BITTER MEDICINE
~SIMONE'S POV~
My bare feet made no sound against the cold marble as I crept down the hallway toward Irene's study.
I knew I should have stayed in Nicholas's room like he had asked, but the thought of armed men discussing my fate while I hid like a frightened child made my skin crawl.
The heavy oak door was slightly ajar, voices floating through the gap like smoke. I pressed myself against the wall, heart beating as I strained to listen.
Irene's voice carried the unmistakable authority of a queen holding court.
"Gentlemen, please, make yourselves comfortable. Though I must say, arriving unannounced with an armed escort is hardly the behavior of guests seeking peaceful solution."
"Aunt Irene speaks the truth," Nicholas said, his tone deceptively calm. "Twelve men wi
