Chapter 193: The Silence After the Accusation
Then he kept walking, slower than before, like he’d felt the weight of the chamber land on him all at once.
Brooklyn dropped her arms.
She moved past Emma, grabbed a chair by the table, and carried it straight toward the door.
For a moment it looked like she was leaving.
Then she set it down right in front of the exit, lowered herself onto it, and crossed one leg over the other.
A quiet tension settled.
Bernard’s mouth curved faintly. His eyes moved from one face to the next before landing on Elara.
"What’s going on here?" he asked, voice even.
Elara didn’t answer. She stood from the bed and crossed the space between them.
Bernard didn’t step back.
Her hands went to his shirt. One button, then another. Fabric loosened as she worked her way down, calm and precise.
"Silverheart, what are you..."
Her finger pressed lightly to his lips.
He stopped.
His jaw worked once, then he let it go.
Elara kept going.
She checked him without hurry, then straightened his shirt back into place like nothing had happened. A moment later, she guided him to the bed.
He sat.
"Clean," she said, finally taking her seat beside him.
Bernard let out a short laugh, leaning back a little.
"You ladies are something else."
Emma’s gaze didn’t move from him.
"We’ve got some spies inside," she said. "They’re feeding my enemies everything about me."
His brows lifted slightly.
"Bernard," she said, lifting her eyes to his, her voice calm and steady. "You’re one of the spies on my list."
The air tightened again.
"I have my reasons," Emma said. "One or more of the suspects traveled with us and came back with us. At the beach, the blackmailer told me he was watching me. He even told me exactly where I was."
Her fingers curled once.
"I looked around. Then I got a message telling me not to bother—that I’d never find him."
Silence stretched between them.
"The other day, I argued with my mate. He walked out angry. A few hours later, I got another message."
Her eyes locked on him now.
"When I turned around... you were there."
Silence settled heavy in the chamber.
Brooklyn leaned forward slightly. "Bernard," she said, sharper now, "she just laid it out. What do you have to say?"
Bernard didn’t answer right away.
He just looked at Emma.
"I’m surprised," Bernard said, his gaze settling back on Brooklyn.
Brooklyn lifted one shoulder. "Couldn’t tell from your face."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Well, I don’t make a habit of spying on people."
"Bernard." Elara leaned forward. "The footage the blackmailer is using came from our server. Only the royals have access to that server. Besides Brandon and me, you’re the only other one I know who can get in. I’ve seen you hack it before."
Bernard’s smile disappeared.
"So I’ll ask you directly," Elara continued. "Did you break into the server and pull those old recordings?"
"No." The answer came fast. He shook his head. "I didn’t hack the server. The one time I got in, you were standing right there with me. I haven’t set foot in the control chamber since then."
Silence settled over the chamber.
Elara studied him for a moment before speaking again.
"When we went to see the King, everyone headed for the palace. You went another way. Where did you go?"
"I stopped to see the staff." Bernard spread his hands. "I said hello to the domestic workers. I do it every time I visit the palace."
Nobody spoke.
Then Elara’s eyes narrowed.
"Bernard, on Sunday evening, I saw you standing at the window, watching Emma and Brandon." She paused. "You had a communication device in your ear."
Bernard went still.
"Who were you talking to?"
A laugh escaped Bernard.
"A moonally called me."
"Who called you?" Emma asked.
"My moonally called me," Bernard repeated. "Trust me, it was nothing."
"The ’the moonally’ doesn’t have a name?" Elara asked, arching a brow.
"Elara, it was a harmless call."
"A harmless call?" Elara shot to her feet. "Then why did you wipe your call records?"
"Silverheart, please, calm down." Bernard reached for her hand.
She pulled it away before he could touch her.
"What reason could you possibly have?" she demanded. "What are you hiding?"
Bernard dragged a hand over his face and let out a slow breath.
"Listen to me. I’m not spying on the Alpha, and I never will. We don’t have some highly placed mole hiding among us." He looked around the chamber. "If there’s a problem in this house, tell me. Give me a few days, and I’ll deal with it. That’s what I’ve been doing for the last three winters. The Alpha made me Interior Administrator for a reason. He trusts me. So tell me what’s going on. Let’s figure it out together. But stop calling me a spy."
