Ch. 196..200: Alpha King’s Lost Luna Chapter 196-200
Chapter 196 His dreams Darkness. Advanced, crushing, unrelenting darkness. It was the kind that felt so unbearably heavy that it was almost enough to destroy me. The space was filled with it, and I couldn’t see anything except a dim light seeping through the door c rack. It took a moment for things to make sense. A door? A door to where? I didn’t know the answer but I was tempted to walk toward the door and open. it. I resisted the urge for a moment and then decided to proceed forward. When I entered, I stepped into somewhere warm. The air enveloped me like a kind, welcoming embrace, and a pleasant floral fragrance danced around me. Though I couldn’t place the exact flower, the lovely smell reminded me of my mother. I didn’t have many memories of her left, as she had died when I was incredibly young, but I still remembered the soothing fragrance of her perfume and the way it filled my nose when she held me in her arms. My eyes struggled to focus, as the light was extremely bright in contrast to the darkness just moments ago, but when my surroundings finally appeared before me, I recognized at once where I was. For some reason, I was in the memorial park my father had built for my late mother. Though I’d hardly visited the place, I recognized the river Immediately. 1/5 14:26 Wed, 27 Dec Chapter 196 His dreams Father had named it Selene’s Tear, as a way to honor my mother and show his endless love for her.
34% It was ironic, of course, seeing as he had so quickly moved on and married another woman, my mother’s former maid, and seemingly forgot about her entirely. I stared out at the water. It shimmered in the light like it was made of diamonds and my lips curled into a smile at the sight. As I walked along the path, I heard a voice. “Asher.” At first, I did my best to ignore it, but after a bit, I realized there was no way to shut it out. Once it became impossible to ignore, I began to glance around but could
see no one. “Hello?” I called out, and again I heard my name. “Asher.” “Hello?” I repeated again as my stomach twisted into knots. I wasn’t sure what they wanted, but the moment they spoke my name once more, I recognized the voice. “Asher.” It was my father. He suddenly appeared in the distance, and though I dreaded it, I followed the path until I grew close. The former Alpha King of Wegalla appeared young much younger than he was in my memory. His gray eyes were large and glistening, his dark hair full and pulled out of his face. I recognized his features but they appeared much softer on him now than they’d been when I’d last seen him. He was clad in a simple shirt and pants, and he was kneeling in front of a tall, O < 2/5 14:26 Wed, 27 Dec
Chapter 196 His dreams gray statue. A statue of my mother, Selene. The monument was so large that it rendered my father small, meek almost. “Forgive me,” I heard him utter to the statue as I approached, and when he repeated himself, I realized he was crying. “Please, Selene, forgive me.” 34% His tone was insistent and a little broken. I wasn’t used to seeing Father in this sort of state. He was always so firm and unyielding, but here, he was anything but. “Please,” he begged, and I stepped even closer to make sure I was hearing him correctly. “Please, forgive me, Selene, for what I did to Asher. Please forgive me. I only did it because it was best for Asher.” My eyebrows creased together as I stared at my father in surprise. What was that? What was he talking about? What had he done? I tried to ask, but no words could escape my mouth. I had been rendered mute in this dreamscape, but even if I could speak, I wasn’t certain Father could have heard me. He seemed so entranced by Mother’s statue that it wasn’t as if I was there. Suddenly, he lifted from the ground and kissed the statue’s smiling face, and the moment that he did, the whole space distorted. Father disappeared. The park disappeared, and the soft, floral scent of my mother’s perfume vanished along with it. I fell back into the terrible darkness. As I felt around and tried to get my bearings, I suddenly had the overwhelming feeling that I wasn’t along. I concentrated with all of my might and suddenly, a figure appeared not too far away. Though I couldn’t see her face, I knew who it was at once. Cora. 3/5
