Chapter 6 - THE LETTER FROM A DEAD KING
Federal agents removed thirty-seven boxes from Richard Whitmore’s Highland Park property.
Claire watched every one leave.
She had never seen so much of her own life gathered in one place.
Her kindergarten photograph.
Her elementary school schedules.
Her mother’s work shifts.
Her pediatrician’s address.
Her college application list.
Someone had recorded everything.
That realization changed the way Claire saw her childhood.
The stranger reading a newspaper near a playground might not have been a stranger.
The black sedan across from her middle school might not have been coincidence.
The scholarship that had changed her future might have been a surveillance tool.
Richard Whitmore had not merely known who she was.
He had built a private intelligence operation around her.
But the most disturbing discovery was not the photographs.
It was a sealed envelope hidden inside the Succession folder.
The handwriting belonged to King Nicholas III.
Adrian recognized it immediately.
The old king had died twelve years earlier.
The letter had never been delivered.
It was addressed to Richard Whitmore.
Eleanor read it aloud.
Mr. Whitmore,
You have misunderstood your role. The woman and child are not to be harmed. They are to disappear. There is a difference, and if you fail to understand it, you will answer directly to me.
Claire looked at Adrian.
“So your father didn’t order my death.”
Adrian sat motionless.
“No.”
Evelyn read the letter again.
“Then someone else did.”
Tomas nodded.
“Victor Saran?”
“Possibly,” Adrian said.
Claire frowned.
“But Richard said it wasn’t Saran.”
“He may have lied.”
“Or he may know.”
Eleanor turned over the envelope.
A symbol had been drawn in pencil.
A black circle crossed by three vertical lines.
Tomas stared at it.
“What?”
He looked uncomfortable.
“That symbol belonged to an old political group in Valedria.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed.
“The Restoration League.”
Claire sighed.
“Of course there’s a secret league.”
“It was not secret,” Adrian said.
“It has a dramatic symbol and tried to overthrow your family. I’m calling it secret.”
Despite everything, Eleanor smiled.
Adrian explained.
The Restoration League had existed for generations.
It believed Valedria should abolish its parliament and restore absolute royal authority.
Ironically, the group hated Adrian because he supported constitutional limits on the crown.
Claire stared.
“So extremists who wanted a stronger king wanted to kill the future king?”
“They wanted a controllable king.”
“Were you not controllable?”
Tomas actually laughed.
Adrian ignored him.
“My cousin Julian was.”
Claire turned.
“You have a cousin?”
“Yes.”
“Where is he?”
“Monaco.”
“Why does everyone connected to this story live somewhere expensive?”
“No idea.”
Prince Julian Laurent was the son of Adrian’s late uncle.
At the time Claire was born, Julian had been third in line.
If Adrian died without children, Julian’s position improved dramatically.
Claire slowly understood.
“If I died…”
“You would no longer exist in the succession.”
“And if Dad died…”
Adrian’s eyes flickered at the word.
He still reacted every time she used it.
“Julian would eventually have become king.”
Claire looked at the mysterious symbol.
“Does Julian belong to the Restoration League?”
“No evidence.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Adrian hesitated.
“His father did.”
The room went quiet.
Claire groaned.
“Your family makes the Whitmores look emotionally healthy.”
Evelyn laughed unexpectedly.
Even Adrian smiled.
Then Eleanor’s phone rang.
Her expression changed as she listened.
“What?”
She walked toward the window.
“When?”
Another pause.
“All right.”
She hung up.
“Richard Whitmore was released.”
Vanessa stood immediately.
“What?”
Claire looked at Eleanor.
“How?”
“Federal prosecutors did not have enough evidence to hold him beyond questioning.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
Eleanor continued.
“He surrendered his passport and agreed to remain in Illinois.”
Vanessa grabbed her coat.
“I need to see him.”
Claire stood.
Tomas blocked the door.
“No.”
“That’s my father!”
“And someone attempted to use your vehicle in a possible attack.”
“I don’t care.”
“You should.”
Vanessa turned to Claire.
“Tell him.”
Claire hated what she was about to say.
“He’s right.”
Vanessa stared at her.
“I helped you.”
“I know.”
“And now you’re keeping me from my dad?”
“I’m trying to keep you alive.”
Vanessa’s eyes filled.
For a terrible moment, Claire heard her own voice from Friday night.
If he cared about me, he would have come.
Parents.
Secrets.
Children paying the cost.
Claire approached Vanessa.
“We’ll arrange somewhere safe.”
Vanessa whispered, “You don’t understand.”
“What?”
“My dad texted me.”
She showed Claire.
One sentence.
DO NOT COME HOME. THEY ARE WATCHING THE HOUSE. TRUST NO ONE FROM VALEDRIA.
Claire read it twice.
Tomas took the phone.
His expression hardened.
“When did this arrive?”
“Five minutes ago.”
