Chapter 181: You, Apparently.

Maya walked into the drawing room with Queen Azura next to her. She wore a black dress that clung to her body before spreading out voluminously to the floor.

She had specifically picked the color to mourn who was lost.

Her black hair was brushed, oiled, and braided to accommodate the sapphire tiara that sat at the top of her head. Maya had insisted it was a little too much, but her mother had refused.

According to her, she was her daughter and was expected to dress as such, especially when meeting guests from the kingdom she was very displeased with.

She made sure Maya knew the only reason she even let them into her kingdom was because of her.

Claude spotted them first as they walked in, and with a raised brow, he rose to his feet and bowed. "Queen Azura and Princess Maya."

Maya cringed at the title. It was happening a little too fast. She hadn’t even recovered from the fact that she had found her mother, and now she was a princess.

"Your Majesties," Eleanor replied and gave a curtsey. She staggered a little as she stood upright and had to lean on her maid for support.

"Have your seats," Azura said before leading Maya further into the drawing room.

Two throne-like seats stood in the middle of the half-circle the rest of the smaller chairs formed. She waited until Maya took her seat before she sat down.

"It is good to see you again," Claude replied as he got comfortable. Hilbert stood obediently behind him.

"Hello, Claude. Mother," she called, turning to her right, "this is Claude."

"Then the rumor is true. Your mother took you," he commented glancing at Azura.

"Indeed, she did," Maya said with a nod.

"Your eyes don’t disagree," Azura interjected as she looked down from her throne.

"I’ve had my suspicions for a while now, and so did the late king."

Eleanor stiffened and brought the handkerchief to her eyes. Her maid Zoe sat upright next to her and placed a comforting palm on her back.

Azura scoffed. "If you say so. Tell me what brings you lot into my kingdom. The war is long over, and your people aren’t welcome here."

Claude slanted his head and adjusted his coat. "You do not recognize me."

"Should I?"

"Yes."

"A strong statement."

Rudor stepped forward, appearing behind Azura, bending his head slightly to whisper into her ear. Maya blinked rapidly as she caught sight of him, wondering if he had been in the room the whole time.

"No need for that," Claude cut in. "I am perfectly capable of telling her myself. Besides, if I held a grudge, I wouldn’t be here. I’d let Vilhelm tear you to the ground."

"Oh," she said and raised her right hand.

Rudor stepped back and blended into the shadows. Only there weren’t any shadows. It was bright, and the windows were wide open with the curtains drawn.

However, as soon as he stepped back, Maya could hardly sense his presence. He was right there, but he might as well have been the unlit fireplace he stood next to.

"You seem to have some problems with me, Claude." She accentuated his name more than she needed to.

"Some?" He laughed.

"What is it?" She asked as an eye twitched.

"You killed my father." His tone was bland as he spoke, his unblinking gaze locked on her face.

Guilt flickered over her features briefly, but it was quickly covered up with a blank expression. "I thought you looked unpleasantly familiar."

"You remember?"

She shrugged. "Not particularly, but there is only one person I can be accused so fervently of killing."

"An apology would be nice. You don’t sound very much like you regret it."

"It won’t bring him back."

"That’s not what you say to the son of the man you publicly executed. Humiliating! You killed my father like a pig! Beheaded him in the middle of your town square."

Maya’s eyes widened at Claude’s outburst. She knew this. The Alpha of Grendale’s execution was the reason for the war.

Azura adjusted in her seat. "Do not say it as if it was without cause. He knew before he stepped into the kingdom it would result in his death—"

"I am sorry," Maya mumbled.

"It is not your apology to make," Claude said as he jerked his eyes in her direction.

"I know but it must be sad to lose your father, especially in that manner."

Her mother had told her. It was the only conversation they had had about her past. Her father was dead; he was brutally murdered and she still didn’t know who did it.

Claude adjusted his coat again. "It is."

"If it is any consolation, I didn’t mean to execute him. I didn’t think anyone would be senseless enough to break the curfew. I had to be done, especially—"

"Mother," Maya said and gently touched her arm. Bringing her voice down, she whispered. "He just wants an apology. Wouldn’t you say he deserves it? To lose a father hurts."

Azura glanced at her daughter and her nose flared slightly. Then her expression softened, "Very well, if you insist. I apologize for executing your father," she said as she met Claude’s gaze.

He didn’t say anything for a moment then he nodded his head and replied. "Apology accepted but only because of Maya and it turns out you are not the actual villain here."

Her eyes narrowed. "You sound like you know who that is."

"He is also the commander of the Royal Army," Rudor quickly added.

"Ah. You’re the reason we could never take over the mountains."

"At your service. But by the state you nearly left Verlassen, you could have. Thank the Moon Goddess for Maya."

"I never would have resorted to that if you knaves had given me my daughter in the first place."

"We truly didn’t know we had her."

She scoffed. "Vaughn certainly had too much confidence going to war with me. A wave of my hand and the war wouldn’t have gone for as long as it did. Instead, he crossed the mountains to have the upper hand instead of taking the shorter route through the ocean by Verlassen. There is no way you didn’t know you had what I asked and begged for. Verlassen was too unguarded. Or perhaps Vaughn thought I didn’t have the mind for it?"

"My father is dead!" Eleanor blurted out, wiping a tear.

Maya gasped. "I am so sorry."

"Thank you, Maya. And he didn’t know. My father didn’t know Maya is your daughter," she cried. "He suspected, yes. But only recently, and he was going to find out more information but was killed before he could."

"And who killed him?" Azura asked without the slightest hint of sympathy.

"You, apparently," Claude replied.

Azura turned her head in his direction, a dark look on her face.