Kohen looked up from his notebook with confusion.
"I'm sorry. Can you run that one past me again?"
Hawthorn rolled his eyes as he tilted back on the chair.
"Katerina cannot be employed here any longer."
"Okay. Can I ask why? If she has done something wrong, I must ensure everything is done correctly. The staff manager will need to be involved, so I kind of need answers for him."
"I am in this situation that feels like I am stuck, but the reality is that it suits me just fine. If I end the marriage in whatever format, I risk the stability of my rule. Therefore I have to keep Seraphina around. To have a legitimate heir, I have to create that child with her and at the moment, she won't give me a single thing when others are hanging around."
"So, that means that you want to make Katerina redundant because Seraphina doesn't want your former or current lovers hanging around or tempting you in the future?"
"Yes. Seraphina made the terms quite clear. If I want my wife in my bed, I must end all interactions with others."
"Uh, okay. So, just Katerina, or are there others around here that should be removed?"
Hawthorn thought about it, trying to remember if he'd seen her recently. He hadn't, but that didn't mean anything.
"What was the name of the short, blonde maid?"
"Laurel. She left a month ago."
"Okay, so obviously not her. What about the redhead that works in the laundry?"
"Gillian," Kohen muttered as he wrote her name down.
"And the woman that maintains my wardrobe and the clothing?"
"Margot."
"Yes, her. Nesrin's maid?"
"Madeline went on leave shortly after the funeral. I don't think she intends to return."
Kohen didn't want to tell the king that Madeline had a boyfriend that was now a fiancée. He figured that she probably wanted to cut ties and avoid temptation herself.
"Good, make a note of her too. And I think the last is the housekeeper with curly blonde hair."
"Fiona. Are you sure that this is all?"
"I think so. If I see or remember any others, then I'll let you know."
Kohen nodded while silently wondering if he should just get rid of all the female staff and start again. Clearly, the king had been busy misbehaving with the staff.
His gaze lifted to the king, who was toying with the black feather again. Kohen's curiosity grew and questioned the feather.
"This? I found it in the guest chambers. It was tucked in behind the lounge cushion with just the tip poking out. There was a large stack of black feathers in the fireplace. I thought that a bird might have died in the chimney, but the maid said that it had been cleaned recently, so the feathers were new. I then thought that something happened to the bird that Seraphina brought with her, but it was in the bathroom, perched on the top of the shower wall."
"Was the bird okay?"
"It looked like it did last night. Shiny feathers that looked full and rather plump. Seraphina was checked, right? There was nothing else on her that could explain this?"
"Not as far as I am aware. I'm sure Orin would have mentioned any peculiarities."
Hawthorn stood and walked to the window. He figured that Orin would have said something. It wasn't like him to hide things, regardless of how they would be taken by Hawthorn. He might not want to, and he might wish himself away from the situation, but he always spoke when necessary.
"I have a theory that I'd like you to help me test out. Do we have any hidden cameras?"
"I might be able to find something. Do you want me to put it in Seraphina's room?"
"Yes. I will alert her to the fact that Katerina is no longer employed here. Best to ignore mentioning the others. I will invite her to finally consummate our marriage, and with any luck, she will agree to join me in my chambers. If she does, I will suggest that the bird will be alright in the guest room."
"But if the bird is Bram, won't he see me installing the camera?"
"Not if I suggest a walk in the gardens so the bird can get some fresh air and stretch his wings."
"That may not happen."
Hawthorn turned with interest. Kohen shrugged when he saw the curiosity.
"Seraphina said that his wing is injured."
"Interesting. Start with the staff alterations and find the camera in preparation."
Kohen nodded and left Hawthorn to consider the facts. He wandered through the doorway to the adjoining library. Was there an answer in this room?
"How does a vampire turn into a bird?" he hummed, gazing at the books.
His fingers ran over the leather spines.
"You lost a lot of feathers during the early hours this morning, Bram. What happened? Why did your feathers fall out, only to return exactly as they were last night?"
Hawthorn stopped at a book that was titled Creatures of Legend. He pulled the book from the shelf, opening it to the contents page. As he looked down the list, Hawthorn thought it was nothing but make believe until he found one chapter that made everything seem possible. Shapeshifter.
Making his way to a chair, Hawthorn sat down and read the chapter. The shapeshifter was a rare creature, difficult to find and notoriously secretive. They were often found in communities, posing as an ordinary human. When their identity was discovered due to their immortality and a lack of ageing, they would move on.
"But there is another group you could easily hide with, and no one would mention your youthful looks."
One immortal being among hundreds of eternal beings of another species. Hawthorn chuckled as he shook his head. He couldn't believe that this was the answer.
Continuing to read, Hawthorn took in all the information he could. When he finished the chapter, he returned the book to the shelf and searched for more information. There was nothing else, but Hawthorn didn't mind. He had the answer he was looking for.