A Dangerous Destiny: The Pure One Book I

Chapter Twenty-Four

So...ready for a new twist in the story? Henry seemed pretty confident the throne would soon be his in the last chapter. But we can't forget that Alexander Harrison is back and vengeful. Rebellion is coming, and this chapter will prove Alex might not be the only one who wants Henry to fail in his attempt to gain the crown... Enjoy!

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Alexander

The alleyway was almost entirely black, lit only by a dingy yellow wash of light at its entrance, cast off by a near by street lamp. Alexander Harrison's feet shifted beneath him, unable to keep still as he waited in the uneasy silence. For the hundredth time, he fought to suppress the rising fear that coming here had been a mistake. Though Alex had the picked location himself, he was fairly certain that Chancellor Dirham's connections were such that it would not matter. If this meeting was a trap, there was little chance he might escape with his life. But Alex's sources told him that the Chancellor was sincere in his desire to meet on friendly terms and he knew the opportunity to hear his supposed offer was not one he could pass up.

Though everyone knew Dirham had practically raised Henry himself, news from the palace implied that their relationship had grown strained since Fredrick's death. The reports seemed credible. In fact, all of Erestia was strained recently. Fredrick's illness and subsequent demise had sparked whispers of murder.

Officially, the King was reported to have succumbed to the illness that had plagued much of the Empire in early spring, but rumors abounded that the true nature of his end was far more sinister. In private, many speculated that the new King himself had been the assassin of his father, having hired experts in poison to perform the deed. Lords of more than a few estates, who claimed bloodlines to the Bastarios and the Hapsbens, were said to be speaking openly of making bids for the throne. For the first time, in a long time, the Vox Populi had competition in their sincere desire to bring down the Bastario crown. The date of Henry's coronation had yet to be announced, and until the crown was officially on his head, the new King remained weak.

When the Chancellor had sent a surreptitious message expressing a desire to gain the Vox Populi's support, claiming to have share the rebellion's goal of sabotaging Henry's reign before it began, Alex had been excited for the possibility. If he were to gain the friendship of one within King's inner circle, the possibility of ending Henry Bastario's life would finally be within his grasp again.

Alex knew that trusting that the Chancellor's stated intentions to form an alliance was exceedingly risky. Of course Dirham's position would make him a powerful ally, but in spite of the level of caution he had employed checking the authenticity of the man's true desire of alliance, there was simply no guarantee the High Chancellor was not sending this invite at the behest of Henry himself in an attempt to lure Alex into the open. Moreover, Alex knew that even if the man were sincere in his desire to bring about Henry's downfall, any aid he might offer would undoubtedly come with at a high price. Alex was willing to pay it.

He had seen Henry in battle. The man was brutal and vicious with coldness that bordered on inhuman. Dirham was no lamb, but his reputation held that he was intelligent and fair. Many said that it was the High Chancellor who had single handedly held the Empire together in spite of Fredrick's erratic and unsteady hand on the throne throughout his reign. If anyone was likely to succeed in ending Henry, who would be more apt then that man closest to him? More than anything else, Alex wanted to see his vengeance realized.

Under the Hapsben monarchy, the Harrison name had been great. Alex's great-grandfather was an advisor to the King' Privy Council and his grandfather had been poised to follow in his footsteps. But when Philip Bastario had defeated King Edward Hapsben, everything had changed.