2024-09-14 00:02:54Sophia scoffed.
"Do you really think bargaining will make you worth millions?"
“That price doesn’t even scratch the surface of my value,” Alex replied with a wink.
“But seeing how eager you are, I decide not to make it too difficult for you. I’ll offer a 99.99999999999999999% discount, so it will be just one hundred thousand. How about it?”
Alex chuckled inwardly.
&nb
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Chapter 784
They came at dawn, with chains and paint.By the time the first boats should have been going out, the quay was closed. Police had run a chain from the fish market to the harbour office, and behind it Merriwether's clerks were working down the moorings with buckets of red paint and wide brushes, painting a crown on every hull.On the harbour office door, a clerk nailed up a notice in Treasury type."By order of the Comptroller," a young fisherman read aloud, at the chain. "All vessels in Harland harbour are declared gifts of the Tenth Prince, made while in office, and revert to the Crown pending inspection.""Gifts?" said the man next to him. "What gifts?""Your boat, apparently.""My boat? He never gave me a boat. My grandfather built that boat!" The young man pointed down the moorings, at an old green hull with a clerk already crouched beside it, brush in hand. "That's my grandfather's boat! She was built before the prince was born!"Merriwether stood on the harbour office steps, rea
Chapter 783
By morning the mark on Felicia's cheek had turned the colour of a plum.Alexander found her in the residence kitchen at six, standing at the sink with her back to the door, pretending to wash a cup that was already clean."Sit down," he said."I'm fine, Prince.""Sit down, Felicia."She sat. He took a cloth from the drawer, filled it with ice from the freezer, folded it once, and held it against her face. She flinched, then leaned into it."It doesn't hurt," she said."I know.""It really doesn't." She looked at the table. "What hurts is you *thanking* him. For his *diligence*. I lay awake all night with that word.""It's on the inventory," Alexander said."You said that last night too. I don't know what it means.""It means everything he took is written down. In his clerk's hand. With a date and a list number." He moved the ice a little higher. "Things that are written down can be found again."“Right now, his only goal is to drag me into a mess that will cost me everything. I have t
Chapter 782
It was a quarter to sunset.The bank back office was crowded: Merriwether, Fennick, four police, a clerk, and Richie by the vault stairs.Merriwether took a mug from Richie's desk and kept it on his bag."That's my mug," Richie said faintly."It's the Crown's mug now, Mr. Moss. Four hours, I said," Merriwether remarked. "You've wasted three of them, Mr. Moss.""I've been reading the statute," Richie said."Read faster."Alexander offered a slow, deliberate yawn. "Spare me the riddles and just explain it.""Why would I do that?" Merriwether said."Because I don't read very well," Alexander said. "I'm still learning. I'd like to hear it."The clerk stifled a laugh.Merriwether sighed, opened his folder, and found the page."By this instrument," he read, bored, "the island of Harland, and all waters within its boundary, pass to the governorship and autonomous administration of His Highness Prince Alexander of Leonhart, to be governed at his discretion, without interference from any minis
Chapter 781
It was past midnight.Steward Aldous Danoe had come to the east wing himself, knocked once on the door and said only, "His Majesty will see you now.""No guards?" Alexander had asked on the way."His Majesty prefers not, at this hour."Now, in the small study, Alexander stood in the middle of the rug and waited."Cure her."The Emperor did not look up. The pen did not stop moving."Cure the Second Queen, Alexander. Tonight, tomorrow, whenever you like. But cure her."Alex turned silence.His father finally put the pen down. “Sit.”Up close, without the grey powder, Maximillian Leonhart looked exactly what he was: a man who had never been sick a day in ten years."You're staring," the Emperor said."Your colour is better, Your Majesty.""Is it?""Much better. For a man who was vomiting blood four hours ago."The Emperor's mouth moved. It was not quite a smile."A miracle," he said. "Our ancestor is very forgiving.""Very.""Danoe. Tea.""Yes, Your Majesty.""Here is my problem," the Em
Chapter 780
Alexander stepped forward."Father. If the crown prince is allowed to choose my place from outside the table," he said, "then may I choose his place from outside the table too?"The Emperor looked at him, and something in the old face was very interested."As long as it's a county," he said. "Empty. Heritable. And poor. Then yes, you may."..."There's a place called Martydom," Alexander said.The room was quiet."The last counts there were two old brothers. They both died without an heir, and the land went back to the Crown, and as far as I know nobody's lived in the house since." He looked at the crown prince. "I heard it's empty. I think the crown prince could live there."The Emperor frowned."Martydom. I've never heard of it." He lifted a hand toward the gallery. "Prime Minister. Is that name on our records? Find it."...The Prime Minister came down from behind the rail with a tablet in his hand and his reading glasses on, and the whole room waited while he scrolled."Yes, Your
Chapter 779
"Father."The crown prince did not touch the cards. He stood over the table with both hands at his sides and looked at the Emperor instead."Is this really necessary?" His voice was careful now. "I have been the crown prince for twenty-two years. I've sat on your council. I've represented you in meetings you couldn't attend. Haven't I already proved I can do this?""Father." That was the Second Prince, narrow and pale at the far end of the table. "Why not simply choose? Name one of us, here, now. Say whose name you want on the throne." He spread his hands. "I promise you, none of us will hold it against you.""Yes, Father." The Third Prince was a heavy man in his early thirties with a banker's haircut and a signet ring he kept turning. "And forgive me, but think about what you're asking. If I hand over every company I have and then I lose — I've lost everything. Isn't that too much to risk?""My children."The Emperor said it gently, the way you speak to people who have said something
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It is an interesting nov l.