Marcus looked between Xander, the cat, and me, his sharp brow furrowing before he gave a slow, decisive nod. "Very well. Captain, assemble the men. We return to the capital."
Josephine opened her mouth, her face turning an incredibly ugly shade of frantic white as she realized her entire plan had completely evaporated into thin air. "But Marcus! The poison is..."
"The search is over, Josephine. The Solyne estate is clear, and Ms. Irene is innocent," Marcus cut her off, his voice flat and final as he turned on his heel.
As the grand procession of guards began to march out of the kitchen corridors, I let out a massive, trembling sigh of relief, my knees feeling entirely like jelly. The battle was won. I had flipped the script, cleared the evidence, and saved my family from the gallows.
