Chapter 242 - Two steps back (2/2)

Russ shook his head as he flopped down on the bed, staring up at the canopy overhead. ”I don't want it to get easier, Ry. I'd prefer not to have to do that again.”

”Yes, but unfortunately part of ruling is getting your hands bloody sometimes.” Poseidon said as he lowered the papers he'd been reading over.

Russ sat up on the edge of the bed. He let out a heavy sigh. ”The two of you probably think I'm lame, don't you.”

Poseidon shook his head as he held Russ's gaze. ”No, kid, there's no shame in not wanting to kill others... Unfortunately, it comes with the territory though.”

Russ frowned but nodded in understanding. He shifted his gaze to Ry. ”What are you reading with so much interest.”

Ry didn't look up from the book as he flipped pages. ”Your mother's diary.”

Russ's brows knitted together. ”What?!”

Ry nodded, ”Yeah, listen to this.” He began reading a passage. ”27th of May 1821: Dear Diary, the best night of my life has ended all too abruptly and painfully as the king's body has been found dead. Some are speculating murder and worse yet that it was someone from my family's clan who did it. Momma and Da have been working tirelessly alongside Reighley to soothe the concerned people, but I can tell the loss has already begun taking a toll on the queen. I only pray that Ales doesn't hold the same feelings as the people and blame me for his father's death... Worse more I hope that this tragedy doesn't put a wedge between us... or that my beloved doesn't blame himself. I've tried going to his room several times over the past days, but he's either not been there... or has been ignoring me...” Ry looked up from the book. ”The ink here is smudged. She was probably crying when she was writing this.” He flipped a few pages over and began reading again. ”8th of June 1821: Dear Diary, by urging of my parents, Reighley has pushed the council to allow Ales to be crowned as early as next month as her health rapidly declines. Between all that has happened and all that is to come in the next several months, I've begged Ales to take a break from his tireless study... but he insists that he must catch up on all the things his father had tried teaching him before his death. If the queen's illness and barely seeing my dear Ales isn't bad enough Fern is back. I've seen him more in the past few months than the entire time I've lived at the palace. I find it suspicious that he's being the doting son, caring for his mother, and helping his younger brother so willingly... but Jos assures me that it's normal and probably just his way of dealing with his grief... I'm not convinced, however.” Ry flipped a few more pages. ”There's more.” He said sending a concerned glance up to Russ. ”17th of July: Dear Diary, the coronation was yesterday, and it was magnificent. I'm not sure how the Queen managed to throw together such a spectacular event in such a little time, but it was simply breathtaking! I'm proud and overjoyed to see Ales take his rightful place among his people. It only pains me that the Queen couldn't enjoy the entire event. She was escorted from the coronation shortly after Ales was crowned by Fern, nonetheless. I swear if I didn't know better, I'd say he was poisoning her himself... But that would be crazy right? I fear that with everything that has happened, I may be going a bit crazy myself.” Ry looked up from the book. ”Your mother's suspicions go on through several different pages, until this one. Listen to this.” Ry flipped to the page he'd marked with his pinky. ”10th of September. Dear Diary, As the queen has been bedridden for over a month now, I thought it wise to go in and check on her myself. I fear my suspicions were right about the poisoning. There was a large amount of broth left in her bowl and just as I began to take a drink, she woke up only briefly enough to stop me with a frail shake of her head and trembling hand. I have to prove who has done this! And my suspicions still lie within the palace... within her own flesh and blood. I've tried to talk to Ales about it, but he refuses to hear it.” Ry lifted the book and let the remaining pages slowly fall. ”It goes on over nearly six months before the queen finally dies. Unfortunately, the pages run out shortly afterward. There's bound to be more somewhere. I'd even go as far as to say this one wasn't the first.” He flipped it back to the first page. ”It starts a week or so before her birthday in the same year.”

Russ held out his hand. ”Let me see.”

Ry tilted his head as he squeezed one eye closed. ”You may not want to read ALL the passages. Your mom and dad... were... a little handsy. I mean they were typical teenagers... but still your parents...”

Poseidon chuckled, ”Come on, give the kid the book. All children want to read about the night they were conceived, right?”

”NO!” Ry and Russ answered at the same time. Russ held his hand out to Ry though. ”But it is as close as I'll ever get to talking to them or really getting to know them.”

Ry nodded as he stood and walked the book over to Russ. ”Fair point, kid.” He ran a hand over his short hair as he turned to his father. ”I'm going to go hit the shower if you'll keep an eye on the kid til I'm done.”

Poseidon nodded still going through the stack of papers on his l.a.p as he sipped from the bottle in hand. ”Take your time, I'll be here.”

When Ry emerged thirty minutes later, Russ was asleep sitting up against the headboard with the book against his c.h.e.s.t. ”Well, that didn't take long...” Ry chuckled quietly.

Poseidon smiled up at him. ”The kid has had a hard day. He's really shown his true colors tonight. I'm proud of him. I only hope his drive to help his people continues once he's offered this level of corruption.” He indicated the doc.u.ments in his hands. ”It's not enough to take to the council yet, but it shows a substantial amount more coming into the palace than the public records do. I'd say if we trace these accounts, it will lead us to several black-market dealers... the question is what are they dealing?”

Ry frowned, his gaze still on Russ. ”If I had to guess; drugs, poisons, a bit of high dollar alcohol, with a side of human trafficking.”

Poseidon rubbed his chin. ”That could explain some of these figures. They're quite impressive.” He lifted the paper to Ry. ”Dear Ol Fern has a king's fortune coming in... but where is it going out if not to the people? He couldn't be keeping it all. Surely he would see stopping the oozing of money from the town would be more profitable than keeping a fortune stashed away.”

Ry leaned over the chair, studying the figures on the sheet. ”Unless he's storing it all for when Russ returns and takes back the palace. He gets all that while leaving Russ to deal with this mess.”

Poseidon nodded in agreement. ”Then why send your guards to kill the boy? Why not close up shop and bounce?”

Ry narrowed his eyes at the doc.u.ment. ”The woman in the kitchen tonight said Fern throws parties like this often. What if the parties line up with the deposits? He was looking to score one last, massive deposit tonight before bouncing... but we crashed the party.”

Poseidon nodded. ”If the guests all refused to continue on with business as scheduled, then that could explain his irrational response.”

Ry straightened, his gaze moving back to Russ. ”We need to speak with some of those workers again... and soon. If he's willing to call a hit on his own nephew with so many witnesses, it's no stretch to think he'd eliminate them as well.”

Poseidon frowned as he moved his gaze up to Russ as well. ”Tomorrow then?” His eyes moved back down to the papers. ”Take pictures of all these then I'll see that they are returned to where we found them. We can't have Fern knowing we're onto him just yet. Desperate men are too unpredictable... men who think they have the upper hand on the other hand...”

Ry arched a brow. ”And how are we supposed to make him think he has the upper hand? He tried poisoning Russ and having him killed tonight...”

Poseidon smiled. ”We play it off as a night of debauchery. We were all drunk and don't remember shit.”