Chapter 3

Joseph and Clarisse arrived just moments after the on-duty security team and he knew instinctively the royal guard had already been summonsed. Mia, Nicholas, Shades and Charlotte were on the scene less than five minutes later. "What happened?" Joseph demanded.

Shades opted to not point out at the moment that Joseph had retired and that it was his job to ask the questions. At this point, he just wanted answers.

"We're not sure, sir. A couple of men have gone in to clear the room and make sure it's safe."

Mia began to pace while Clarisse stood ramrod still. Charlotte stayed in one place, but her hands were wringing. "It felt like an explosion," she started.

One of the guards nodded, "Yes. Those who were nearby said the walls shook but apparently were strong enough to contain whatever caused the blast."

With those words, Mia stopped and turned toward the young man. "Blast? As in a bomb?" Her face remained passive, but her large brown eyes were wide with the fear that he could be telling the truth.

The man shifted his gaze from Shades to Joseph. When he realized they were waiting for him to answer as well, he sighed. "We can't be certain yet, Your Majesty, but from all accounts some type of incendiary device would appear to be the source."

"Merde," was the only whispered reply from the Queen.

Shades looked at the group and specifically to his Queen. "Wait here." He turned to Felix. "You're on the Sparrow."

Joseph watched the young man disappear behind the double doors. A large part…a very large part wanted to go in with him, but until the threat could be identified and contained, he wanted and needed to be here to protect the most important people in his life.

After a short eternity, the doors to the parliament hall opened and several men came out with Shades leading the way. "It's all clear. There's still a lot of debris to be cleaned up, but we find no evidence of any other devices." He gestured to the young man standing beside him. "Marcus has called a friend who is an explosives expert, and he'll be on the first plane to Genovia, but won't arrive until much later today."

Joseph nodded. "Understood. What are you doing next?" He knew what he'd do, but this wasn't his show anymore and until Shades asked for his help, he wouldn't give it uninvited. At least not intentionally.

"We're going to gather as many security personnel as we can and do a full sweep of the castle and the grounds. We want to make sure this is an isolated event."

Joseph nodded. "I like that plan. Can we go inside?"

Shades faltered a little bit, "I don't think that's a good idea."

Clarisse moved forward. "I appreciate your concern, but this is my home and I plan to survey the damage."

Without waiting for anyone's permission, she strode with purpose through the doors. Mia and Charlotte followed close behind.

Joseph and Shades were inside a moment later, just in time to see Mia recognize what had been the target of the explosion. "Oh dear God, this wasn't just an explosion. This was a message." She turned to Shades. "A message for me, wasn't it?"

Shades sighed. Sometimes being the boss wasn't a good thing. "Yes, Your Majesty. With the explosion originating from the platform on which you and the Prime Minister sit, one could arrive at that conclusion.

She nodded and held her composure. "Any idea who the message was from?"

"Ut ex Purpura Pirum," Clarisse whispered as her gaze focused on the wall above the platform.

"Gramma, you know I haven't learned all of those languages yet. What does that even mean and what makes you say that?

Clarisse didn't look in her granddaughter's direction, but rather pointed to the letters spray painted in the deepest of red over the banner that displayed the Renaldi crest and that of Genovia. The letter "P" was prominently displayed twice, one superimposed over the other.

"I still don't understand."

"The order of the crimson pear. An old secret society that holds fast to the more traditional values of Genovia's past. They are not a fan of progress and would prefer Genovia to stay locked away in the past century."

Mia moved toward her Grandmother, fully intent on asking more questions when she noticed Charlotte's arms wrapped around her waist as she held onto herself tightly. "Charlotte?"

At the concern in Mia's voice, Clarisse tore her gaze away from the graffiti and turned toward Charlotte. One look at the fear and horror on the young woman's face caused the pieces to start to fall into place. "They threatened you, didn't they?"

Shades moved to put his arms around Charlotte to support her as her legs started to give out from underneath her. "Ma'am, please. Can we talk about this later?"

Wanting answers, she turned to Joseph. "This is what you weren't telling me, wasn't it?"

"Clarisse…" Joseph's look and tone begged her to not bring this up here or now.

Clarisse ignored him and moved closer to Charlotte. "Why wouldn't you trust me with this?"

The tears fell freely now down Charlotte's face. Clarisse blinked several times to keep the moisture gathering in her eyes from doing the same. She turned to Joseph. "Why couldn't you?"

"I asked him not to," Shades explained before Joseph could respond.

Clarisse couldn't help it. She felt betrayed by her entire family. They'd decided, for whatever reason, not to trust her with this. Not to take advantage of her years in Genovia, her skill as a strategist, or even as a confidante. "I see." Finally, she turned toward her granddaughter. "And you?"

