The King stared down at the small letter that had been delivered with Eva and the children. "It was as we feared." He sat back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Lucas had forced his hand. It was as if he had known this would happen in advance. All the things that he did to ensure his future. No, her future. An icy chill ran down his back as he forced himself to look at the big picture.
He stared down at the locked drawer to his right and moved to pull the key from around his neck. Inside was a contract he had signed with Lucas before he ascended through the ranks of nobility. It was a secret he had kept from even his advisors. Agreements made in long night negotiations after the elf completed some impossible task after another. Tasks that helped him immensely stabilize his reign over the years.
