The Inherited Series Book 2: The Claimant

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  The Claimant

  The Inherited Series Book 2

  Lily Burlington

  Copyright © 2017 by Lily Burlington.

  All rights reserved. These books or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  This book is published by Inkitt – Join now to read and discover free upcoming bestsellers!

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter One

  I stood at the top of the gallery, peering down the length of the long hall before me. One wall was made up of windows and doors, all trimmed in gold, that lead out to the inner courtyard. The other wall was interspersed with doors and artwork.

  I had never been in this part of the castle before. Although all of my tours and lessons had by-passed this suite of rooms, I knew they were there. I had seen enough maps, wandered enough halls, and heard enough stories to be able to piece together both what the rooms held and how to avoid them.

  It wasn't so much that I had been told that the rooms were restricted. It was more like some unwritten code existed that I was to understand by never having been shown them or taught about them. I didn't resent it; in fact, it helped to remind me that, even though I had been asked to live here, I was still like the tourists, still only a visitor, a guest of the royal family, still on the outside.

  It probably should have excited me that I was finally about to see inside the only rooms in the palace that had unofficially been deemed out of bounds to me. It should have made me happy that I was finally accepted as part of the family and therefore granted access. Instead, all I felt was a faint tug of unease, making me hesitate in the doorway that lead to the private wing of the king and queen of Solis.

  While it was amazing to be so trusted by the family to be invited to this wing, it also worried me. Aside from Felip and Beatrice, I had only ever seen Leopold and a handful of the same castle staff coming or going from the suites. Access was restricted to only the most elite for one very important reason.

  Here in the heart of the castle, the throne room, the private office and library of the king, and the surrounding rooms were where the royal family and its closest companions discussed the top-secret information of the country. This wing is where all of the life-altering decisions of all the kings of Solis had been made. There were numerous libraries with endless texts, and countless council rooms where myriad meetings had been held, decisions made, and secrets told; but the rooms down this hall were the ones that really mattered.

  With a sense of impending doom, I took a deep breath and stepped over the threshold of the gallery.

  Felip's calm and familiar voice granted me entrance to the third door of the hallway and into his private office. He was seated behind a large, dark, wooden desk, surrounded by walls of charts, maps, and books. He suited the room perfectly, given the heavy nature of the furniture, the luxurious fabrics, and the sense of timeless wealth and power that clung to the foundations of the palace and its residents. I curtsied low.

  "Welcome, Catherine. Please sit," he said, indicating the blue velvet chair in front of his elegant desk.

  I did as I was told and gently folded myself into the plush armchair.

  Felip watched me quietly for a moment, his eyes boring into mine beseechingly. He was looking for something, asking me something. I watched him too, looking for a clue as to what this was about, and I was surprised at what I found, at how familiar the king seemed. I had never spent more than a few moments alone with him, nor had I been around him in such a private context before. With the sense that pretenses were slipping, I suddenly found I knew him very well.

  The king's shirtsleeves were rolled up, his gold curls disheveled as if he had run his hand through his hair one too many times. His face was open and calm, but I could see his tension in the muscle of his jaw and the line of his shoulders. His eyes were the exact same shade of green as his son's. Leopold had always seemed to look like his mother, sharing Beatrice's coloring and features, but his resemblance to his father was indisputable.

  After a moment, Felip opened one of his drawers and pulled out a velvet bag, placing it on the desktop between us. "I have had the necklace examined," he began while undoing the bag's ties. He shook the bag and the heavy sapphire slid out into his waiting palm.

  I had given the necklace to M. Arsnault a couple of days ago, as I had been directed to by Phillipa. I hadn't heard anything about it until M. Arsnault had interrupted my lessons with a message from the king, asking me to see him after dinner.

  Felip ran his thumb across the face of the sapphire, frowning down at it. "I have been guaranteed that it is authentic; it is the actual pendant which belonged to Queen Catherine."

  I stayed quiet, waiting for Felip to continue. My hands closed into fists, nails digging into my palms. I had a suspicion of what was coming and I was afraid of what it meant.

  "I presume you learned about Queen Catherine in your lessons?" he asked, and then switched to lightly accented English. "Learned about her and Leopold, about the necklace?"

  "Yes," I replied in French, "Phillipa told me that it was Catherine's and that it went missing after her tomb was raided."

  Felip smiled softly, nodding once, and replied in French again. I seemed to have passed some sort of test. "Exactly. It had been missing for centuries, presumed lost. I thought it was merely a good replica when Arsnault brought it to me the other day. Then to learn that it was authentic and that it was Governor Richard who gave it to you..."

  Felip paused, seeming to contemplate his words. "I am sure you are aware that Leopold believes that Richard is plotting some sort of treasonous sabotage against our two houses?"

  "Yes, Leopold told me his theories," I verified.

