#Chapter 214: Trap

Grace As Charles led the enigmatic woman to the seat beside him, murmurs rippled through the hall. I didn't recognize her from the news. Looking closer, the thing I thought was a crown looked more like a piece of jewelry. It was a large stone resting on her forehead, held in place by a thin chain. Not a crown. Not a queen or a princess. The realization didn't make me feel any better. The senators all looked curious. Esme glanced over at Charles but looked unbothered, but no one, apart from Charles himself, seemed to know who she was. No one paused to ask or even looked concerned that Charles and this woman were here until Sean cleared his throat. "King Charles," he drawled, "your presence is unexpected. And even more surprising is your… companion. I wasn't aware that we were sharing court proceedings..." A sardonic smile played on Charles's lips. "I thought I made my interest in Mooncrest's affairs rather clear during our last encounter. This," he gestured towards the woman, "