He Stole My Children I Refused His Crown Chapter 24
“Did you come back, too?” I asked, my voice strained. “The way I did?”
Elliot froze.
Wind slipped through the half-open windows, carrying the faint scent of winter roses from the courtyard.
He didn’t deny it.
The look that flashed through those impossibly steady eyes was all the answer I needed.
I lowered my head.
“In our last life, why did you stay at the border? Why didn’t you ever reveal who you were?”
Elliot was silent for a long time.
“Because I was afraid my selfishness would destroy you.”
“I knew the truth about my bloodline very early on. The moment it came out, Queen Helena and Lucian would have seen me as a threat. Anyone close to me would have been dragged into their war for the throne.”
“My feelings for you had already crossed the line. If I regained my title on top of that, they would have branded you a tool Ironvale was using to seize power.”
“Staying at the border was the only way I knew how to protect you then.”
For a moment, I couldn’t speak.
Every unanswered question from my last life finally had an answer.
But the thought of Queen Helena’s sudden pregnancy crept back into my mind.
Lucian was imprisoned, Elliot had reclaimed his birthright, and on the surface, everything seemed to be falling into place.
Yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was still hiding in the shadows, waiting to set the next disaster in motion.
Elliot saw the unease on my face and stepped forward.
His hand hovered near my forehead for a moment before coming to rest lightly on my shoulder.
“She’s lost control of the royal guard and her authority in the council. Even if she has another plan, it won’t change the outcome of the investigation.”
“Willa, don’t be afraid. I’ll handle it.”
The calm strength in his voice quieted my fear, at least for now.