His Royal Highness

Chapter Seven

"How did it go?" Sebastian asked as soon as Charlotte arrived at the meeting point.

To reduce the chance of any of the dukes finding out that they were investigating them, they had decided that Charlotte would ask the questions. Sebastian was more recognizable and the suspect might clamp up around him.

Although Charlotte was closer to the danger, the danger wasn't after her. And as long as she wasn't discovered to be Sebastian's accomplice, she would be fine.

But Charlotte didn't mind. It was rather fascinating to be discreetly interrogating people. Not even just Duke Kleyr, but his staff as well. It was almost unrealistic, but certainly exciting.

"You said Philip was killed in Ferring Forest, correct?" Charlotte asked first, before sharing what she had acquired.

Sebastian nodded.

"Well, Duke Kleyr hosted a small fundraiser in a nearby town, five days prior to when Philip was there. But, it ended the next day and he returned back here," Charlotte reiterated what she had found out from staff in Duke Kleyr's estate. "Also, he hasn't been to the palace for months."

She had pretended to be some peasant girl who lived near the Ferring Forest and was wondering when the duke's last and next campaign was. She had went as far as dressing in rags, which she was still wearing.

"So he wasn't in town when Philip was killed," Sebastian concluded, looking sullen yet relieved at the same time. Relief that Kleyr wasn't the killer but disappointment that the killer was still unknown.

"At least that narrows it down to three," he noted.

"That's good," she said optimistically. "We're getting there. Slowly but surely. Now, who's next?"

"Tobias," Sebastian answered, holding out the map he had purchased earlier and pointing to their next destination. "Now we go from the most well known to the most secretive."

"Sounds fun. What's my disguise this time?" she smiled.

"Only the most beautiful woman in the world," Sebastian winked.

"And who might that be?" Charlotte raised one of her eyebrows.

"You, of course," he grinned, sending warmth into her cheeks.

"You are so sweet," she smiled. Then, she leaned over to give him a kiss on the cheek just to feel cool metal touch her lips.

Sebastian groaned and she giggled. "Sometimes, I forget that you're wearing that suit."

"Me too, dove, me too," he grumbled, looking disappointed. "Let's just go."

~~~

Charlotte took a deep breath and casually dove into the water. Surely the splash will grab attention.

After some quick digging around, one of the locals claimed that he sometimes saw Duke Tobias swim in the nearby lake. He then further detailed that he usually swam in the early portion of the afternoon.

Which was why she was currently swimming in the nice, fairly secluded lake. Meanwhile, Sebastian was hiding up in one of the trees, keeping a watch on her.

When she came back up for air, she saw a man standing at the lake bank and then slowly walking away. He had very fair hair, almost white, but not like the kind that came with old age. Was he Duke Tobias?

"I hope you're not leaving because me," she called out to the man. He stopped and turned back to face her. His cleanshaven face made his appear more youthful, although he still looked like he was at least Sebastian's age.