||| O < 14:26 Wed, 27 Dec Chapter 196 His dreams. 34% I knew her at once, even though she was facing away from me. I was so excited to see her that I wanted to rush over and sweep her into my arms. I wanted to stroke her golden hair, to kiss her full, beautiful lips, and draw her close. But again, I couldn’t speak, and this time, I couldn’t move. Cora didn’t seem to notice my presence as she remained still. I forced myself to shout her name, and after much effort, I managed to make a sound. At the mention of her name, Cora turned around, and when she did, I got a look at her face. My blood ran cold. She was covered in burns. Terrible, awful burns. The scent of smoke filled the air, and she began to cry. “I’m sorry, Cora,” I apologized as my eyes welled with tears. “I’m so sorry, please forgive me.” Cora shook her head. “It’s too late.” “It’s never too late,” I insisted as she continued to shake her head. “I’ll keep apologizing over and over again for the rest of my life. I’ll spend the rest of my days trying to seek redemption for what happened to you.” Silence hung between us and then a whisper. “It wasn’t your fault.” “Please, come hug me,” I asked quietly. “Why won’t you come over here? I miss you so much.” “I can’t,” Cora whispered. “What do you mean?” I wondered, and as the words left me, Cora’s expression changed and she
stopped crying. Her features altered until she looked like Cas sandra. “I don’t want to forgive you, Asher,” she said in a cold tone. “In fact, I want to ||| O < 4/5 14:26 Wed, Chapter 196 His dreams leave you. Cora is dead. I have to leave now.” As her cruel voice reached my ears, I wanted to stop her. I cried out for her, but Cas sandra turned her back to me and walked away until her figure faded. As I was left crying and lonely, I struggled to move. I was all alone. And then I woke up. When I opened my eyes, my head swam with dizziness. I couldn’t make sense of where I was and what had happened to me before this. I sensed someone was walking toward me and called out. “Cas sandra?” But I knew at once that it wasn’t her, nor was it Cora. My vision came into focus, and when it did, I realized it was Adalyn. She was holding a cup in her hand. “How do you feel, Asher?” she asked. Her tone was sweet but her lovely features were cold. Before I could answer, she placed the cup on the table beside me and then touched my forehead. “A bit earlier than I expected.” She studied me for a moment and then smirked. “I thought you would be asleep for much longer.”
Chapter 197 I don’t believe you ADALYN Asher was glaring at me, and the coldness of his expression made my heart ache. Even though he was still clearly exhausted, his features were just as handsome as ever, and all I wanted to do was lean over the bed and press my lips against his. I knew his lips would feel soft and sweet, and if he would just give me the chance, our embrace could be wonderful. But we both knew he wouldn’t give me that chance, not when he had such an irritated look in his beautiful gray eyes. How could he call the name of that wretched, vile healer when it was me who had taken care of him for a whole day? That backwoods commoner wasn’t here at his bedside, I was, and knowing that Asher still wasn’t grateful made me frown. Father had told me that the drug I’d administered would be effective for two days, so I wasn’t totally surprised when I realized Asher couldn’t move. Though he was conscious and awake, his limbs were still numbed, making his efforts useless. “What have you done, Adalyn?” he hissed at me as his eyes darted around. Despite his wrath, a smile formed on my lips. I wished he could smile at me as well, but it seemed impossible at the moment. The Alpha King was so indignant that he appeared as if he wanted to devour me alive. Thankfully, that was a passion in itself, so I couldn’t complain too much. “Nothing serious,” I replied, and then a light laugh rose from my chest and I reached out and ran my hand down his arm. “I just wanted you to have some rest since you’ve been so busy these days. You must be worn out, Asher.” But despite my words, he didn’t seem too convinced or pleased. “Why did you drug me, Adalyn? What do you want?” 1/5
III O < дь 12:51 Thu, 28 Dec M Chapter 197 I don’t believe you I ignored his questions and picked the cup back up from its place on the nightstand beside him. “Are you thirsty?” 52% Part of me got some satisfaction from dancing around his demands, and I had to fight from smiling further. I didn’t want to mock Asher, but I was certainly enjoying having some power for once. He continued to glare at me. “Adalyn. What’s going on? What do you want?”
