The Duke's Masked Wife 2: The Prince's Outcast Bride

Henry stepped forward to question Quinn, but he had nothing on his mind to say. What should he ask after Tyrion had already interrogated Quinn?

"Mark, how long has Henry been questioning Quinn?" Tyrion softly inquired from the sidelines.

"Just once before. This would be his second time. I had arranged for Felix to be the one to do it, and before we got Henry to take Felix's place, men from the court questioned Quinn. He's been adamant about wanting to speak to Edgar. We should bring him in," said Mark.

"We'll do no such thing. You need to be wise," Tyrion advised Mark. "If I speak of something and you do not know what my plans are, do not question it before Quinn. You have been in this position to know we must look united before the accused."

"Normally, I would do so, but when I hear you speak of letting him get rid of an innocent person, I cannot stand by and do nothing. Don't play any games with him. He is tricky," Mark said, carefully watching the interaction between Quinn and Henry.

"That I already know. I'm a little disappointed with you, Mark. You should be able to pick up when they are bluffing and how a traitor sweats when they think they've been caught. We're done here," Tyrion said, walking toward Henry.

Before Tyrion reached Henry, the doors opened wide as a guard stormed in.

"I didn't give you permission to enter," Mark snapped.

When a royal was present, it wasn't the best time to disobey.

"The Collins estate was attacked," the guard passed on the message. "The duke is leaving."

Quinn chuckled, pleased to have witnessed reactions to the mess he created. "What a shame the duke wasn't here for me to see his anger."

Rafael was quick to get out of the room as he thought of Rue.

Mark stared at Quinn, curious how he could have ordered an attack when he was always being watched.

"Leave him," Mark said to Henry.

Mark rushed out of the room in hopes of catching up with Edgar.

Meanwhile, Henry looked at Quinn, whose laughter ceased when the others were out of the room. He waited for Quinn to give an order, and when it didn't come, he turned to the door.

"Your highness," Henry gasped, his body filling with fear.

Henry had been so fixed on Quinn that when he heard news of the Collins estate being attacked, he thought the prince had left.

Naturally, anyone would assume the prince to be the first one out the door.

"We must leave him," Tyrion said, leaving the room.

Henry stared at the open door, confused as to what the prince was thinking.

Why didn't Tyrion rush as soon as he heard the estate was under attack?

"This would be a good time to bring down the duke," Quinn said, picking up his book. "Tell them I want a priest so I can pray for Cassius to be well in the afterlife. You will do it for me, won't you? It'll be a kind gesture for the last day as a guard."

Henry walked out of the room without responding to Quinn.

When Henry exited the room, he found Tyrion standing beside the guards who were to go in to be at Quinn's side.

"Join us at the estate," Tyrion said, leading the way for Henry. "You'll need to report what happened on the duke's land since you are the captain for the day."

Henry loosened the collar of his shirt. "I am certain it will end up being a report that the duke's men killed the intruders."

"It is his land."

"There is a way these matters must be handled. The intruders should be handed over to the guards for questioning. We are lucky that someone came to report this in my presence, so the duke cannot deny-"

Henry was silenced by Tyrion grabbing him and throwing him against a wall.

"Your highness!" Henry exclaimed, succeeding in getting Mark's attention. "He is your wife's father, but you mustn't act this way."

"I don't care about your troubles with the duke. I care that you are a traitor. Did you do it to bring down the duke once and for all? Is that why you did it? I was curious what he might have sent you to do, and now I know," Tyrion said as his right hand inched closer to Henry's neck.

"I didn't have any part in the duke's estate being attacked. If you are accusing me of working with Quinn, then you are out of line," Henry said, fighting back against Tyrion.

It was a careless mistake to attack the prince in a home surrounded by palace guards.

While Henry feared the guards would kill him for attacking Tyrion to defend himself, he missed that he would be safer with the palace guards.

"Your highness!" Mark called, running to help Henry.

"I am not a traitor," Henry declared.

Tyrion didn't respond since, like Quinn, he wouldn't get a proper answer out of Henry. He knew it cost Henry something to be present in place of the man picked to replace him. Quinn was the one man who could help him, and in the midst of it, order an attack on the estate.

Mark's eyes widened when he saw Tyrion bashing Henry's head against the wall. It was all going well a moment ago.

How did news of the duke's estate being attacked turn to this?"

"Your highness," Mark said, grabbing Tyrion's hand to stop his attack. "If he said something to upset you, this is not the way to respond. You are going to kill him."

"Indeed, I am going to kill him. Take him to be tortured and interrogated. Then send him off to the palace. Move," Tyrion ordered the palace guards.

"I don't understand-"

"You're doing a lot of that quite lately. Quinn might be wise enough to plot ahead, but I am certain he didn't think he would find himself in this position. He needs someone on the inside to help him, and who is more gullible than a man about to lose his work?" Tyrion asked.

Tyrion used his handkerchief to wipe away the blood and traces of spit on his hand.

With Henry taken care of for now, Tyrion had to return to the estate.

Mark watched as the palace guards held Henry and then followed Tyrion, who started to run for the front doors.

"What proof do you have of this? Is it because the estate was attacked? You'll need more than that, and Quinn never speaks," Mark said, failing to explain why Tyrion suspected Henry.

Tyrion didn't respond since he was busy thinking of his wife and family. He regretted letting her out of his sight.

Tyrion ran until he found a guard with a horse and commanded him to hand over the reins.

"Your highness!" Mark yelled, needing an answer before Tyrion rode off.

Tyrion peered down at Mark, who was nothing more than a nuisance in the moment. "I know it is him because I watched. Let Henry walk free, and you'll be hanging before the palace gates by midnight."