  "I cannot say that I believe the same things as my son, but I do agree that Governor Richard's behavior of late has been quite... strange. I have spoken with him directly regarding the recent developments with France as well as having questioned him about the necklace. He claims to have had nothing to do with France's decision regarding Arcadis, and he denies any connection with the necklace," explained Felip. He placed the necklace back into its velvet bag and slid it across the desk towards me.

  "I do not know what this means. I do know that he is lying about the necklace at the very least. For these reasons, I would like you to start to take some precautions. I do not think that you or Leopold are in any direct danger from Governor Richard, but I would like to keep him in the castle should his behavior become any more unpredictable. I would like you simply to be wary of this, Catherine, and, if possible, for you to do so without alarming Leopold too much. As I am sure you are aware, my son has a tendency to be overtly passionate in some, if not most, matters.”

  He nodded towards the velvet pouch. "That is yours. Please keep it safe. I know you will honor it just as your ancestor did."

  "Thank you," I told him, unsure of what else to do
and slightly shocked that it was being given back to me.

  Felip's face softened then, some of the tension easing off him. "You remind me of them," he said, as his kingly demeanor slipped, "of the stories of King Leopold and Queen Catherine."

  "How do you mean?" I asked, frowning. I had heard the same thing before, but never really understood why.

  Felip smiled crookedly. "King Leopold was a very restless soul, a very headstrong and passionate man. He never really settled into himself until he found his Catherine. She was just as strong as he was, able to keep up with him, to balance his fire. He fell to pieces when she left."

  "I haven't done anything," I told him, blushing slightly.

  "But you have, you have done everything. My son used to cause us all so much pain and worry. He would go running off and get into fights or take part in reckless pursuits. We could distract him for short periods of time, give him a horse to train, a car to drive, a job to do, but, like his ancestor, he excelled easily and then he would grow bored and reckless once again. His shell is hard and his spirit moody, but I know my son is good and that he is capable. I just had to convince him along with everyone else. You, Catherine, did what no one else could, just like the queen you are named after. You have made my son the best possible version of himself, and I thank you greatly for that. I know what you are sacrificing by staying here, and I will never be able to repay you enough for what you have done."

  Felip stopped, running a hand through his hair. "I will let you go now, Catherine. I know you are busy with lessons and wedding planning. Things are going to get even busier after this weekend I am afraid."

  "So I have been told," I replied as I stood to curtsy before him. "Thank you very much for seeing me."

  "You will be great," Felip told me, his voice unwavering. "You are a part of this family now, and we will do everything in our power to make that as easy as possible for you."

  "You have been more than welcoming already," I assured him, reaching for the door. I flashed him a smile and then slipped out into the hall.

  Felip's last words were so faint I wasn't sure I had even heard them or not. "Take care of him."

  "Is there anything else for today?" I asked Angelique when I returned to my room. I fell back onto my bed, not waiting for the answer. I pushed my heels off and tucked my legs up to my chest, curling into a ball with the velvet bag still clutched in my hand.

  Angelique appeared at the bottom of the bed and picked my shoes up off the floor. "No, Mademoiselle, you are finished for today."

  "Great," I answered automatically. I chewed my cheek, trying to decide what to do with the rest of the night. After a moment I became distinctly aware of my new phone pressing into my leg. I sighed and pulled it out of my pocket.

  I still hadn't called Tess or Alex about my engagement. I was putting it off as long as possible. It wasn't that I didn't want them to know, but rather that I didn't want to see their disappointment. They had been so sure that I was going to come home, that it would be a mistake for me to stay here with Leopold, and now I had to tell them I was staying. I had to say goodbye.

  I clicked the screen to life and checked the time. It would be nearly four there. Tess would be home from school, so I had no excuses left not to call. I typed in my password and brought up the video messaging application. Tess was never signed out of any application; you could reach her, somehow, at any time of the day or night.

  I frowned and rolled off the bed. I wedged the necklace under my mattresses and joined Angelique in the closet. I changed out of the blouse and pants and into a pair of pajamas before I returned to my bed. I sat cross-legged in the center, balancing the phone on my knee, and pressed call.

  "Cat!" Tess exclaimed in surprise.

  "Hey," I smiled.

  There was a muffled bang and a string of cursed words. Tess rolled her eyes, and looked at something off screen. "Alex, leave that for now. Look, Cat has called!"

  "Serious?" called Alex. There were heavy footsteps and then Alex's head appeared next to Tess. "Hey, Cat! Since when was this an option?"

  "It was a gift," I told them evasively. "They gave me a phone and a laptop. What are you doing at Tess's?"

  "Her car broke down. She asked me to take a look," he exclaimed as he held up his grease-covered hands as proof.

  "Well, I am glad I caught both of you," I told them. I grabbed one of the decorative pillows on the bed and began playing with its fringe.

  "Oh?" Tess said. "What's up? How are things at the castle?"

  "Good," I said slightly too quickly. Tess raised an eyebrow, giving Alex a look. "How is everything back home?"

