“DON’T LET THE PRINCESS DRINK THAT WINE!”—THE HOMELESS GIRL KNEW THE ROYAL FAMILY’S DEADLIEST SECRET
“DON’T LET THE PRINCESS DRINK THAT WINE!”—THE HOMELESS GIRL KNEW THE ROYAL FAMILY’S DEADLIEST SECRET
“Stop her before she reaches the princess!”
The captain’s scream exploded across the ballroom.
But the girl kept running.
She was barefoot, soaked from the rain, and covered in mud. Her torn gray dress dragged across the polished marble as hundreds of nobles turned to stare.
No one knew her name.
No one knew where she had come from.
But she knew one thing that could get the entire royal family killed.
The girl was carrying a small silver vial in her hand.
And inside it was the truth.
Princess Eleanor Whitmore stood beneath the crystal chandeliers, smiling beside her father, King Richard.
Tonight was supposed to be her engagement celebration.
Three hundred guests had traveled from across the kingdom to witness the announcement that Eleanor would marry the powerful Duke of Blackridge.
The musicians played.
Champagne flowed.
Servants carried golden trays through the crowd.
Then the doors burst open.
The little girl stumbled inside.
“Please!”
Her voice cracked through the music.
“Princess Eleanor!”
The guards rushed toward her.
“Get her out!” someone shouted.
The girl dodged them.
“Don't drink the wine!”
Eleanor froze.
“What?”
The girl pointed toward the crystal goblet in the princess's hand.
“It's poisoned!”
The ballroom went silent.
Eleanor stared at the girl.
Then at her wine.
Her father laughed nervously.
“This is absurd.”
The captain grabbed the child by the arm.
“Enough.”
“No!”
The girl screamed so loudly that everyone flinched.
“Your Majesty, if she drinks that, she'll die before midnight!”
The king's smile disappeared.
“Who are you?”
The girl looked directly at him.
“My name is Nora Vale.”
“And who sent you?”
“No one.”
“Then how do you know about the wine?”
Nora swallowed.
“Because I watched them make it.”
A murmur swept through the ballroom.
The king immediately ordered the doors sealed.
Eleanor lowered her goblet.
“Father,” she whispered, “don't.”
King Richard's face hardened.
“Nobody leaves this room.”
The duke stepped forward.
“This child is clearly trying to disrupt the engagement.”
Nora stared at him.
“You're the one who ordered it.”
The duke's face went pale.
“What?”
“You told the royal alchemist to poison the princess.”
The room erupted.
“That is treason!”
“Seize her!”
“She’s lying!”
Nora backed away as two guards approached.
Then she pulled the silver vial from her pocket.
“I have proof.”
She threw the vial onto the marble floor.
It shattered.
A strange blue smoke rose from the broken glass.
The royal physician immediately covered his mouth.
“Nightshade extract,” he whispered.
The king stared at him.
“Are you certain?”
The physician nodded.
“This concentration would kill within minutes.”
Eleanor's hands began trembling.
She looked at her father.
“Did you know?”
“No.”
But Nora suddenly whispered:
“He did.”
Everyone turned.
The girl wasn't looking at the king.
She was looking at the queen.
Queen Margaret had been silent throughout the entire confrontation.
Now she slowly stood.
“Nora,” she said softly.
The child's face changed.
Fear replaced anger.
“You know me.”
The queen's lips parted.
“Where did you get that name?”
Nora reached beneath her dress and pulled out a tiny wooden pendant.
The queen saw it.
Her entire body went rigid.
“No…”
Eleanor stared at her mother.
“Mother?”
Nora held up the pendant.
“This belonged to my mother.”
The queen took one trembling step backward.
“That's impossible.”
“She gave it to me before they killed her.”
The ballroom erupted again.
The king shouted, “Who killed your mother?”
Nora looked straight at him.
“You did.”
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The king's face drained of color.
“I have never seen you before.”
“Yes, you have.”
Nora pointed toward the throne.
“Twelve years ago.”
Eleanor looked confused.
“Father?”
Nora's voice softened.
“You told everyone the queen's first daughter died at birth.”
Queen Margaret began crying.
“But she didn't.”
Nora slowly turned toward Eleanor.
“She survived.”
Eleanor stopped breathing.
The little girl took one step forward.
“I'm your older sister.”
A gasp tore through the ballroom.
The queen collapsed into her chair.
And somewhere behind the curtains, a man quietly drew a sword.
Because the girl had not come to save the princess from poison.
She had come to take back the throne that had been stolen from her mother.
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