“Ha!” Ingrid leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs. “You do realize, don’t you, that opposing me serves you no purpose?”
She cast a sidelong glance at Marius, who sat stiffly and silently like a sack of grain.
“Marius, explain what you wish to accuse the Duke of. As your superior, I shall judge the matter fairly,” she commanded.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Marius rose to his feet, his gaze locking onto Vlad.
“The Duke has committed heinous crimes by unlawfully seizing the property of a man who was a model citizen of the empire,” he declared. “In the process, he destroyed that man’s family. The man in question, Shylock Isles, rose from common birth to become a respected supplier to the nobles of the imperial palace. As a prince, I could not stand by while such an accomplished citizen had his hard-earned achievements stolen.”
Dandelion gasped and frantically waved his hands. “No, that’s not true! My father is a terrible man, and His Lordship simply likes my sister—”
