Awakening Love: Reborn to Be His Duchess Chapter 479: A Whisper in the Dark

Flowira gave a slow shake of her head, her voice steady and certain. "None of that, Your Grace. You know how my brother is. He keeps himself apart from matters like these and has no taste for negotiation or governance. This treaty has been shaped mostly by my uncle and me. And to be frank, the terms offered by His Majesty of Avenlor would give our people real breathing room, a chance to recover after years of hardship. My uncle may come off as hard-edged and difficult, but in private, he's been more than satisfied with the goodwill Avenlor has shown."

Elowen leaned back slightly, her fingers resting against the arm of her chair as she considered it. "If nothing has changed within your court, and there's been no new command from your king, then why would Prince Roderic suddenly shift his stance?"

"That's what troubles me," Flowira admitted, her brows knitting together. "He has a temper, yes, but he's never been reckless or blind to the larger picture. What he did today felt... wrong."

The study fell into a heavy quiet, broken only by the faint crackle from the iron wall sconce where the flame flickered against the metal.

It was clear there was little more to uncover from this line of thought.

Elowen let out a soft breath. "You came all this way at this hour. I'm grateful. It's late, though. You should head back and get some rest."

Flowira rose at once. "Of course."

She reached for the fur-lined riding cap set beside her but paused, her fingers brushing along the worn edge as something tugged at her memory. Then she looked up again, eyes catching the firelight.

"There is something else. I don't know if it matters, but... it might."

Elowen straightened. "Go on."

"It was the day we settled the main terms," Flowira said slowly. "We had just left the royal residence and were on our way back when a palace attendant hurried after us. I had never seen him before. He said my uncle had left behind a wolf-tooth pendant in one of the side chambers of the Hall of Imperial Grace."

Elowen's attention sharpened.

"My uncle stepped aside with him and spoke for a short while."

Elowen leaned forward, her voice low. "Did you hear anything?"

"I didn't think it was important at the time," Flowira said, shaking her head. "I stayed where I was. But a few words carried over. Something about a stronger army, gaining an advantage, becoming... more formidable. And there was talk of desire, of coveting land."

She frowned faintly. "The man didn't linger. He said what he came to say and left. But after that, my uncle's expression changed. I thought he was irritated over the pendant or the carelessness of the palace staff. Now... I don't think that was it."

Elowen slowly sat upright, a chill creeping into her fingertips. "He was being warned that once Avenlor takes possession of your warhorses and armor, its strength will grow even further, and sooner or later, it will turn that strength northward."

Flowira's face paled. "Yes. That would do it."

She drew in a quiet breath. "My uncle isn't what he seems, Your Grace. He looks like a man who lives for conquest, but he doesn't. When he was young, he was driven out during tribal strife and survived only because a poor woman took him in. He's seen what hunger does to people. What cold does. He's watched families fall apart just trying to live through winter. Everything he's done, whether choosing war or peace, has been for one reason, to make sure our people don't have to live like that anymore."

Her voice softened. "If he truly believed Avenlor was building strength now only to strike later, then of course he would push back, even if it meant tearing apart the agreement. To him, that wouldn't be stubbornness. It would be protection."

Elowen gave a slow nod.

The root of it was clear now.

Someone had planted that thought deliberately.

"And that attendant," Flowira continued, her tone tightening, "I've been in and out of the palace enough to recognize most of the household staff. He didn't belong to any of them. I should have noticed."

Elowen's thoughts began to race. "Who would benefit from breaking this peace? If the two sides turn on each other again, who stands to gain?"

Alaric's face surfaced in her mind almost immediately.

Would he want rising tension, even open conflict, so he could step forward and take command?

Victory in war would strengthen his claim, secure his position.

Was that what Iris had advised him?

No. That's not who he is.

Elowen dismissed the idea almost as soon as it formed.

She knew Alaric too well.

He never cared for the battlefield. What he wanted was control, influence, the quiet satisfaction of moving pieces no one else even saw.

What he has always wanted... is me.

If that was true, then this wasn't about war.

It was about Cassian.

And as that realization settled into place, a sharp coldness slid down her spine, leaving her breath unsteady.

If Alaric wasn't just trying to disrupt the treaty, but to push things further, to turn this into something larger, something that could drag Cassian down completely...

The confrontation earlier and Dominic's injury...

"Princess."

Elowen's voice cut through the silence, sudden and sharp.

Flowira looked up, startled. "Your Grace?"

"From tonight on," Elowen said quickly, "you, Prince Roderic, and Prince Zachary should remain inside your residence unless there's no other choice. I'll have additional guards sent over at once."

Flowira blinked, confusion flickering across her face. "Why?"

Before Elowen could answer, hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor, heavy and urgent.