Chapter 45: Shadows Feigned Ignorance

The Royal Council Chamber of Valyshire was thick with tension, the air almost crackling as raised voices reverberated off the ornate walls. King Gregor of Vaeloris sat at the head of the table, his fists clenched, his eyes blazing with anger. Queen Amara sat beside him, her usual grace barely masking her deep worry. Prince Lucian stood behind them, his posture rigid with barely contained fury, while Princess Mireille sat quietly, her pale face etched with worry and indignation. 

On the opposite end of the chamber, King Theodore of Valyshire looked equally furious, his features darkened with disbelief and offense. Queen Eleonora, poised and elegant, sat beside him, her expression cool and measured as though none of the accusations affected her. 

"We demand you hand her back!" King Gregor's voice thundered, his hands slamming onto the table. "Gray is our family. We know she's in Trigis, within your borders. This isn't a coincidence." 

"How dare you accuse my kingdom of such a heinous act!" King Theodore shot back, rising to his feet. "Do you think I'd allow anyone under my rule to kidnap my daughter? The mere suggestion is insulting!" 

"She's injured," Queen Amara said, her voice trembling. "She's gravely injured, and you expect us to believe that it isn't your doing when the evidence points otherwise?" 

Queen Eleonora, ever the picture of composure, folded her hands delicately on the table. "I understand your distress, truly I do. But I assure you, my family has nothing to do with this tragedy." She offered an apologetic smile that didn't reach her eyes. "You can't come at us and accuse us of abducting that woman. You can't blame us for your family's shortcomings in ensuring her safety and welfare. We are just as concerned as you are about her whereabouts." 

Mireille, who had been silent until now, stood abruptly. Her voice cut through the argument like a blade. "That's a lie! I saw your son's face—Prince Lander—during the attack! He's the one who took Gray and me! And your men treated her gunshot wound callously when the two of you came" 

The room fell into a stunned silence as all eyes turned to the young princess. 

Queen Eleonora gasped softly, her expression one of perfectly executed shock. "You must be mistaken, dear child. My son and I were nowhere near that dreadful scene." 

Mireille's hands balled into fists at her sides. "I know what I saw! Stop lying! You hurt my Anae" 

King Theodore's face darkened further. "That's enough!" he barked, silencing the room. He turned his sharp gaze to Mireille. "Do not speak so recklessly, young lady. I will not have you slandering my family without proof. Gray is a princess of Valyshire before she wed your family. She is my daughter and you're accusing my wife, the Queen of Valyshire, and my son, the heir of Valyshire, of a heinuos crime. That's an insult to the royal family of Valyshire. And I won't take this lightly." 

"And I'm telling the truth. I'm not a child to lie and accuse your wife and son for nothing. This have a bearing to the treaty and I'm not a fool to jeopardize the state affairs of my home. If Anae Gray is truly a Princess of Valyshire, you might—" Mireille retorted, but was cut off when her Ryo Lucian placed a calming hand on her shoulder, shaking his head subtly.

"Careful, young lady. You might lose that sharp tongue of yours these days" King Theodore said coldly.

"How dare you threaten my daughter," King Gregor stand and slammed his hands on the table.

King Theodore dod the same. "And how dare you slander my family."

King Gregor held his head high before talking to his family and their men. "Let's go! It seems like some things here are happening behind someone's back. Someone's blind with someone's actions and orders. Interesting." He said as they're going out of the council room.

While the argument is happening, Princess Cassandra Leanne crouched behind a nearby door, her heart pounding. She had been passing by when the heated voices drew her curiosity. Now, she pressed her ear to the door, listening intently. 

Her heart twisted uncomfortably at Mireille's words. Gray was hurt? Cassandra tried to push away the twinge of worry that rose within her. It didn't make sense. She hated her Anae—or at least, she thought she did. Gray was always so indifferent, so unaffected by her provocations. It infuriated Cassandra to no end. 

Yet now, knowing Gray was in danger, a sick knot of concern settled in her stomach. She hated this feeling. 

Shaking her head as if to clear her thoughts, Cassandra slipped away before anyone noticed her eavesdropping. 

---

Back in Vaeloris Palace, the atmosphere was somber. Lira and Louise hovered over Louise's laptop, frustration etched into their faces. 

"Fuck! No, no, no!" Lira's fingers are flying across the keyboards of the computer's in front of them.

