The Crown's Obsession

Magistrate Maki didn't know how long it had been since he had run at this speed in such a short amount of time. He waved his hand as he was still catching his breath.

In the meantime, Calhoun took another shot by breaking the rope that Theodore had been hanging on to have him fall on the ground. He walked to the gallows.

"Let...let...him…" magistrate Maki breathed the words in great difficulty.

The guard looked slightly confused, and he looked back to find the man who shot held the prisoner to stand up. "Keep him right there. He's a prisoner and you dare interrupt up the execution. Keep him right there!" ordered the guard by pointing the gun at Calhoun.

But then another end of the gun came to point the back of the guard's head.

It was Helena who had pulled her own gun, "Drop it now or I will blow your head," she said in a calm voice. The guard's eyes widened in fear of what exactly was going on in here.

"Magistrate Maki, what's the meaning of this?" questioned the person, who was actually the head guard of this place.

The magistrate had finally stood straight and alarmed at the scenario in front of him. He said, "Lady Helena, please put your gun down. Mario too! The man cannot be executed." Looking at the other guards, he ordered, "Get the keys to the binds around the man."

"The order has been sent out clearly that we are to execute the man today. The Queen's words must be valued," informed the head guard.

Magistrate Maki pursed his lips and then said, "The High House members want to run the investigation one more time before putting the man under the noose."

Helena dropped her gun when the guard dropped his own gun and put it back in his belt.

"I would like to discuss something with you, magistrate Maki. If you don't mind," said Helena, waving her hand to the side, and the man nodded his head.

While Helena spoke to the man in the presence of another fellow High House member, Dimitri, Calhoun waited for Theodore to be released from the chains. The man looked beat, but his eyes were bright as the first time he had met him for the first time. There was blood and obvious wounds on him.

"Are you alright?" asked Calhoun, and Theodore, for a moment, didn't answer.

Theodore said, "I think I broke my glasses."

Calhoun didn't show it outwardly, but he was glad that no serious damage had been done on Theodore. "I will get you a new one," and one corner of his lips pulled up.

After Helena finished speaking to the magistrate, she saw Calhoun and Theodore make their way to where she stood.

"Thank you for coming to my aid," thanked Calhoun, offering the woman a bow.

Helena looked at Calhoun before her eyes shifted to look at Theodore. "You might be free now, but that doesn't mean you won't be under the eyes of the High House. At least until we solve who killed Madame Fraunces."

Theodore bowed at Helena, "I would be grateful if you were to catch hold of the person who killed her," came his polite words.

"Magistrate Maki," said Helena, turning her head to look at the human. "I hope you remember what we just discussed. Every case of death from now shall be reported to the High House. And discrepancies in it...you will be held accountable to it."

The magistrate felt like he was stuck between a rock and a wall, especially with the two women, the Queen and this High House lady.

The magistrate made use of the same carriage that he had come in, giving a ride to the rest of the people before he dropped Calhoun and Theodore at the castle.

"It seems like our plan worked magnificently," commented Theodore, his lips quirked up.

"Hm," responded Calhoun while he looked at the walls and pillars of the castle. "With the High House's involvement, there's very little Queen Morganna will be able to do."

If Morganna thought she was smart, Calhoun was her grandson, and he was ten steps ahead of her. And in those ten steps, he had already planned how Queen Morganna would trip over her own dress and fall into the death trap that was waiting for her.

He knew Morganna wouldn't stop attacking Theodore or him until they were far away from the castle. But Calhoun didn't come here to sightsee and be a guest in the castle for a few days. He would claim the throne for himself. With the High House in the picture, the Queen would have to watch her steps, not that she had time to do it.

As they entered the castle and started to walk in the corridor, they came to see Queen Morganna, who stood with the ministers crowded around her. On hearing the footsteps coming from the other side of the corridor, her gaze moved before it narrowed.

"What do you think you are doing with the murderer here?" demanded Morganna while trying to keep her cool.

"Me?" asked Calhoun in an oblivious tone. He then looked at Theodore before raising his eyebrows, "Oh you mean Theodore? The magistrate said he would investigate the scene closer as he wasn't satisfied with his last work."

Morganna looked at the ministers with a dismissive look, and the people left the corridor so that she could talk to him. "How dare you try to stop a Queen's order? Do you think Laurence won't hear about it?"

"Please do, grandmother. I am too tired and would like to rest in my room. I am sure you will be kind enough to deliver this news to him," Calhoun offered her a broad smile, showing his fangs and his eyes twinkling.

Morganna glared at Calhoun and at his audacity.

She didn't wait there and instead went to speak to the King.

"What do you think is going to happen?" asked Theodore, watching the woman disappear behind one of the walls.

"The time of her death has started to tick," replied Calhoun.