Nik's POV

"All I know is that this mongrel was hauling my possessions to his shack of a home," I heard Lily Cantwell tell the police. I looked to see that Blue Christopher was in hand cuffs and behind in the back of a cop car. I was just getting home from the basketball game and saw lights and sirens. I drove by and saw the commotion. Lily was talking to a police officer, a couple others were holding open doors to their cop cars for Leticia and Lydia to examine as if just to make sure they belonged to them, Blue was in the cop car, and from the corner of the window, I saw Amy looking out. She scanned looked directly into the cop car, at Blue. As if they were communicating by their looks. They probably were.

Furthermore, I drove off from the scene.

***

"Father?" I called. I found him in his office, discussing something with the assistant chief of police. I nodded to him before my father allowed him to leave.

"Oh, hi," he greeted. "How was the game?"

"Great," I said, noticing him avoiding something. Although this was the first real game I could go to since it was before sunset. "Do you know what happened at the Cantwell's house tonight?"

His gray eyes locked onto mine. I sat down before he said anything.

"A peasant was caught stealing from their manor," he informed. "A whole lot, actually."

"Have they got it back?" I asked. He shook his head.

"No. Although I think the lad should be thrown in jail already, the department is keeping the riches here in the castle for evidence for the trial," he told.

"Why would you want him locked up?" I asked. "Blue's never done any harm!"

I recently decided that if Blue was who Amy wanted, then so be it. As long as she was happy. Meaning, she was not the one for me if she isn't risking anything to be with me...but talked to Blue in return.

"Blue Christopher has far more charges than a minor should," my father notified. What? "Stick to your own business, son."

"Yes sir," I said, meaninglessly.

***

"Can I please speak to Blue Christopher?" I asked the officer at the juvenile delinquency center the following day at lunch. The officer sized me up and then allowed me access, considering that I was his superior indirectly. We made it to Blue's cell and I talked to him between bars. I asked for privacy from the guard. He obliged, but stayed down the hall's doorway, probably twenty or thirty feet away.

"Prince Nikolai?" Blue asked, walking into the light. He was still in the trashy clothes he had been in from the other night.

"What happened?" I asked. He looked around and then decided to speak.

"Amy thought that if they didn't have her parents' stuff, they couldn't do anything to stop her," he said. "So we hid them at my place under the hay, but Lily only caught me when she arrived home early and I had gotten the last of it."

That was reasonable. But nonetheless, he was locked up for Amy's idea—for wanting her to be happy in extension.

"What did you take?" I asked specifically.

"Just some boxes and a trunk," he answered. "All of it, of course, are locked and probably back at their house by now..."

I thought about them being in the castle somewhere.

"It's a shame really," Blue added as I stared off. "She has no control over any of that stuff and she's probably getting lashed for even thinking of defying them..."

"If I find out that they're ever whipping her, I'll lock them up for—" I said between tight teeth. He gulped as if it's happened before. "Forget it..."

He nodded, slowly, but not convincing. I looked to my watch and decided that I better be headed back to school.

"I gotta go," I told him. "I'll try to be there at your trial and get you out of this."

"Wait!" Blue called when I started to turn. "I know why you'd help Amy, but why me?"

I looked into his wide eyes.

"If helping you helps Amy, I'm willing to do it," I stated honestly. I meant it, too. He respectably nodded to me and held a hand out. I shook it and nodded back. After that, I left, thinking. What if Amy had owned her parents' property? Then it would be her say on pressing charges...

My theory, based by Blue, thundered into an investigation once I got home. I would look near and far, high and low, left and right, until I found the "riches" the St. Claire's own...I didn't care if they were locked up or not. I just needed to find them, find a way to break them open, and then find something...anything that was addressed to Amy.

The cellar...

I know I wasn't allowed down there, but it was worth the shot.

I made my way down to the cellar with a single flashlight and wondering mind. In the middle of the floor, the Cantwell/St. Claire possessions were. I had to rummage around the supplies to find one that could break the lock. I broke it and dust escaped from the metal. I fanned it out of my way with coughs, but then opened the trunk.

There was a white dress—probably Sandra's wedding dress—a scrapbook, jewelry boxes, and random items. I stopped digging when I looked at the inside of the top. There was a picture of a beautiful brunette woman, a tall dark haired man, and a small baby. This was the St. Claire family before any deaths. I noticed that the 8 x 11 developed picture was folded in one corner and coming off. I touched it, expecting to fix it, but I noticed a metal piece behind it. I pulled the picture and saw a golden metal plate with a handle. I opened the secret hatch and found two envelopes. The golden one read "To Tate Christophe...his eyes only". The off-white one read "To: my beautiful daughter, Amy St. Claire". I set my father's note aside and then opened Amy's. Two letters fell out.

"Dear Amy,

By the time you've found this, you'll probably be of age to understand. Up until now, you've probably been left with bare minimum. Please understand that I never wanted that...your step mother and siblings would've understood that I never wanted that. But in any case, if you are not of age and are reading this, if you have any problems, take it up with King Tate Christophe. Believe it or not, but he's a close family friend and I believe he'd do anything for your well-being...so your mother said..."

It went on and on about Amy's father's intentions and how she could've always came to the King for help. He would've taken her in. If she had found this years earlier, she could've been in Candace's position...aside from the attitude and bitch complex. But if she had ever occupied anything of the royals, she'd adopt the concept like me. She wouldn't be the amazing person she was now. I'd probably never fall in love with the one girl that I was growing closer to.

The second letter was his missing will. It declared any and everything in their residence belonging to Amy St. Claire. Also, anything bought by Mr. St. Claire up until the findings of this will. Meaning, any checks from his account, or life insurance...anything purchased by that, or sold into cash, belonged to Amy.

"Ahem," someone cleared their throat. I looked over my shoulder to see two guards. I bowed my head in defeat. I put everything back into the trunk, but slid the notes into my sleeve. I as escorted to his office anyways. He stared up at me with eyes that said it all.

"You're not allowed down there," he started.

"I know, but her stuff was down there and—"

"That's evidence for the trial," he reminded.

"I don't care," I figured. "And what's to try anyways? Amy didn't press any charges."

"But the Cantwells did."

"It's not their say whether or not to press anything," I said.

"It's their property—"

"No. It's not," I interrupted. I pulled out the notes and dropped them onto the desk between us. "If you don't believe me, then read for yourself."

With that, I left. If he was so stubborn to just lock up an innocent teenager, then I wasn't on his side.

l