I took a deep breath and then tilted my head slightly. “What do you think?” Asher didn’t answer, but after a moment of pause, I was sure he had already figured out the answer. He must have figured it out once he retreated into his consciousness. He’d had plenty of time to sleep and his dreams had been vivid. Even though I hadn’t given away any information, it was probably obvious enough. What else could be done when the king was detained? Asher’s angry expression disappeared and shifted to one of coldness. “I’ll give you a chance to correct what you’ve done,” he said quietly and calmly. “But only after you’ve given me the antidote to whatever you’ve given me, Adalyn.” I considered his demand for a moment and then shook my head. “I can’t, Asher.” At least, not now. That healer that I hated with all of my being was cun ning and she might still be in Anemond. Asher needed to remain here until it was certain that she was gone. Asher studied me in silence and then he froze. He looked at me deeply without saying anything. If his
stare wasn’t so cold, I would have thought it sweet. He hadn’t watched me like this in so long. I usually felt so invisible in his presence. “Why would you do this?” he asked me, and then his nostrils flared. “This is treason, Adalyn. You’re betraying your Alpha King-” O 2/5 D2701 Chapter 197 I don’t believe you “No, I’m not,” I cut him off sharply as anger swelled within me. “Why would I betray you? I’m your wife and I did what was best for you. All I’ve ever wanted was the best for both of us! So don’t speak to me about treason, when it’s you who’s been betraying our marriage!” “Our marriage is the most regrettable mistake I’ve ever made in my life,” he said coldly, and my heart dropped in my chest. “I should never have listened to you. If it hadn’t been for this ridiculous and st upid engagement, Cora would not have died feeling abandoned.” My lips parted in shock and I turned away as tears sprang out of my eyes and spilled down my face. “I never expected you to be like this,” he continued. “You’re nothing like I thought you were.” Though his last statement was harsh, I couldn’t let go of what he’d said before. Mistake. How could he call us a mistake? Was he blaming me for Cora’s death? I couldn’t believe it. It was unfair to say all of that because I hadn’t expected the death of Cora either. Yes, I was jealous of her, and I’d practically tricked him into marrying me by claiming this could protect her. But it wasn’t my fault that she had died alone! “It wasn’t my fault,” I whispered without thinking about it. “Cora would have died anyway because-” “Because what?” Asher/snapped, and suddenly, I realized I’d spoken the words aloud. I remained silent, and then Asher shouted. “Speak, Adalyn!”
“Because it’s your father who wanted her to die!” I blurted out. Then, the room fell into complete silence. My heart raced in my chest and for a O < 3/5 12:51 nu, 28 Chapter 197 I don’t believe you moment I wanted to throw up. I hadn’t meant to reveal any of this, but Asher had forced it out of me. I turned back to face him and his skin was pale. “What?” he asked in disbelief. “What did you say?” 52% He didn’t seem to believe me, so I repeated myself. “It was your father who wanted Cora to die. It was your father that wanted the whole Felix family to die, so he commanded my father to arrange it.” Asher’s eyes widened and then his cheeks turned red. I began to panic. I shouldn’t have told him that… I knew I shouldn’t have. But why not? He ought to know that Cora’s death was inevitable. He looked as if he were suffocating. The veins on his temples seemed to tense and he started to spasm. I began to panic further. No. No. It had to be a side effect of the drug. Could Asher die from this? I couldn’t let this happen. I couldn’t. So, I hastily withdrew the antidote from my pocket and uncapped the vial. I poured the contents into the cup of water and then forced the cup against Asher’s
mouth. The Alpha King didn’t move for a second, and then, after a moment of hesitation, he took a few sips of the water, and after a minute, the color returned to him. His chest continued to heave, but then his breath managed to steady. 4/5 O < 452%全 Chapter 197 I don’t believe you “Are you okay, Asher?” I asked, and when I reached out to touch him, suddenly, he shifted his position, lunged forward, and then suddenly felt a sharp pain on my nape. I stag gered backward in surprise and then my vision started to grow cloudy. How st upid could I be? He had tricked me and administered some kind of toxin of his own. As the world started to spin, Asher spoke to me coldly. “I don’t believe you, Adalyn,” he accused. He managed to pull himself out of bed and as I crashed to the floor, he rushed out of the room. 5/5
Chapter 198 Imminent misfortune
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ASHER
As I rushed out of the room, my head ached and my equilibrium was thrown off. was still immensely dizzy from whatever Adalyn had given me, despite the intidote she had administered.
The hall was empty, and I was certain that she had made some kind of an excuse to keep any onlookers or curious military officials from checking in on me.