  "The usual," Alex replied. "Tess dragged me out to go back-to-school shopping yesterday."

  I smiled at his pout. Alex hated shopping.

  "Oh, Alex! I have something to show you the next time you visit," I blurted suddenly. Alex fixing Tess's car triggered something in my mind.

  "Next time I visit?" Alex frowned.

  I hummed, ignoring the question. "They have a garage here, a big one. I'd never seen it before until last week. Leopold took me to get take-out in some special Lexus LF4 or something."

  Alex's eyes bulged, "A Lexus LFA?!"

  "Yeah, that's it," I nodded.

  "You're kidding. There are only five hundred of those on the planet."

  "Leopold's is silver. There are a bunch of other ones too, and a few motorcycles. At least two are Harleys." I turned over, lying on the floor on my stomach. I traced the carpet pattern with my finger.

  "And why didn't I see this when I was there?" demanded Alex.

  "I didn't know it existed," I said.

  "I'm crushed," Alex said, as he pressed his hand to his chest, feigning pain.

  "I'm more curious about the take-out than the car to be honest," said Tess. "Why would the castle eat take-out food?" Tess was slowly piecing things together, trying to figure out what I wasn't saying.

  "To celebrate," I stated and swallowed thickly.

  "Celebrate what?" Tess asked, eyes narrowing.

  I sighed and held my left hand up in front of the camera.

  "Oh my God!" Tess screamed, her hand flying to her mouth. Alex frowned for a minute, not understanding until Tess continued, "You're getting married!"

  Alex swore shortly.

  "Leopold and I are getting married," I confirmed.

  "This is so exciting!" Tess cried. "You've got to tell us everything!"

  "You're not upset?" I asked.

  "Upset? Our best friend is marrying a prince," scoffed Alex.

  "And a great one at that," added Tess. "I told you it was meant to be. I could just feel it. The way you and Leopold act around each other..." She trailed off, her excitement making her lost for words.

  "I thought you guys wanted me back at school?" I said, still slightly on edge. Excitement was beginning to bloom in my stomach, though, now that the worry was beginning to fade.

  "We want you to be happy. And if this makes you happy, you need to do it. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, Cats," Alex said, sounding very serious all of a sudden.

  "When's the wedding?" Tess pressed. "Do we get to come, or is it a royals-only kind of thing?"

  "Of course you are coming! I'm trying to make it over your March Break. Tentatively it’s set for March 18th, but I will let you know when the date is confirmed," I explained.

  "Oh this is perfect! I am going to have to find a dress!" Tess gushed. Then she stopped suddenly, her face falling. "What's the catch?"

  "What do you mean?" Alex asked, glaring at her.

  "Well, why now? Why did Prince Charming propose now?" she asked.

  "Well, you see, they are running out of summer, and the deal was—" Alex started, but Tess cut him off.

  "That's not it; he said Cats could come and go as she pleases, married or not," Tess said.

  "What happened to the love, fate, and cupid theory of yours?" Alex teased, pinching her ribs.

  Tess waved him off, directing her attention
back to me. "So what's the catch?"

  "Governor Richard may have somehow screwed up and made me the Queen of Arcadis," I told them quietly.

  "I thought you already were," said Alex.

  "No, I was going to be the figurehead of a province of France. Now, I am going to be the queen of the entire nation of Arcadis," I explained.

  Tess's mouth fell open, "No shit?"

  "None," I said.

  "Jesus," Alex breathed.

  There was a silence as we all swallowed the truth of it. This was the first time I had truly had a moment to contemplate what this detail would mean. What it meant to me to rule a country.

  "You're sure about all of this, Cats?" Alex asked, his voice sober.

  I nodded. "About Leopold, yes, about the rest… not so much."

  "What do you mean?" Tess said, frowning.

  "Leopold has some conspiracy theory involving Governor Richard. He thinks that he is planning to commit treason against us or something," I explained.

  "Well, it does sort of sound like it," agreed Tess. "How does someone 'screw up' and convince a country to just give up one of their provinces?"

  "I agree," Alex said. "I feel that a country is something you at least have to ask for. No one hands them out willy-nilly anymore."

  Tess punched his arm.

  "There's more," I said. "Near the beginning of the summer, Governor Richard gave me a necklace that belonged to my great, great, great, great grandmother or something. I learned this week that the necklace has been missing for over two centuries."

  "So where did he get it?" Alex asked.

  I shrugged. "Felip said that, when he was questioned, Governor Richard denied ever having seen it before."

  "Why would he do that?" Tess huffed.

  "So what are you going to do?" wondered Alex.

  "Nothing for now. We wait it out. It could be nothing, but to me, it's starting to seem more and more like Leopold may be right."

  It was raining the next afternoon, a tendency that was becoming more and more frequent. Apparently it was normal. M. Arsnault told me it rained a lot in the fall; it rained until it became cold enough to snow.