A Savage Debt (The Beholden Duet #1) - Zoey Ellis Page 0,1
even idolized, but in reality her opinion wasn’t important. She used to think she would become more forceful, like her father, or cleverer with words, like her mother, but she realized she didn’t possess those qualities. She’d never been brash or rude or reckless. Her upbringing had centered around meeting the expectations that weighed heavily on her, and since she didn’t like disappointing Milly or her parents, she worked hard to please them. As a result, she was known as the perfect princess; her father’s strongest asset and the kingdom’s greatest treasure. If only she’d known the extent to which she would lack control of her own life… maybe then she would have behaved differently, taken more risks. Still, it wouldn’t be this way forever. Next month she would marry an Alpha and a new phase of her life would begin, one where she would have more control.
Finally, Milly stepped back to survey her, and Ana tried again, her voice firm. “I wasn’t aware of any event happening today, Milly. What is this one about? Is it a wedding announcement?”
Milly stepped forward again, lifting her hands to press smooth and fix Ana’s newly styled rose-copper hair. “No. It’s much bigger than that. It’s to be the most important event in the history of the court.”
Ana pursed her lips as she frowned. That was an interesting thing for Milly to say. Although Milly was always knowledgeable about court gossip, she rarely talked about it with Ana, and she certainly didn’t make extravagant statements. “What is it then?”
Milly glanced at her and finally stilled. She stepped back and composed herself, though her eyes remained stained with an uneasy glint. With beautifully rich brown hair, deep blue eyes, and slightly leathery skin, it was difficult to guess Milly’s age. She’d been Ana’s lady-in-waiting since she could remember, and behaved like a stern older sister, a teacher, and sometimes even a mother, though she certainly wasn’t as old as the queen. She constantly bristled, with her hard edges at the forefront, but she had her moments of softness. As a noble woman, Milly was well versed in royal procedure and politics, even if she didn’t like to discuss every part of it with Ana. Regardless, Ana had learned a lot from her that she didn’t learn from her mother and father, and sometimes it was from simply observing Milly’s behavior.
“A criminal has arrived at the palace.”
Ana’s brows drew together. “That is a big event?”
“It’s Maddoc.”
A cold rush tingled up Ana’s arms, and her lungs expelled a gust of air. “Maddoc? As in…”
Milly nodded. “There is only one Maddoc, Ana.”
Ana stared at her, dread creeping into her throat. The most feared criminal known to the kingdom. The brutal, vicious Alpha who had eluded capture for over a decade while striking damaging blows to the royal sovereignty was at the palace? “Are you sure?” Her voice was raspy. “Why would he come here and allow himself to be captured?”
Milly shrugged, but the unease in her eyes remained. “He’s demanded to see the king.”
Suddenly it all fell into place—the behavior of the courtiers, the panicked servants, the rush to get ready for a court hearing. “Father is going to give him an audience? Here?” Ana squeaked. “Why?”
“I haven’t been brought into discussions about that, of course,” Milly said, curtly “But I suspect it is to charge him in front of the assembly.”
Ana shook her head, her mouth open in disbelief. Surely Father wouldn’t risk that?
“It would be a great show of strength to arrest and charge this man in front of all the houses,” Milly added. “The king needs to prove he is strong, powerful, and capable. Whatever reason this criminal chose to show up at the gates and whatever he is expecting, it must be demonstrated to all that the king isn’t afraid of him. Granting him a hearing, that doubles as his arrest and sentencing, will show the kingdom that the king isn’t afraid. And it will prove much to the houses.”
Ana nodded thoughtfully. She wasn’t completely blind to the constant low-level friction that existed between the five royal houses. After the king’s injury, a small amount of commotion had risen about his health and his ability to continue his rule. Of course, Ana was his heir, and her arranged wedding to an Alpha from another house was imminent. But that didn’t stop them from pointlessly theorizing, discussing, and debating the issue, as they liked to do on a regular basis.
“Why do I have to