I released a heavy breath in annoyance. I felt so st upid to think the Betas were under control, but this was far beyond my expectations.
What had made Oliver do this?
Was he planning on a war?
As far as I knew, even though Oliver had support from the councilors, he had no absolute power as a usurper. Unless, of course, he had an accomplice.
I shook my head in frustration.
I couldn’t believe it had come to this.
I knew the Beta was untrustworthy, but I hadn’t expected something like this to happen, not now.
Without another moment of hesitation, I fought my dizziness and went straight to the lieutenant’s office. I knocked on the door, and the moment I heard him call out “Come in!”, I opened it and walked into the room.
The lieutenant seemed surprised to see me. His blue eyes were wide with shock and he rushed to his feet quickly.
“Your Majesty,” he greeted me, and then he offered me a bow of respect. “How
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are you feeling? Lady Adalyn told me you fainted. We brought you to a quiet room to recover. Did you manage to get some rest?”
Though his words and tone were kind and flattering, I wasn’t interested in making small talk on my wife’s behalf. I was annoyed that she’d spun such an untrue story, but unsurprised in the least. Adalyn was a snake and would do anything to get her way.
“Where is Silas?” I demanded, my tone icy.
The lieutenant appeared nervous and his lower lip quivered once before he cleared his throat. “I-I don’t know where the Lord Beta is, Your Majesty.”
As much as I was dissatisfied with his answer, I couldn’t blame him, because he had no right to interfere in the Beta’s business or his whereabouts.
I didn’t respond. It was suspicious that Silas wasn’t around, but there was a chance that he had been drugged by Adalyn as well. He could very well be hidden away somewhere in the compound. But I had
my doubts and was concerned that he was involved in all of this too. If so, things would be much more complicated. I had
trusted him, but at the end of the day, he was a Moses. There was always a possibility that he was wrapped up in the family business.
As my mind swam with the possibilities, the lieutenant cautiously studied me and cleared his throat again.
“Is something wrong, Your Majesty?” he wondered.
I turned to him and then shook my head. “No. Nothing’s wrong, lieutenant. I was simply curious.”
There was no need for him to know what happened, as it would likely cause unwanted problems. I couldn’t risk anyone on the military base interfering with whatever the Beta family was up to. I needed to conduct myself carefully to ensure things didn’t escalate further, if they hadn’t already.
I gave the lieutenant a polite nod and then left the office without another word. When my head continued to spin, I took a moment to lean against the wall, and
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once I was steady, I continued my walk.
Now that I was at least mostly alright and vertical, I decided my next course of action was to check on Ector. While I was worried about Silas’ disappearance, Ca ssandra’s brother was one of my main
priorities. With Adalyn being here, there was a chance that they had discovered Ector, and I needed to make sure that he
was safe.
As I walked, I prayed to the Moon Goddess that Ecotr was fine.
But when I entered the room at the end of the corridor, I was surprised to find that it was completely empty.
The bed, which Silas and I had Ector tucked into after we’d arrived at the
military facility, was unoccupied. The sheets were perfectly adjusted, almost as if no one had been there in the first place.
I noticed something on the bedside table, and when I crossed the room over to it, I spied two syringes of sedatives were empty. They had been left by the base’s healer to be used in an emergency.
I heard footsteps behind me, and when I turned around, I was surprised to see the lieutenant. His blue eyes widened when they met mine.
“Where is the man who was sleeping here?” I demanded. “Has anyone else been here?”
Panic painted the lieutenant’s features, and he began to stutter. “I-I, h-h-have no idea, Your M-Majesty. No healer has been here and no one else has been able to
enter the room without a check-”
“Except Silas,” I cut him off, and he nodded. His forehead broke out with perspiration, and he gulped/heavily.
“Lord Beta doesn’t need to report or be checked by anyone here,” he uttered.
I fought the urge to sigh. Of course, being the Beta of the Pack, Silas didn’t need permission to move around in a military facility.
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“Come with me,” I announced quickly.
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The lieutenant didn’t look thrilled but followed me anyway, and together, we walked to the sentry posts. Through talking with some of the guards there, I learned that Silas had left and come back to the military base earlier, but he had left hours ago with a man who “appeared to be limping”. And he had borrowed a car from the garage.
