His destined mate

Chapter 32

Ethan's POV

As the sun went down on a particularly bright day, I walked the dimly lit corridors of the palace, discussing the growing difficulties, and my advisors suggesting ways to bring about the influence of my Mother the queen but each arrangement seemed to present its own challenges.

I had to ensure our own lives and the stability of the country. The castle was eerily quiet, the weight of the Queen's presence tempering its usual buzz.

I reached into the course hoping to find solace in reviewing some papers. Instead, I sat Bianca down at her big oak desk, eyes closed as she read a stack of papers.

"Did you need anything, Ethan?" she asked, ignoring her tired voice. I went over and put my hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. "I just want to see how you hold it. It's been a tough few days."

she looked up, her eyes reflecting the stress of the past week. "I've been working. But it is difficult to ignore the constant hatred. The court officials are very eager to talk about me."

"Don't let them go to you," I said, sitting next to her. "We've had challenges in the past. We'll get through this one too."

she gave a small smile, but it didn't cross her eyes. "I hope you did well. I'm just worried about what's going to happen." Before I could react, there was a knock on the door.

A servant entered, bowed his head, and delivered the message. "Your Grace, there has been a disturbance in the yard. The Queen requests that you come immediately." My stomach tightened. The Queen's request was rarely a casual matter. Bianca and I exchanged worried looks. "There's nothing. I'll find out what's going on."

Getting down from the main staircase, I made my way to the courtyard. The cold night air was filled with palpable tension. On my way out, I saw Mother standing in the middle of the gathering crowd, her face sad.

The courtiers had gathered, their murmurings filling a crowded space with low noises. My eyes scanned the crowd, searching for everyone.

The guards chased the frightened slave away, leaving Bianca and me alone in an unlit alley. The air was thick with tension, and the weight of our suffering hung heavily upon us.

I could feel the situation spiraling out of control. "We need to find out who is orchestrating all of this," I said, frustration evident in my voice. "If the slave was directed to a forbidden place, there must be someone with heart knowledge behind him."

Bianca nodded, her face hardened. "I agree with you. We need to dig deeper into courtiers and recent changes in their jobs. Maybe we have a missing connection."

Before we could discuss it further, a sudden commotion rumbled down the hallway. I turned to see a group of guards hurrying around us, their faces a mixture of worry and urgency.

"What's going on?"I asked one of the guards. "There was another incident," he immediately said. "There was a fire in the east. We need to get there right away." Fear flowed through me.

The east wing also contains some of the oldest records of the palace. I ran down the hallway with Bianca at my side, our footsteps echoing through the empty halls.

When we got to the former wing, the situation was chaotic. Smoke poured from the windows and guards worked frantically to contain the flames. The once stunning roads were now shrouded in a dark haze. I pushed through the crowd, my heart pounding.

"How did this happen?" I asked the firefighter. "We haven't found it yet," Marshall said, a smudge on his face. "The fire started suddenly and is spreading rapidly. We are doing our best to cope."

I looked around, my mind racing. "What about the records stored here? Are they safe?" I asked.

Marshall's face fell. "Some of them are already gone. We're trying to conserve what we can, but the fire is spreading too fast."

Bianca immediately grabbed my hand, her eyes very worried. "Ethan, we need to think things through. Fire could be another part of a larger plan against us."

I nodded, trying to steady my mind. "You've done well. We need to identify the potential beneficiaries of this crisis. We can't let this distract us from the bigger picture."

Once the fire was under control, we began to assess the damage. The former suffered heavy losses and the remaining records suffered considerable damage. This article left us with more questions than answers. Bianca's POV

The aftermath of the fire made me so nervous. The weight of the day's events seems to push against us as we return to our homes.

Ethan's normally confident demeanor was now marred by worry, and I could see the tension in his face. "We need to regroup and make plans,"

I tried to reassure. "Let's go through the course and review everything we've gathered so far." Ethan agreed, and we made our way to the class. Once inside, we began sifting through the remaining documents and notes, looking for any clues that might shed light on recent events.

"Do you think Mother can be involved?" I asked cautiously, knowing that such a suggestion could be dangerous. Ethan's face was thoughtful.

"It's possible her return and subsequent actions certainly fueled the uproar. But we need strong evidence before we can make any accusations."

As we continued our conversation, the door slowly slammed between us. A palace guard entered, looking distressed. "Your Grace, there is a visitor who requests an emergency meeting," the guard said.

"It's Lady Evelyn, one of the most influential nobles." Ethan and I exchanged glances. Lady Evelyn was renowned for her political acumen and her ability to conduct court ruthlessness.

His visit could be an opportunity to gain valuable insight into the current situation. "Show him," Ethan said in a stern voice. Lady Evelyn entered, her manner calm but her eyes showed a sense of following urgency.

"You Grace, I hope I don't interrupt." "Nothing," Ethan said. "We can use your advice. What brings you here?" Mistress Evelyn sat in a chair, her eyes shifting between me and Ethan.

"I am closely aware of recent events and have reason to believe that there is a concerted effort to destroy your rights and destabilize the country." I felt a growing sense of hope. "Do you have any information on who can pursue this?" Mistress Evelyn sat in a chair, her eyes shifting between me and Ethan. "I am following recent events closely and have reason to believe that there is a concerted effort to destroy your rights and destabilize the country."

I felt a growing sense of hope. "Do you have any information on who can pursue this?" Lady Evelyn nodded. "I heard whispers among the courtiers. They describe a group that is dissatisfied with the current leadership and is trying hard to achieve their goals."

Ethan's eyes widened. "Do you have any names or leaders for this gang?" he asked. "Obviously not," Lady Evelyn admitted.

"But I heard that a few disgruntled nobles were meeting in secret. They may be the organizers of this violence." I felt nervous seeing it. "If there is a group working against us, we need to know its members and their motives." Lady Evelyn agreed. "I can give you some of the names and relationships I have collected. Maybe it will help you in your search.'