Chapter 254: The Duke of Velez Laughs
Chapter 254: The Duke of Velez Laughs
Rudolf moved in a flash, placing himself between me and the shattered window, ready to shield me with his own body if another arrow came. The opposite window faced the ducal residence. An arrow wouldn’t fly from there... unless it was the Duchess’s gaze. That might actually wreck the carriage. I meant it as a joke, but with her it didn’t feel entirely impossible.The carriage remained stopped. The coachman didn’t come to check on us—probably frozen in place. Rudolf leaned halfway out of the box and shouted to him:
"Don’t move the carriage!"
He exchanged a few more words. Apparently Rudolf had decided no second arrow was coming. I had no way of knowing for sure.
"A messenger from His Grace has arrived," Rudolf reported while still hanging out the window. He spoke with the man for a moment, then slipped fully outside and opened the carriage door so the servant could see inside. The moment the servant laid eyes on the arrow stuck straight across in front of me, his face went white.
"This is..."
He couldn’t finish the sentence. His complexion had turned ashen.
"We should show this to His Grace. Forgive me, but would you leave everything exactly as it is?"
"Understood. We’ll wait for His Grace."
"Please wait a moment."
The servant hurried off. I remained seated inside the carriage, staring at the arrow embedded in the door. A few centimeters either way and it would have pierced me or Rudolf. Had they waited until we left the ducal residence and I was finally free of the Duchess’s magic before striking? Threading an arrow between the two of us while the carriage was moving had clearly been deliberate.
Was this the work of some "Arrow Hero"? That level of skill would be required. And of course the shooter hadn’t done it for fun—someone must have hired him. Count von Kirchhoff? Was I jumping to conclusions too easily? Last night’s attack hadn’t been proven to be his doing either (though I was already convinced). Why here, while his own wife was visiting the Duchess?
While my thoughts spun in circles, the Duke arrived.
"Ambassador Marie, I’m opening the door."