The Duke's Bed Warmer

Chapter 94: A Dangerous Strategy

Dinner that night felt different than usual. Austin and Alina walked in together. It wasn’t something new, but everyone still noticed.

Throughout the meal, they kept stealing glances at each other, as if something new was brewing between them.

While Austin discussed trade routes with a lord beside him, his attention shifted as his eyes found Alina. She was talking with Marguerite, but she felt the weight of his gaze.

From his seat, Dorian noticed everything. He had expected that her royal lineage revelation would make them distant. But instead, they looked more intimate and comfortable around each other.

After dinner, when Dorian returned to his room, he wrote another encoded letter.

The target is deeply entrenched. My earlier assessment was wrong. This relationship is now the main obstacle. I recommend speeding up the timeline.

Finally, it was Thursday. Alina walked into Maren’s office expecting another cipher lesson. The manual lay open on the desk, but beside it sat a thick file, filled with handwritten notes.

Austin was already there. He stood near the wall with his arms crossed, looking worried.

"Sit down," Maren said.

Alina sat, her eyes moving between them. The awkward silence was enough for her to know something had happened.

"We cracked a part of Dorian’s cipher," Maren informed her. "The twelve letter key was ’golden future.’"

She opened the file and pulled out several transcribed pages.

"In the beginning, Dorian only sent standard diplomatic reports like trade notes, and cultural observations. But once he began spending time with you, the letters changed."

Maren picked up a page and began reading.

The Arcasedian asset has been confirmed. Though I still don’t know whether the duke is aware of her identity or not.

The asset’s attachment to the duke is an obstacle. I’m initiating a charm campaign. Suggest gifts that match her interests.

"Charm campaign?"

Alina laughed and looked at Austin. His expression didn’t change. He had already read everything before Alina had arrived.

"Everything the prince has been doing... it’s all planned," Maren said. "To be honest...when he gifted you the necklace even I got confused. I thought that he might have developed a genuine interest in you, but it was all an act."

"Of course. We already knew he was using me, didn’t we?" Alina said. "And honestly...who gives a genealogy book as a romantic gift?" she laughed.

"It was meant to break me, make me doubt Austin, and make me turn to Dorian to know more about my mother."

Maren nodded.

"Now that we know everything about his plan, the question is...what do we do next?"

Maren and Austin began discussing options. But everyone had some drawback. Alina listened to their ideas and their reasonings carefully.

"I have an idea," Alina said while Maren and Austin debated about their fifth idea.

"What is it?" Maren asked.

"Dorian gave me the genealogy to break me. He wants me to question everything, and to see him as my only safe option."

"So?" Austin asked.

"So I give him exactly what he wants."

Austin’s arms dropped to his sides.

"No."

"Listen to me first," Alina continued. "I’ll go to him and say that I discussed the book with you and you accidentally confessed that you bought me because of my royal lineage."

She waited for him to say something, but he kept glaring at her.

"It’s not even a lie," she continued. "I’ll say I’m angry, and feel betrayed. I don’t know who to trust anymore and he is the only person who has answers to my questions."

"Absolutely not," Austin’s voice was firm.

But Alina pressed on.

"While he’ll think he is succeeding, I’ll try to extract information from him."

"Alina, he is dangerous," Austin said, taking a step closer to her. "This isn’t some game. Fooling him isn’t that easy and if he even suspects..."

"He won’t," she didn’t let him finish. "Because most of what I’ll tell him is true. We did fight and you did hide the truth from me."

"The plan isn’t that bad," Maren said.

"I agree. Because it’s terrible," Austin said. "She wants to walk straight into an intelligence operation run by a foreign prince who has been planning to take her for months. If he figures it out..."

"The consequences of doing nothing could be worse," Maren said.

"We’ll find other ways. We have our own agents, network."

"Our agents haven’t even cracked the full cipher yet. Moreover, we can’t get past Dorian’s personal security. The only person that can get close to him is Alina."

"I don’t have a good feeling about it," Austin said as he began pacing nervously.

"Trust me." Alina stood up and walked towards him.

He stopped and looked at her, conflicted.

"Alina... you’re not understanding what you’re trying to step into. This is a foreign intelligence operation. Even trained agents find this difficult and you...you know nothing about such operations."

"I know Dorian is dangerous and calculating, but he is still a person. And I can read him."

"Maren," Austin said, still looking at Alina. "I want your professional opinion."

"Miss Ashworth has strong instincts in every situation so far. During the accusation incident, her method was much better than many agents I’ve trained. She even had a hunch about Dorian’s motives before we told her.

But as you said, this will be difficult. But I think she can do it, but with conditions."

"I accept all the conditions," she said before she could even hear them.

Austin sighed.

"She’ll have to report daily either to me or Austin. She’ll meet with Dorian only in public spaces with others nearby. And she’ll have to carry this all the time with her."

Maren opened a drawer and took out a small silver pin.

"It is a signalling device. If anything feels wrong, just press the center stone. One of my agents will reach you within thirty seconds."

"Conditions accepted," Alina said as she accepted the pin.

Austin had moved to the window, his back to them.

"Austin," Alina called him.

He didn’t turn. She took a deep breath before speaking again.

"I was brought here as a bed warmer," she said softly. "Since then, I’ve built a sewing circle, stood up to your fiancée, and found your..." she didn’t finish because of Maren.

"I’m not something fragile that needs to be locked away. I know what I’m getting into. Please, let me do it."

He didn’t reply. Alina’s morale dropped.

"Daily reports to me," he said, still facing the window.

"I will."

"And if you feel even slightly unsafe, just come to me. Don’t think about mission or anything else. Just come to me."

Alina nodded.

"I promise."

"Tomorrow Dorian is throwing a farewell party for one of his advisors," Maren said. "Make use of it."