So, my assumption had been correct. Silas was up to something and was likely involved in this. But I didn’t understand why. If he wanted to kill Ector, he could have gone ahead and done it in the room.
Was he trying to get Ector back to Anemond and hold him hostage?
Of course, that theory had holes in it as well. It would be too dangerous, as Ector could have died on the road anyway. His condition was fragile, after all.
As confusion and frustration swelled in my belly, the lieutenant gulped and looked greatly panicked. He began to stutter again and explain himself, but his words weren’t cohesive. He seemed afraid of being
punished for slacking on his duties. I felt for him and knew that he wasn’t involved in this, but I couldn’t waste time trying to console him.
“Breathe,” I said simply. “Do you have any usable cars in the garage? I need to return to Anemond immediately.”
He nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty. But I feel I must warn you. I got a call from our suppliers that traffic is a mess with the torrential rain around Anemond. It would be extremely hard and dangerous to drive in the forest.”
I glanced up at the sky. Sure enough, it was a deep, hazy shade of gray, and thick clouds blanketed the sun. The lieutenant was likely speaking the truth, but I couldn’t wait until the rain stopped.
I needed to get back to Anemond.
If driving wasn’t an option… I would run.
Chapter 199 In the forest
ASHER
It wasn’t raining hard at first, but as I left the borders and entered the forest, I could understand what the lieutenant had been getting at. It was pouring quite heavily. Mud covered the narrow path, making it very slippery and extremely difficult for cars to drive through.
Though my black-furred wolf form was agile and gave me the ability to cut corners and run more freely in the forest, I felt it hard to continuously move at a fast speed. Especially when I was still feeling the effects of Adalyn’s drug.
After a while, my fur was drenched and I had to stop every so often to shake off the water. My lungs began to ache after so much physical effort and my vision was narrow because of the growing mist in the forest.
I stopped under a tall tree with a thick and broad trunk to catch my breath and take a short rest. The scent of pine filled my nose and brought me a moment of pleasure though the rest of my physical form was tired.
I sat down and looked around at my surroundings. I noticed to my left, not very far in the distance, there seemed to be a small, wooden house. It wasn’t that unusual a sight. Those houses were s cattered throughout the forest for patrolling soldiers to take a rest if they needed to during their night duties. Their hours were long and it was the least we could do ease their struggle.
As I stared out at the wooden house, I thought I saw movement. I wasn’t sure if it was delusion, or perhaps some lingering side effects from the drug still in my system, but I thought I saw someone
entering the wooden house,
I frowned. It was far too early for someone to be taking a break on their shift, as it was still fairly early in the afternoon.
As I tried to spy on the moving figures, my mind raced. It could be rogues. We were close to the borderlands and sometimes there would be ruffians from
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unknown Packs who broke in and lingered around until they were caught by patrolling soldiers.
But then again, why would rogues be here under such a heavy rain?
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I shook my head. It was likely my imagination running wild. I was tired and physically exhausted, not to mention nervous about Ector Felix.
I shifted back into my human form and then closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. After a while, I felt a small sense of relief as the dizziness began to subside. In a few more minutes, I decided I would shift back and resume my journey back to Anemond.
Anemond.
There was a nervous feeling in my belly, as well as an anxious ache in my bones. Maybe the capital was a mess now. Maybe the Beta family’s plan had been even more evil than I’d expected, and Oliver Moses had meant to eliminate me entirely. Adalyn had said her drug was only meant to slow me down
and give me some “rest” but what were her intentions from there? Would she have continued to administer the minor poison and keep me unmoving and helpless forever?
She was vindictive enough that I’d believe it.
Despite my fears about the state of the city, I didn’t allow myself to grow too worried. There was only one person in my mind.
Cas sandra.
I desperately needed to see the healer. I missed her so much, and I felt that I’d made a st upid decision. I shouldn’t have kept the discovery of Ector from Ca ssandra. In fact, I should have mentioned that her brother was possibly.alive and that I needed to go to the border to rescue him. I could have invited her with me and we could have done this together.
I’d been so worried about her m ental state, but I knew now that Cas sandra would have been strong enough to handle the truth. Even if the man hadn’t been Ector after all, she would have been just fine. She was tough and brave.
