The Duke's Bed Chapter 119: Royal Leverage

Chapter 119: Royal Leverage

Audrey was in her room reading a book when her lady-in-waiting entered the room with a letter from her source, she had been in contact with. The source had been digging into Alina’s background since Audrey’s first request.

The first paragraph had nothing new. But the second paragraph changed everything.

Alina Ashworth was not the daughter of so eastern nobility. She was the niece of the King of Arcasedia. Her mother, Isadora, was a princess and was disowned by the royal family when she decided to run away and married a commoner, Baron Ashworth. Right now, Arcasedia is going through a succession crisis and Alina Ashworth is the sole remaining to the throne, making her politically invaluable.

Audrey read the letter three tis, to make sure she had read it correctly.

Alina is a princess? A potential heir to a rival kingdom’s throne? And is sleeping in the Duke of Ravenmoor’s bed.

Did Dorian know? Of course he knew. He used .

Her hand tightened on the letter as fury rose inside her chest as she realized she had been outplayed by the prince she thought she was manipulating.

She put the letters aside and walked to the window, looking down at the east garden. The sewing circle was in full motion. The won, including Alina, were working, laughing and chatting.

Did Austin know?

The question sat in Audrey’s mind. If Austin knew, then the contract had never been about a bed warr. Instead, it had been about securing a political asset of enormous value.

"If I make this information public..." she muttered. "It will change everything. Alina would beca a target. Everyone would want her. And Austin...will be accused of treason for harboring a foreign princess without reporting her to the king."

For Audrey, the information was the biggest leverage she had ever held and she could use it for her advantage at anyti.

She returned back and put the letter into her drawer. She hadn’t made a decision yet. She needed ti to think and weigh every outco first.

Alina went to Cecily in the afternoon. Cecily was on the sofa, reading one of the books Alina had brought her last week. She looked up, studied Alina’s face for a few seconds and smiled.

"You did it?"

"How do you know?"

"Your face," she replied. "You looked dazed for the last few days but now you look peaceful. "

"I must admit you’re an expert in reading faces," Alina said.

Cecily stood up, crossed the room and pulled Alina into a tight hug.

"I’m so happy," Cecily whispered against Alina’s shoulder. "For him because he deserves this. And for you because you walked into this castle as a contract and turned it into a ho."

Then she pulled back, holding Alina’s arms.

"You fixed him," she said.

"I didn’t fix him. He was never broken," Alina replied. "He was just...locked...like you. Behind a door he built himself. I just knocked until he opened it."

"You knocked on my door and found . You knocked on his door and found him," she said. "What would we have done without you?"

"You would’ve survived nonetheless," Alina said softly.

While walking back to the main corridor from the east wing, she found Audrey standing in a corner. It looked like she was waiting for soone, probably Alina.

"Miss Ashworth." Audrey’s voice had no warmth today.

"Your Highness."

"I’ll be brief." Audrey didn’t waste ti on pleasantries. "I warned you before, and I’m warning you again. Stay away from Austin."

"That’s a very broad instruction," Alina replied.

"Whatever is going on between you is visible to everyone in this castle. And what everyone sees eventually reaches people beyond this castle."

Alina raised her brow.

"People like?"

"People who would be very interested to know exactly who shares the Duke of Ravenmoor’s bed. And why he bought her. And what she might be worth to certain kingdoms."

Alina felt the chill spread through her. The phrasing was careful but the implication was clear.

She knows?

"I don’t know what you’re trying to say," Alina said.

"I’m just trying to say that your relationship with Austin will cost him everything, including his duchy," Audrey said. "If certain information becos public, the consequences won’t fall on you. They’ll fall on him."

The words were not aid at Alina’s heart but at her guilt. Audrey wasn’t threatening her. She was threatening Austin through her, using their love as the weapon.

"I appreciate your concern for him," Alina replied. "But his choices are his own."

"His choices are destroying him. You know that. If he breaks the engagent, the court will see him as a duke abandoning a royal alliance for a bed warr. And when they find out the bed warr is more than she seems...it won’t be you they punish first."

"Stay away from him. For his sake." Audrey held her gaze for one more second, then walked away.

Alina stood in the corridor, feeling cold spread throughout her entire body.

Because Audrey was right.

At night, they were lying together, tangled with each other. But she was quiet which was unusual for her.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Audrey intercepted

in the corridor when I was returning from the east wing."

His arm tightened around her instinctively.

"What did she say?"

"She told

to stay away from you. For your sake."

"For my sake?"

"She said our relationship will cost you everything and...also implied she knows about my royal heritage."

He went still behind her. His mind was already running through all kinds of scenarios.

"Austin," Alina said. "She is right, though. If my background becos public, you’re the one who will pay. You hid a foreign princess from the crown and kept a state secret for personal reasons. The court will see it as treason."

He turned her gently so she could look at him.

"If I had been just Alina Ashworth," she whispered. "This would be complicated but survivable. But I’m not. I’m an heir to an enemy kingdom and that makes everything more dangerous, especially for you."

He put his hand on her cheek, his thumb brushing gently across her skin.

"I knew about your background before I knew you," he said. "I bought the contract knowing the risk. The risk hasn’t changed. I have. I used to carry it for strategy. Now I carry it for you."

"But if Audrey goes to the king..."

"Then I’ll deal with it. Like I’ve dealt with every threat to this duchy. With the stubborn refusal to lose what I’ve decided to keep."

She smiled faintly against his chest. The worry was still there, but his arms around her made it feel manageable.

But deep down, Austin knew this wasn’t as simple as he was trying to make it sound.