{"id":253084,"date":"2026-07-13T02:34:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T23:34:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1kitap1.com\/en\/a-king-in-waiting-michael-cronk\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T02:34:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T23:34:17","slug":"a-king-in-waiting-michael-cronk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/1kitap1.com\/en\/a-king-in-waiting-michael-cronk\/","title":{"rendered":"A King In Waiting – Michael Cronk"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cOh,\u201d Silvana trailed off. \u201cWell, I guess that\u2019s a relief. I wasn\u2019t exactly hoping for a connection.\u201d \u201cCould you imagine?\u201d Freddie said with an obvious grin. \u201cReynold showing up to your family\u2019s Christmas and birthdays?\u201d He laughed. \u201cWouldn\u2019t that be terrifying? He\u2019d be like, \u2018Merry Christmas. Here are the heads of your enemies.\u2019\u201d \u201cAnd their children,\u201d Jason said, and Freddie groaned in mock horror.<\/p>\n

Jason grinned back, but couldn\u2019t help noticing everyone else slumping down in their seats, no longer watching the screen or the chalkboard. Even Edward put down their chalk and sat back in his couch. Jason could sense a feeling of dread and hopelessness settle on the room. He cleared his throat. He had to say something before the mood spiralled any further. \u201cOk, so\u2026\u201d he struggled to think of something to say. \u201cSo genealogy. Everyone\u2019s connected to Reynold in some way, but it doesn\u2019t matter much.<\/p>\n

So then, what would it take for it to matter?\u201d He shrugged at Leslie. \u201cWhat is a serious connection?\u201d Leslie scoffed at him in good humour. \u201cWhat do you think is a serious connection to a king?\u201d \u201cOh,\u201d Jason said. \u201cInheriting the throne.\u201d Suddenly everyone reacted at once, and the room came alive with excitement.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoly shit,\u201d Jason said. \u201cIs that what this is all about? Reynold\u2019s throne?\u201d \u201cAn heir to the throne?\u201d Freddie cried. \u201cWho\u2019s next in line?\u201d Silvana nearly shouted. She had leapt to her feet. \u201cLeslie, is that your specialty? Inheritance? Do you know who\u2019s going to be the next High King? And someone\u2019s trying to kill you for it?\u201d \u201cIt would make sense,\u201d Jason said, standing next to Silvana and nodding in agreement. \u201cSomeone is hoping to put their own candidate on the top throne.<\/p>\n

Or themselves!\u201d He pointed at Leslie. \u201cSo you need us to find out who\u2019s trying to take Reynold\u2019s job, because they\u2019re the ones trying to kill you. And you were hoping that the book on genealogy would point us to the right person. Leslie, is that right?\u201d \u201cBrilliant, Jase,\u201d Freddie cried, cutting off Leslie\u2019s answer. \u201cWe solved it. Well, mostly. But at least now we know what we\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n

Ah!\u201d he sighed. \u201cThat\u2019s such a relief! I thought I\u2019d fucked it all up with the damn cameras.\u201d<\/p>\n

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First published by Michael Cronk 2024 Copyright \u00a9 2024 by Michael Cronk All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission. This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination.<\/p>\n

Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental. Michael Cronk asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work. Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book and on its cover are trade names, service marks, trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.<\/p>\n

None of the companies referenced within the book have endorsed the book. First edition ISBN: 978-1-7636749-8-1 Cover art by MiblArt Editing by Emmie Hamilton Editing by Kirsty Inic This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy Find out more at reedsy.com 1kitap1.com\/en To the BookTube and Indie Publishing Communities Especially Elliot Brooks and Michael R Miller With my eternal gratitude 1kitap1.com\/en A Chapter 1 loud bang startled Jason awake.<\/p>\n

His eyes snapped open. His body was jolted out of a deep sleep and immediately became tense and alert. The room was pitch black. Jason threw back the covers and leapt to his feet. He shivered as the freezing night air clawed at his skin. \u201cSilvana?\u201d he whispered into the darkness. \u201cDid you hear that?\u201d He could see her outline moving from the bed to wrap a dressing gown around her lithe form.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe front door,\u201d Silvana replied. \u201cDon\u2019t suppose you\u2019re expecting visitors and just forgot to tell me?\u201d \u201cNot at two in the morning. My visitors come at midnight.\u201d \u201cOf course. I forgot.\u201d Jason held his breath and listened. The house was silent. The suburbs of Plymouth were always peaceful at this time of night.<\/p>\n

So why was there someone making a commotion at their front door? He waited. Nothing else happened. \u201cI think\u2026\u201d The door banged again, making Jason jump. \u201cHello?\u201d a voice cried in a hoarse stage-whisper from outside the house. It was too breathy to tell anything about the speaker. Jason pulled his handgun out of the bedside drawer. He was only wearing boxer shorts and didn\u2019t pause to put anything else on.<\/p>\n

He wanted clear aim. He moved to the bedroom door, but Silvana cut him off. \u201cStay behind me,\u201d she instructed. \u201cYes ma\u2019am.\u201d Silvana stepped out of the bedroom first. Jason followed with his gun aimed at the ground in a two-handed grip.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.<\/em><\/p>\n

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