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Chapter 199 In the forest.
It was my fault at the end of the day. I didn’t want to admit the very fact that C a ss andra might not need me. She didn’t need anyone to have a good, happy life. She was independent and powerful. Cora had always needed my hugs and protection.
I knew very well that Ca ssandra wasn’t like Cora. Though the two shared the same soul and mind, they were so very different from one another. And as much as I hated to admit it, I had known from the
bottom of my heart, that Cas sandra would never be like Cora again.
But no matter who she was, Cora or Ca ssandra, my feelings would remain the same. I loved her. No matter how many times she changed, I was sure I would fall in love with her over and over again. We were soul mates and nothing could make my feelings subside.
Panic began to enter my mind as I thought of the bad dream I’d had just the other night, the dream where Cas sandra had left me.
I couldn’t imagine what it would be like if she left again.
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The sentry post at Anemond remained the same. They didn’t seem to have noticed anything different, and as I peered around, I didn’t see anything amiss. The rain had become less heavy now, and no one interfered with my passing.
I moved silently and took the back roads to avoid anyone seeing me. I remained in my wolf form for a while until I got into a more residential area, and then I shifted back into my human shape. While I was easily recognizable, it would likely cause more alarm to see a large wolf roaming around a neighborhood.
Thankfully, things didn’t seem off.
Perhaps Oliver hadn’t done anything here at all.
But when I approached.the clinic, I did find something peculiar. It was dim. inside the glass door and the guards I had designated to station around were gone.
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Chapter 199 In the forest
I had a terrible feeling as I stood on the other side of the street and stared out at Keller’s. As I was about to walk across the street to investigate, I felt someone was approaching me from behind. My claws began to extend instinctively and I prepared to fight one of Oliver’s men off.
Their strides told me that they were tall, not to mention strong.
But I was stronger.
I swiftly whipped around and extended my claws against my opponent’s neck. A snarl rose up from my chest and anger flooded through me.
Much to my surprise, it was Silas standing behind me. He seemed taken aback when he sensed my threatening claws at his neck, but he didn’t retreat. His golden. eyes remained fixed on me and his posture remained as straight and normal as
usual.
We stood across from one another for a moment and I prepared myself to fight the Beta, but Silas never gave any indication that he was going to harm me. I studied him closely, and when I decided he was less of a threat than I’d perceived, I pulled my claws back.
When I did, Silas bowed and knelt down obediently.
“Your Majesty,” he addressed me simply.ab
Chapter 200 On the road
When I woke up, I was in a car.
I waited for my vision to focus, and when it did, I realized I was lying in the back seat. In the front, I heard the driver of the vehicle talking with Kaleb, who was sitting in the passenger’s seat.
“The rain is too heavy, Your Majesty,” the driver said in a heavily accented
voice. “It would be too risky to drive forward. The conditions are simply too poor. I recommend that we find somewhere to take a pause and wait out the weather.”
The king of Yurene didn’t seem to be convinced by what the driver said. He
remained silent and stared ahead.
Silence lingered in the air for a moment, and then the driver cleared his throat and started the vehicle again.
It began to move forward, but quickly, the tire seemed to hit a pretty severe pothole and the car lurched. As it bumped, my head bonked against the door, and before I could stop myself, I released a heavy groan.
Kaleb whipped around at the sudden sound, and when our eyes met, a chill traveled through me. A smile formed on his full lips, and I wanted nothing more than to escape this situation. I was prey being cornered by a predator. I felt it now more
than ever.
tone.
“So, you’re finally awake, Miss Ca ss andra,” he noted with a somewhat mocking
Though I wanted to ignore the Northern king entirely, I nodded my head meekly. I knew my cooperation would only ensure my survival, so I needed to play along and do whatever, I could to stay alive..
Chapter 200 On the road
As I tried to make sense of it all, I realized I’d been drugged. I hadn’t expected that, though I knew it wasn’t all that surprising, given Kaleb’s sketchiness and overall dark vibes.
I was angry at the situation, but I couldn’t remain in a bad mood for long. Being angry at this point was useless. It wouldn’t save me, and it wouldn’t save Asher, Erika, or Finnick from meeting a terrible fate.
