I'm also enjoying the presentation of a royal murder mystery for a sorely-needed if sudden exposition. Maybe the author, deciding that he's done enough swerving with this dredge barge of a story, found a lane for some competent storytelling. We'll see...
i dont get why author trying to push that MC is the long lost prince. Early on when it talked briefly about his backstory it mentioned he had a sister. Yes, sister... not step sister.