Ch. 216..220: Alpha King’s Lost Luna Chapter 216-220
Chapter 216
When Ms. Benn arrived at our room to tell me that the king of Yurene wished to see me tonight, it fel
been seized by a sudden panic. It had been days since I'd been visited by Kaleb, and | wasn’t sure what he w all of this time of silence.
Ms. Benn had brought another dress, along with a pair of shoes, and a few pieces of beautiful jewelry. As | accepted the garment bags and the jewelry boxes from the head servant, | forced down the lump in my throat.
“Is there another party?” | asked and she shook her head.
“No.” she replied curtly, her steely blue eyes impossible to read. The king wishes to meet you in private. You will be escorted to his chambers in a couple of hours.
“Oh.” | remarked, and | nodded my head politely. “Did the king say anything else?”
Ms. Benn, like usual, gave me a cold glare and then shook her head. “Be ready in a couple of hours, Miss Ca ssandra
Without another word, she turned on her heels and left. As she disappeared down the winding hallway, my stomach twisted into knots, and | stared down at the garment bag in my hands. All of this finery, only for me to meet with Kaleb in his private chamber?
Not only was it inappropriate, but it was strange and confusing. But seeing as | was a hostage of Yurene, | wasn’t in any position to question the king’s commands.
So, | brought the things into the room and set them carefully onto the bed. Erika walked over and gave me a soft expression. “Are you alright?” she asked, and her calm, warm voice made me want to burst into tears. | wasn’t fine, but | had no choice other than to pretend otherwise.
So, | nodded my head and gestured at the bags. “Kaleb wishes to speak with me. Will you help me get ready?”
My maid nodded and gently squeezed my arm. “Of course | will honey.”
As Finnick took a nap, Erika brushed my hair until it shone like silk. She twisted it into a soft updo, and once it was done. she applied my makeup and then helped me into my dress. Much to my relief, the dress was far less revealing than the last one. The material was a pale silver, and while it fit me like a glove, my back was covered, and the sleeves were long.
As | stared at myself in the mirror, a torrent of questions ran through my mind. | wondered if Kaleb had found anything of interest in my belongings. | knew he most likely hadn’t because he probably would have come straight to my room to interrogate me otherwise. But then again, the king of Yurene was difficult to predict and had a flair for the dramatic.
So, what was this meeting for?
Would he be frank and tell me what he had been looking for in the first place?
Had he finally realized that he had made a mistake? And if so, would he just let me go back to Anemond?
As | thought about Asher. | wondered if Kaleb would tell me about what was happening in Wegalla, though | already knew the answer. | wouldn’t be that lucky. No, tonight would likely consist of some more toying and prodding.
Just as | finished putting on the dangling sapphire carrings, there was a knock on the door. | took a deep breath and then turned around.
Much to my surprise, it wasn’t Ms. Benn who came to escort me to Kaleb’s chambers. It was another servant, a girl who
18
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appeared to be quite young. Her red hair was nearly the same shide as Becky's, and my heart ached a little at the thoug
my assistant.
“Hello, Miss Cas sandra,” the girl announced in a thickly-accented voice. “You will come with me to His Majesty’s chambers.” “Hello.” | greeted her. | was surprised at the warmth in her tone and the friendliness in her smile. “What happened to Ms. Benn?”
“Her daughter is sick,” the girl explained. “She needed to look after her this evening.”
“Oh.” | remarked. “I didn’t realize she was married?
“She isn’t the servant confirmed. “But she has a daughter.”
The moment the words left her lips, her pale cheeks darkened and her big blue eyes fell to the ground. “I’m sorry. | shouldn’t speak about Ms. Benn. Please don’t tell her | told you any of that.”
“I won't,” | assured her.
After | said goodbye to Erika, | followed the servant into the hallway and then down the stairs. The girl led me into the main building and after a few turns, we walked through a dark corridon
“Is this where the king resides?” | asked the servant. The girl glanced over at me and held a finger up to her lips.
“Please do not speak anymore, she instructed me, and then we came to a sudden stop in front of a large door. The servant knocked twice and then quickly disappeared back down the hallway.
“Come in!” Kaleb’s voice called out from the other side, and after | took a quick breath, | walked into the room.
When | walked in, | got a strong feeling that this wasn’t the king’s chamber at all. Though | wasn’t sure how extravagantly he lived, the room was far too small and narrow to be Kaleb’s. Apart from a twin-sized bed and dressing table near the window. there was only a coffee table and two chairs
Kaleb was seated in one of the chairs, and when | entered the room, he raised his head from the book he was reading and beamed at me.
“Hello,” he greeted me. “You look lovely this evening.”
| was admittefly stunned for a few seconds because | hadn’t seen the Northern king smile once since we'd left Wegalla. | had the sinking feeling his strangely pleasant expression wasn’t a good sign. It was as if he’d put on his fake mask again.
But for what? | didn’t know.
“Hello,” | replied politely.
