“The murderer changed into an eagle and flew away?” Morris snorted. “That was convenient.”
Edmund, Jensen, and the Benwick guards corroborated Leo’s story, but Morris still looked unconvinced.
“Men who can shift into animals?” Morris scoffed. “Inconceivable.”
Brody sat up in the cart and barked to get everyone’s attention. When he shifted into human form, Morris shrieked and backed away.
“Believe me now?” Leo asked drily.
“Wh-what is that?” Morris pointed at Brody as he shifted back into a dog. “He must be Embraced, an abomination before the Light! He should be put to death!”
Brody growled, and with lightning speed, Leo grabbed the minster’s vest and yanked him forward. “No one touches him. Understand?” He shoved Morris back.
With a huff, Morris adjusted his vest. “Hardly surprising that you would surround yourself with abominations since you’re one, too.”
“He’s the heir to the throne, you ass,” Edmund muttered, then smirked when Morris glared at him.
Leo motioned toward the coffin. “Shall we open it so you can verify the body?”
“I’ll inform His Majesty and send the royal physician.” Morris scurried off to the keep.
After a few minutes, the royal physician arrived with some soldiers, and they pried the lid off the coffin.
“It is the prince,” the physician said sadly. “We should take him to the chapel. Come.” He motioned for the soldiers to carry the coffin.
After a long wait, six of His Majesty’s personal guard arrived to escort them to the king.
“His Majesty wishes to see only the Lord Protector and his wife,” the captain of the guard announced as he gave Leo a stern look. “And you must leave all your weapons here.”
As Leo unbuckled his sword belt, Edmund drew near. “I don’t like this.”
“It’s a standard request.” Leo handed him his sword, then the dagger from his boot. “Don’t worry. My power is my best weapon. And I’ll have some help.” He waved at Brody, and the dog shifter jumped down from the cart.
Luciana handed Jensen her dagger.
As Leo and his wife followed the guards into the keep, he glanced back to make sure Brody was trailing them at a safe distance. Once inside the keep, the dog shifter could sniff out the Chameleon, if he was there.
The guards led them up the grand staircase and down a gallery decorated with portraits of former kings and queens. Brody slunk behind them, keeping in the shadows.
When they arrived at the king’s sitting room, the captain knocked and opened the door.
“We’ll be fine,” Leo whispered to his wife as he strode inside.
She followed, her face pale, but her chin lifted with determination. Brody dashed in before the door shut. Three guards remained outside in the gallery, while the other three came inside. Brody sniffed at them, and the captain nudged him aside.
There were already five dogs in the room, so no one objected to Brody’s presence. But it seemed odd to Leo that the king’s dogs were hovering by the door to his bedchamber. One of them whined and scratched at the door.
“You may speak,” Frederic grumbled.
“Your Majesty.” Leo bowed, and Luciana curtsied.
Frederic had aged since Leo had last seen him. There was more gray than red in his long hair and beard, and the skin around his eyes and jowls was puffy and gray. He sat at the head of a long table covered with platters of food.
The dogs approached him, snarling and growling.
“Hush!” He threw a ham bone in their midst, and they snapped at one another as they fought for the prize.
Apparently, Frederic had eaten his fill, for he tossed more food to the dogs. It was a statement, Leo realized. His uncle wanted them to know he’d rather share his food with dogs than with them.
Frederic scowled at him. “I hear you brought my son’s body.”
Leo bowed his head. “My sincere condolences.”
Frederic snorted. “As if Tedric’s death has saddened you in any way.”
“He was a good man—”
“He was a fool!” Frederic ripped a leg off a roasted chicken and threw it at his dogs. Brody circled the group of dogs, sniffing.
“He was too weak to be king.” Frederic took a long drink of wine, then slammed the goblet on the table as he glared at Leo. “I suppose you’ll do well enough. At least you know how to make people fear you, Beast that you are.”
“I would not wish to govern through fear,” Leo said.
“Then you are as big a fool as Tedric. If the people do not fear you, you will have chaos.” Frederic scoffed. “I should have killed you years ago.”
“You certainly tried,” Leo said drily.
Frederic barked a laugh, then gave Luciana a curious look. “So you’re the heiress of Vindalyn. I heard you were pretty.”
Luciana curtsied. “Your Majesty.”
Frederic gave Leo a sour look. “So you helped yourself to the duchy.”
“If I hadn’t, I feared my wife and the former duke would suffer some sort of accident,” Leo replied.
Frederic grabbed a knife off the table and threw it at Leo, but he dodged it with lightning speed. “You bastard. I ought to go ahead and kill you. With your freakish powers, you can never have children. Our line will perish.” With a smirk, he filled his goblet with more wine. “Perhaps I should bed the wench for you.”