Adrian asked, “Can we trace it?”
“Probably disposable.”
Another message appeared.
CLAIRE’S FATHER IS NOT THE TARGET. CLAIRE IS.
Everyone froze.
Then a third.
THE KING IS BEING USED TO BRING HER INTO THE OPEN.
Evelyn stepped closer to Claire.
Tomas immediately began issuing security orders.
Adrian took the phone.
A fourth message arrived.
ASK ADRIAN WHY THE LEGACY GALA WAS ANNOUNCED IN VALEDRIAN STATE MEDIA BEFORE CLAIRE AGREED TO ATTEND.
Claire looked at her father.
“What?”
Adrian frowned.
“It wasn’t.”
“Check.”
Tomas searched his phone.
Thirty seconds later his face went pale.
“Your Majesty.”
“What?”
Tomas turned the screen.
A Valedrian government social media account had posted a short announcement.
His Majesty King Adrian IV will undertake a private cultural visit in Chicago later this month, including attendance at Blackwood Academy’s annual Legacy Gala.
The post had been published six hours earlier.
Adrian swore.
Claire stared.
“You didn’t authorize that?”
“No.”
“Who did?”
Tomas made another call.
The answer came quickly.
The announcement had been submitted through an official palace communications account belonging to the deputy chief of staff.
The deputy chief denied sending it.
Someone had compromised palace systems.
Claire looked around.
“So now whoever wants me dead knows exactly where Dad will be.”
“And assumes you will be there,” Evelyn said.
Adrian shook his head.
“The gala is canceled.”
Claire immediately said, “No.”
Everyone turned.
“Absolutely not,” Evelyn said.
Claire crossed her arms.
“If we cancel it, whoever did this disappears.”
Adrian stared.
“You are suggesting we use you as bait.”
“I’m suggesting we stop running.”
“You are seventeen.”
“And I’ve been under surveillance since kindergarten.”
“That does not improve your argument.”
Claire stepped closer.
“You spent seventeen years trying to keep me hidden.”
“Yes.”
“Did it work?”
Adrian said nothing.
“Richard found me. Stefan found me. Whoever hacked your palace found me.”
Her voice steadied.
“I am already exposed.”
Evelyn looked horrified.
Claire continued.
“At least at Blackwood we control the location.”
Tomas shook his head.
“No location containing hundreds of civilians is controlled.”
Claire looked at Eleanor.
“What do you think?”
The attorney considered.
“I think your idea is dangerous.”
Claire sighed.
“But?”
“But whoever sent those messages is manipulating both sides. Richard wants you away from Valedrians. Stefan wants you at the gala. Someone inside the palace leaked the king’s schedule.”
She looked at Adrian.
“There are at least three players.”
Adrian nodded reluctantly.
Eleanor continued.
“If we cancel, they change plans. If we proceed carefully, we may learn who moves first.”
Evelyn stared at her.
“You’re talking about my daughter.”
“I know.”
“No. You’re talking about an heir and a political problem.”
Eleanor’s face softened.
“I’m talking about a girl who will never have a normal life again unless we find who has been hunting her.”
That silenced everyone.
Claire looked at her mother.
“I want to go.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
Adrian finally said, “Then we prepare.”
Claire nodded.
“What happens now?”
Tomas answered.
“You learn royal protocol.”
Claire stared.
“What does assassination prevention have to do with royal protocol?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why?”
Tomas almost smiled.
“Because if you are attending the gala beside His Majesty, the entire world may discover who you are.”
Claire’s stomach dropped.
“I thought this was private.”
“It was.”
Adrian held up the hacked announcement.
“Not anymore.”
Within another hour, reporters began arriving outside Blackwood Academy.
By midnight, international speculation had started.
Why was the unmarried King Adrian visiting an American school?
Why had he been photographed near an unidentified teenage girl?
Why had the royal palace refused comment?
At 12:46 a.m., a British tabloid published the first photograph.
Claire and Adrian outside Blackwood Academy.
The headline read:
KING ADRIAN’S SECRET AMERICAN DAUGHTER?
Claire stared at her phone.
Evelyn sat beside her.
“So much for seventeen years of secrecy,” Claire whispered.
Then another notification appeared.
A live television report from Valedria.
Crowds were gathering outside the royal palace.
Some held signs supporting Claire.
Others demanded proof.
And one group carried banners bearing the black circle with three vertical lines.
The Restoration League.
Claire enlarged the photograph.
Standing behind the protesters was an elderly man in a gray coat.
A scar crossed his cheek.
Evelyn dropped the phone.
“Oh my God.”
Claire looked at her.
“What?”
Evelyn whispered, “That’s Stefan.”
But Stefan was not looking toward the palace.
He was looking directly into the television camera.
And when the camera zoomed closer, he lifted a piece of paper.
May you like
On it were three handwritten words.
SEE YOU, CLAIRE.