Brooklyn shook her head.
"I don’t believe you, Bernard. You’re hiding something."
"Me neither," Elara said at once.
Bernard turned toward her, his jaw tightening.
"Bernard, you’re not telling us the whole truth," Emma added.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Bernard pushed himself to his feet.
"Fine." He pointed toward the door. "Can I leave now?"
Brooklyn stepped in front of the exit and folded her arms across her chest.
"You’re not going anywhere until you tell us the truth."
He stared at her.
"Bernard, sit down," Elara said.
He dropped back onto the bed, leaving a noticeable gap between himself and Elara.
Emma watched him for a moment.
"Bernard," she said quietly, "why are you spying on me?"
"Alpha’s mate, I’m not spying on you."
Brooklyn let out a sharp laugh.
"I thought we were moonallies." She tilted her head at him. "Why would you stab your allies in the back? What did she do to you? Or your Alpha?"
Bernard said nothing.
His eyes drifted past them, fixed on a spot only he could see.
Emma leaned forward.
"Tell me how much she paid you," she said. "I’ll give you twice as much."
Still nothing.
Bernard pressed his lips together.
Brooklyn pushed herself out of her chair.
"How do you sleep at moonfall?" she demanded. "How do you betray the people who stood beside you all these winters? The ones you call family?"
The bed creaked as Bernard rose to his feet.
"Please move away from the door," he said. "I want to go home."
Brooklyn didn’t budge.
She crossed one leg over the other and settled back in front of the door, cutting off the only way out.
Bernard stared at her for a moment before taking a few steps forward.
"Move, Mrs. Ashford."
"Don’t touch me."
The warning came so fast that Bernard stopped where he was.
For a few seconds, the chamber fell silent.
Then he threw his hands into the air.
"What do you ladies want from me?" His voice echoed through the chamber. "Do you want me to admit to something I didn’t do?"
"No one is asking you to take the blame for something you didn’t do. We just want the truth!" Brooklyn snapped.
Bernard swung around and strode to the window. He stopped there with his back to them, folding his arms as he stared into the darkness outside.
Emma almost told Brooklyn to leave him alone. Almost.
But Brooklyn wasn’t finished.
"What do you want to know?" Bernard asked without turning around.
"Elara, ask him again," Brooklyn said.
Elara fixed her eyes on Bernard. "Who called you that Sunday moonfall?"
"The Alpha king."
His answer came without hesitation.
Elara frowned and opened her mouth, but Emma caught her eye. Something had changed. Bernard’s shoulders had lost some of their stiffness, as if he had finally decided to stop fighting the questions.
Emma gave a small nod.
"Why did he call you and not even say hello to me?" Elara asked.
"He didn’t want you to know he called."
"Why?"
Bernard rubbed a hand over his jaw.
"He’s planning a surprise for you. He made me promise not to tell you."
Elara narrowed her eyes.
"Then why did you delete your call records?"
"Because he’s been calling me a lot about it." Bernard let out a slow breath. "And I knew you’d ask questions. I didn’t want to lie to you."
The chamber fell quiet for a moment.
"Fine," Elara said. "When was the last time you saw Lunara?"
"The day she was thrown out of this estate."
"Has she ever called you?"
"No."
"Which of the domestic workers was closest to her while she was here?"
"Naomi."
"Do you think Naomi could be spying for her?"
Bernard finally turned from the window. The answer came instantly.
"No. She wouldn’t do that."
Elara studied him for a few seconds, then nodded.
"Alright. I believe you. Come sit down."
Bernard looked at the chair, then slowly shook his head.
"I’d rather stand."
"Why?"
"My Alpha sent me on an errand, and I’m already running late. I need to get going," Bernard said.
"Are you mad at me now?" Elara asked with a teasing grin.
"Yes."
"Why?"
Bernard let out a humorless laugh. "Elara, I thought you knew me. I guess I was wrong. If someone had told me you’d ever doubt me, I never would’ve believed them."
Her smile faded. "I’m sorry."
She rose from her chair and crossed the chamber. Bernard kept his eyes on the window, his hands buried in his pockets.
"I’m sorry," she said again.
He didn’t answer.
Comments