SAVING THE DAMSEL

Chapter 5 Snitches

"I'm sorry for your loss. But I didn't even know he died until I heard you crying." The elderly servant attempted to hide the grin on his lips.

Thackeray helped the man up. "I was told Prince Alva lost my son's body." He placed his hand over his face to cover it.

Petunia kicked the wall. "Griffin's hiding Blackstone's body to open the vault without us. He was seen carrying a large sack out of the prison. He betrayed us. I was going to let him live! Okay, I'll still let him live, but I'm not happy about it." She folded her arms and pouted.

Victor moaned to himself. "I should have married Blackstone off. Women would stab each other to date him, and we could make money on tickets." He took out a pen and jabbed the air.

Petunia clapped her hands. "That would've been so wonderful."

Thackeray blurted. "You are a terrible father, and I raised your children and mine. Cora didn't even figure you were her dad until she was seven, and she cried for a month."

"I'm not a bad father. You're the one who sent Blackstone to work in the kitchen and begged your fellow staff members to teach him how to cook. What, so he can follow in your pathetic footsteps?"

"Being a chef and a baker has been his dream since he was ten." Thackeray's face hardened. "At least he was fed that way. Mother made mistakes, but even she didn't allow you to neglect him."

"It's not true!" Victor stiffened.

"Yes, it is," Ronda said from the necklace. "Now that the stupid prince is gone, Dex is demanding to test the DNA and search the court files. My son's illegal adoption is still on record."

"No, I burned the files, and they can't release Blackstone's actual DNA tests without asking me first." Victor shook his manicured fist. "I don't want the public to know I'm not Blackstone's father, or how I bribed the judge for custody. Alva's stepmother, Queen Izz, agreed to it. I could lose my title, now that Dex is in power." He stepped wrong and grunted in pain. "Maybe it's the rats that ran over my boot. I should have a doctor look it over."

Ronda's voice seemed to lift in joy over his pain. "So that is really why you were against Cora marrying him? That isn't our fault. You forced my husband and I to live here to be in our son's life," Ronda said from the pendent.

"Never say that out loud again. Blackstone was my son, legally, and I let you both raise him. Isn't that enough? I let Mother pretend to be queen when I had the power. I'm sorry, she was killed over it."

"Liar. You asked me to rid the world of her." Petunia cackled to herself in between her tears. "Big brother, you needed Mom gone as much as I did. She started feeling guilty." Petunia tossed a handful of magical glitter dust she hid in her pocket, and it struck Ronda through the necklace, but no one noticed.

The Prison:

Griffin screamed at Florence. "Victor no longer trusts me! They all think I hid Blackstone's body, and the vegetable chips weren't even that tasty."

"But I told you not to let anyone see you." Florence winked and pointed at him.

Her former betrothed stormed out, and she walked back to the clinic room.

"He's going to give me up," Blackstone said.

"Don't worry." Florence wiped the spittle from his face, and she sat at the foot of his bed.

A nurse walked in with porridge, but she tasked Florence with feeding The Damsel.

"I probably look like a monster, but I don't mind it much," Blackstone said.