I glanced out the window and noted that we were deep in the forest. The heavy, swirling mist around us eclipsed my vision, but I could tell from the tall pines and dense greenery that we were far into the woods, which meant we were surely already very far from Anemond.
“How do you feel?” Kaleb interrupted my thoughts, and when I turned back to face him, he raised a golden-brown eyebrow. “The drug I administered was mild. My apologies for the situation, but I needed to do something, you see. At the very least, I tried to be merciful when it came to the administration of such a chemical.”
“I feel alright,” I noted, though I didn’t want to answer, and I rubbed the aching spot on my head where I’d slammed against the inside of the car. “But I would like some more rest if that can be granted. I’m still quite tired.”
“Of course,” Kaleb replied with a nod, and without another moment of
hesitation, he turned back around and faced forward.
Once I no longer had his attention, I glanced back out the windows.
Through the mist, I noticed there were several cars following behind us, and one car ahead leading the way. Our car came to a light stop, and when it did, the others stopped as well.
A few figúres emerged from the car ahead and approached our vehicle. I recognized them at once to be guards, and although one held an umbrella, he quickly became drenched by the heavy rainfall.
Kaleb rolled down the window and addressed the guard.
“We need a place to rest and reorganize,” he ordered in a firm but still kind
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voice. The guard nodded immediately and offered a salute. He and the two other guards took off and disappeared into the rain.
After several minutes, the guard who’d spoken to the Northern King returned
and cleared his throat.
“There’s a wooden house not too far from here,” he reported back confidently.
Kaleb nodded and then gestured ahead. The guard then turned to the driver and told him to follow their car.
As we resumed our travel, a knot formed in my stomach. I had no idea what was about to play out and prayed things wouldn’t be too awful.
There were two rooms and a parlor in the small wooden house.
Kaleb had a few words with the guards after we walked in, and I shivered after being in the cold.
“I suppose you would like to see Finnick and Erika now,” the foreign king noted when he turned back to me and his navy eyes flashed. “You can use one of the rooms to change your clothes and get some rest. We will depart when the rain lets
up.”
“What about the people in the other cars?” I wondered as I glanced out the window. I supposed the others were diplomats or other people in Kaleb’s staff, though I didn’t know for certain. The car’s windows were too tinted to make sense of things.
“Don’t worry about them,” he replied, and then his deep blue eyes trailed over me. My pants were soaked and covered in mud because I had fallen when I’d been let out of the car, My knees had been weak, probably due to the drug, and I’d taken. quite a tumble.
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“You’re shivering,” Kaleb continued, and then he frowned. “You better change your clothes before you get a cold.”
He turned to the guards who’d followed us in. “Please prepare a fire to make the house warmer.”
As the guards got to work, I wanted to ask about my belongings, because I hadn’t brought any clothes. But before the words could escape me, another guard arrived with a backpack in tow, and much to my surprise, Erika and Finnick walked in behind him.
Finnick ran to me immediately, and the moment he slammed into me and wrapped his arms around my legs, he began to cry hard.
“Mommy,” he wailed, and I squeezed him tightly and tried to soothe him. I patted his shoulders and kissed his head.
As I tried to get Finnick relaxed, I glanced at Erika. The maid looked like she was on the verge of tears, but she remained collected. When Finnick let up, embraced Erika as well. We held each other close while Kaleb studied us from
across the room.
Perhaps the Northern king was trying to be nice now. Or maybe he was sure there was no way I could run away, but either way, he didn’t interrupt our reunion. After a while, he walked into one of the rooms.
Erika, Finnick, and I went into the other, and I quickly reached into the backpack and changed into another set of clothes. Once I was dressed, someone
knocked on the door.
I opened it to see a guard holding a bottle of hot water and three cups. Erika accepted them on my behalf, and then the guard left. Once we were alone again, Erika filled the cups and then handed them
out to us.
“I suppose it’s okay that I hadn’t said thank you to the guard,” she remarked. “Given the circumstances.”
I offered a small, bitter smile as I wrapped my hands around the hot mug. Erika
Chapter 200 On the road
smiled back, and we sipped at our drinks.
I was grateful for the warmth and to be reunited with my family, but I knew things weren’t going to be simple. We were in for a rough time.