"What's happening?" Gavin asked before Blake could ask.

"The connection's gone," Louise said, her voice tight with anger. "They found the breach and shut it down. We lost the live feed." 

"Can you get it back?" Blake asked, his arms crossed. 

"Not from here," Louise replied, running a hand through her hair. "They've probably reinforced their security. I'd need to get closer to their system to hack it again." 

"Damn it," Gavin muttered, slamming a fist onto the table. 

Before anyone could respond, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway. The doors burst open, revealing King Gregor, Queen Amara, Prince Lucian, Princess Mireille, and an irate Prince Dale. 

"What happened?" Lucian demanded, his sharp gaze on Lira and Louise. 

Louise stood, her face grim. "We lost the connection. Their tech team found the breach and shut it down. We don't have eyes on Gray anymore." 

Dale's face contorted with rage. "You mean we don't know if she's alive or dead?" 

"She's alive," Louise said firmly, meeting Dale's furious gaze. "Gray doesn't go down easily. She's still fighting—I know it." 

---

Meanwhile, in Trigis, the facility holding Gray was a flurry of activity. Guards patrolled the halls with heightened vigilance, and technicians worked furiously to seal any potential breaches in their system. 

Prince Lander arrived, his face a mask of cold determination. His men greeted him with updates on the situation. 

"We found the source of the breach," one of them reported. "It was her ring—there's a GPS transmitter embedded in it. It allowed them to track her and hack our system." 

Lander's eyes narrowed as he picked up the small ring from the table. He studied it briefly before sneering and crushing it under his heel. 

"Typical Gray," he muttered. "Always thinking ahead. But she underestimated me." 

He strode toward the room where Gray was being held. The guards stepped aside, and the heavy door creaked open. 

Inside, Gray sat slumped in her chair, her face pale but her expression defiant. Her injury was poorly bandaged, and her wrists were raw from the restraints, but her eyes burned with quiet fury. 

Lander stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He smirked as he approached her, his hands clasped behind his back. 

"Well, well," he said mockingly. "The prodigal 'doctor'. You've caused quite the stir, haven't you?" 

Gray didn't respond, her gaze steady and unyielding. 

Lander chuckled. "You know, you've always been out of place in this family. And I bet you didn't know it." He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "You're not a Montclair. You're not my father's daughter." 

Gray's eyes flickered, but she quickly masked her shock. 

Lander's smirk widened at her brief reaction. "Oh, yes. Your dear mother lied to everyone. She claimed you were King Theodore's child to secure her place in the royal family. But you're nothing more than a bastard, Gray. A fraud." 

Gray tilted her head, her lips curving into a faint, mocking smile. "And yet, here you are, wasting your breath on me. If I'm so insignificant, why do I matter so much to you? Never expected you and your mother have obsession with a 'fraud'" 

Her words hit their mark. Lander's smirk faltered, replaced by a flicker of anger. He straightened, his expression hardening. 

"You don't matter," he said coldly. "But I'll enjoy watching you break." 

He turned on his heel and left the room, slamming the door behind him. 

---

Back in Vaeloris, the tension in the palace was palpable. Dale paced like a caged animal, his frustration and worry boiling over. 

"We need a new plan," Lucian said, his voice steady but urgent. "We can't wait for another lead to fall into our laps. Gray's running out of time." 

"She's tougher than she looks," Louise said, her voice steady despite her worry. "But we need to move fast. If they found the GPS, they'll change locations. We need to anticipate their next move." 

"What about the failsafe?" Lira asked. 

Louise shook her head. "It was compromised along with the GPS. We're blind for now." 

Queen Amara clasped her hands tightly, her knuckles white. "She's strong," she murmured, more to herself than anyone else. "Gray is strong. She'll hold on until we can get to her." 

"She shouldn't have to," Dale growled. "She shouldn't be alone." 

"None of us want this," Lucian said firmly, placing a hand on Dale's shoulder. "But we need to stay focused. For Gray's sake, for your wife's sake. She's a family Renn. And we do everything for our family."

Dale didn't reply and just went to Gray's room. He's been staying there since he came home. He can only sleep when he's in her bed. 

As the team regrouped to strategize, the weight of their failure hung heavy in the air. But beneath the despair, a spark of determination burned. They would find Gray. They would bring her home.