. He narrowed his eyes at me.

“What are you doing here?”

“I went and I checked out the cabins again. We didn’t miss anything last time. I was going to go talk to some servants after I ate.”

Cade nodded, but I could see his eyes were focused on something beyond me.