Mia raised her hands. "Completely in the dark here."

Clarisse felt a small sense of relief that Mia hadn't been a part of this. It didn't lessen the betrayal she felt, only didn't make it worse. "Well, as it appears my thoughts and opinions aren't needed here, if you all will excuse me."

Joseph was torn between staying to help learn more and going after his wife. Besides wanting to work things out with her, he didn't like the idea of her roaming around without any protection even though the security team had given the all clear. Someone on the inside had to help the Order as that was the only explanation. He doubted any of the men serving in Parliament would have the knowledge to not only transport a device to cause this much damage but to also find a way to get it under the platform that Mia sat on. If it had been found in the seats where the members of Parliament sat, then he would have a different theory.

It didn't mean, of course, that someone or more than one person with a seat in Parliament wasn't involved somehow, but there had to have been an inside man.

"Go after her, Joe. Please ask her to forgive me." Charlotte sniffed and then looked at Shades. "To forgive us."

Joseph nodded and followed slowly behind the path his wife had hastened down a few minutes ago. He wasn't sure she would be ready for the forgiveness phase just yet. Oh she would…eventually but he didn't think Shades and Charlotte fully comprehended the betrayal she felt at this moment. He understood. Understood and the memory of the gut wrenching ache he felt at that betrayal made him sick to his stomach.

He breathed a small sigh of relief when he saw a guard at the door to their suite. Everyone was on high alert and he was relieved that the protocols that had been put in place were working. Well, at least somewhat. The fact someone managed to get a bomb into the palace…well that definitely landed them square in the epic failure department.

He acknowledged the guard and stepped inside the suite. The room was dark but he could just make out her form sitting on the couch staring into the empty fireplace. "Would you like me to make a fire?"

The temperature outside didn't really necessitate one, but the chill he felt to his bones with the events of this night definitely made it acceptable.

"No, thank you."

"May I come sit beside you?"

"I'd rather you not."

He sighed. He didn't blame her, just had hoped he could maybe sit in silence with her, maybe hold her hand. "I understand."

"Do you?" Her tone was filled with hurt. "With the exception of my granddaughter, everyone I've trusted and allowed close to me, betrayed me tonight." She turned in his direction, even though her face remained in shadow. "Have you experienced that?"

Oh he had. In fact, he'd experienced betrayal at her hands. That day in the ballroom. She was wearing that soft pink dress and they'd moved so perfectly together to the music. And then he'd asked her the question that had been burning the tip of his tongue for days. "Have you been thinking about us?" The look on her face and the sadness in her eyes told him everything he needed to know before she even spoke a word. She'd betrayed him that day and it had plunged a knife into the very center of his heart leaving him devoid of warmth and doubting every moment they'd spent together since first acknowledging the mutual attraction between them. She'd betrayed their love, betrayed their future, and betrayed him.

So he assuredly knew how she felt with every fiber of his being, but bringing up that detail would serve no one tonight. "There aren't words adequate to say how sorry I am. For what it's worth, I had already determined that either Charlotte or Shades would tell you the truth in the morning or I would. I was sick keeping this from you."

She didn't say anything but returned to facing the fireplace. Joseph decided to simply stand there and wait to see if she would speak or, even worse, send him away.

After several minutes, he heard her whispered voice. "You know how dangerous these people are, don't you?"

He walked over to stand in front of the fireplace, keeping his back to her. "I've heard stories."

"Rupert told me of some of their escapades during his grandfather's rule and even into his father's. Once there was talk of increasing the pear output in order to increase trade for more advanced technology and other modern comforts, not to mention how that would have benefited the entire pear industry. The day before the agreement was to be signed by the president of the co-op, fires were set across pear fields throughout Genovia. It took years before we had enough again to even supply Genovia with their favorite fruit."

"And you know it was them?"

"Same calling card as they left in the Parliament room. One tree was left in each orchard with a white banner and the red letters. We knew."

He let the story hang in the air. Maybe Charlotte should have heard this before she made her decision. But he knew, just like his wife, she wouldn't have backed down. After several minutes, he asked the other question that was burning in his brain. "If Charlotte had told you about the threats, what would you have told her to do?"

The warmth of her body behind him caused him to start slightly. Apparently, she could be quite stealthy when she wanted to be. The absence of her customary heels probably helped. Her whispered breath in his ear had his complete attention. "Oh but everyone already knew what they thought I would say so didn't bother to ask the question when it might have prevented the mess we now have on our hands. Perhaps next time, you'll give me the benefit of the doubt. I'm going to bed."

He turned to follow, but she shook her head. "Not tonight. I need some time."

Joseph sighed and cast a look at the couch. He knew he deserved it and would try again to win back her trust in the morning.