Richard

I rushed back to the palace, taking the stairs three at a time to reach my chambers.

That fuck had taken longer than expected, and I needed to check on Jane. She was too clever, too determined. Leaving her alone for too long was dangerous.

As I reached the top floor, I saw the palace servants coming out of my room. They immediately dropped to their knees when they saw me, heads bowed low.

“Is Jane still inside?” I demanded.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the oldest servant replied. ...