Series: Charmaine Pauls
Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 70056 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70056 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
“An assassin is on the loose,” I point out. “One who nearly succeeded in killing my mate.”
My father gives me a cold stare. “We’ll get to the bottom of this but not at the expense of your mother’s health.”
“Someone must’ve painted the inside of the goblet with a poison that’s not only translucent but also tasteless and odorless.” Vitai looks at Gaia’s dead pet on the floor. “Spiked dragons are notoriously good at smelling harmful toxins.”
“Night lilies,” Tarix muses.
My exact thought.
“Four moon cycles of people had access to the hall before the banquet,” Suno says. “It could’ve been anyone.”
“Precisely.” I cross my arms. “And it will never happen again. From now on, no one cooks or touches Elsie’s food but me.”
“Don’t worry,” Suno says, coming closer to warily pat my shoulder. “Whoever did this, Kian will find him.”
“Or her,” I say, still not completely convinced about my mother’s innocence in all this.
However unlikely it is that she would’ve touched poison on purpose, I can’t ignore how convenient it is that she fell ill right before I intended to confront her about the “death” of my infant mate. I still want answers as to how Elsie ended up on Earth.
My father exits the hall with my mother in his arms, leaving us to stew over the question of who could’ve attempted such a terrible deed, a crime punishable by the cruelest of executions.
The truth is that it could’ve been anyone. Both the royals and the nobles are well versed in the scrolls. They’re terrified of the prophecy about the Alit prince with a dark, uncontrollable power… and the role his mate—my mate—is supposed to play in bringing about the end of our world.
Personally, I’m not a believer. But I can see why they are.
Not even I know exactly what I’m capable of, and if anything had happened to her today… Gritting my teeth, I tamp down on the thought and the rage that accompanies it, which manifests as a crack in the ceiling.
Tarix and Suno jump.
Tarix leaves quickly with an excuse to go check on the queen. Suno offers to get rid of the dead pet and to get a new one from the breeder for Gaia.
I take a deep breath to calm myself, mend the ceiling with my mind, and then go back to my quarters, unsure as to what I want to do as far as my mate is concerned. We got carried away in the heat of the mating call, but I doubt she’s in the mood for another round considering someone has just tried to kill her.
As it turns out, I find Elsie fast asleep in my bed, still dressed in my jacket. Another wave of that earlier tenderness washes over me. I don’t have the heart to wake her.
In the corner, Gaia is quietly crying.
I dismiss the guards with a wave of my hand. They leave quickly.
Sighing, I walk to my sister. “Mother will be fine. She’ll feel like she’s been mauled by a dragon for a few days, but with proper rest and care, she’ll pull through.”
Gaia wipes her nose on the back of her hand. “I know she’ll be all right.”
“What did you give Elsie?”
No one sleeps that soundly after a death scare.
Gaia sniffs. “Just a few drops of dranlaud to relax her.”
That will take a few hours to work out of her system.
“Go get some rest,” I tell Gaia. “It’s been a traumatic evening for everyone.”
Gaia catches my sleeve when I start to turn. “It’s not just Mother I’m concerned about. I’m worried about all of us. No good can come of this. Where’s this going to leave us?”
I fix her with a narrow-eyed stare. “Do not say you wish my mate away. Don’t you dare even imply it.”
She blanches. “I’d never.”
“Good.” I continue in a gentler tone, “Suno offered to get you a new pet.”
“I don’t want a new one,” she says, her voice wobbling again.
My heart softens. I pull her in for a hug, but she pushes away to look at me.
“Tell me everything is going to be fine, Aruan.”
I don’t reply because I never make promises I can’t keep.
Chapter 11
Aruan
When I enter the Great Hall at sunrise, Kian sits in a chair at our family table, staring dispassionately at the man who stands in front of him. The man shifts his weight while wringing a hat in his hands. The poor wretch’s shoulders sag in relief when Kian waves him away and motions for the next victim to take the man’s place at my brother’s feet.
A woman comes closer, pinching her eyes shut even before she reaches Kian. A guard takes her arm and positions her close to Kian’s chair. It’s only then that she peels her eyelids open to turn red-rimmed, bloodshot eyes on my brother. Her hair has come loose from its braid, the flaxen tresses sticking out like straw around her head.