“Take a seat,” he instructed, and he gestured at the chair on the other side of the coffee table. He seemed to notice my confusion right away as | sat down. “This was my mother’s room. After she died, | started coming here when | wanted tranquility. It’s very quiet and peaceful here.”
| nodded my head as | glanced around at the white stone walls and floors. “It’s lovely in here”
“Indeed,” he remarked, and then he continued. “I didn’t get along well with my mother when she was alive, but | miss her greatly now that she’s gone Tell me, how did you get along with your mother??
“I'm an orphan | stated as | tugged at one of my sleeves “I don’t really remember my mother or my father.”
Kaleb studied me for a moment and then nodded his head thoughtfully. “My apologies | didn’t mean to bring up any bad. memories.
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Before | could respond, he leaned forward and placed his book on the table. Then, his expression shifted.
“| just want you to be frank with me,” he said in a chillingly calm voice. “Lying will do you no good.”
| frowned, taken aback by his statement. “What do you mean? | was being honest.”
“Is that so?” Kaleb replied, and then he reached into his pocket and set something else on the coffee table. | glanced down at it, and when | did, my blood froze immediately.
It was the necklace | had lost so long ago, The moonstone pendant that my mother had given to me.
Tears instantly welled up in my eyes, and just as they spilled onto my cheeks from pure shock, Kaleb leaned forward.
“Think wisely, Cassandra,” he said, and then his lips curled into a cruel sneer. “Or should | call you Cora?”
Chapter 217
BECKY
It had been days since Ca ssandra had left the clinic and in the short time of her absence, the city of Anemond ha greatly. From where | stood in the lab, | could only see the beautiful trees and flowers that grew outside the building, but | knew all too well that the street was empty. The entire capital was like this in the daylight now.
The old Beta, Oliver Moses, had declared himself the King’s Regent in the absence of the Alpha King. There was no word of Asher Collins or his whereabouts, so the ruling of the kingdom fell on his self-appointed shoulders.
He'd imposed a curfew on the whole city, claiming that some imposters were hiding within its walls. Those imposters were allegedly responsible for the disappearance of the king. Every single day, people were rounded up and brought to Merliscire Palace for questioning. Some left without issue, but some of them faced absolute punishment for their alleged crimes. They were questioned and accused of foregoing the “truth”, and then were hung without remorse for their alleged crimes.
But despite these hangings, there weren’t any imposters.
| had no idea how long this purge was going to last, and as the days went by, | began to wonder if | would soon be dragged along the street toward the dungeon and then hung for my connection to Ca ssandra,
My dearest friend had been convicted and condemned as a traitor. According to the Regent, she had fled to the North to avoid punishment for her crimes against Wegalla. Though Oliver Moses accusations were lies, no one dared to step forward and question his decision. There was too much gray area, and no one knew where the Alpha King had gone.
Had he truly been captured by so-called imposters from the North?
Or was he killed by the Regent himself, as | expected?
Just as | began to drown in the violent sea of my thoughts, | heard footsteps behind me and turned around to see Di ckson standing in the doorway, holding a tray in his hands.
“You need to take a break,” he advised gently, and he gestured toward me with the platter. “I brought you some hot milk and some sandwiches. Why don’t you get some rest and eat something?”
“| don’t know.” | started to say but Di ckson interrupted me at once.
“If you don’t get something in your stomach, you're going to collapse,” he insisted, his eyes simultaneously warm and concerned. “You'll crash before you can make any progress.”
| wanted to fight against his words, but | knew there was some merit to them. | took a deep breath and then gratefully accepted a cup of milk from the tray. Dickson tried to get me to take a sandwich, but | didn’t have much of an appetite.
“I'm resting,” | insisted after | took a sip of the milk, and then | nodded at the window in front of me. “I’m enjoying the scenery of spring”
Di ckson released a sigh and then set the tray on an empty table. That isn’t resting. Becky. You need to get some real sleep. You've been awake for days.”
| wish | could sleep,” | said quietly. “But | can’t.”
| took another drink of the milk to satisfy Di ckson and then set it down and turned
dback to my work.
“Can you thank Hannah on my behalf?” | asked him, but just as | was about to step over to my desk. Dic kson blocked my way and stood in front of me.
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“Becky.” he uttered, and he gently touched my arm. “You can’t push yourself like this.”
| stared into his blue eyes for a moment and then Dic kson took a step forward and pulled me into a hug
“| understand how you feel, he soothed me as he held me tight, | didn’t protest his touch at all. In fact, it Warmth radiated from his skin and the rich smell of his woody cologne filled my nose. It was almost enough but | still couldn’t relax. | was desperate to continue my work.
When Dic kson came to the clinic, he brought me news from the Wild Crawler Pack. Angela, the sick mother we'd treated. had passed away. Many of the patients in the overcrowded clinic had died.
This news, coupled with the lack of progress in my research had rendered me frustrated and defeated.
| had made a promise to save Angela and Marina’s lives and I'd failed them.
As the memory of their kind eyes and smiles appeared in my mind, my eyes filled with tears, and suddenly, sobs rose up from my chest. | began to cry so hard that Di ckson’s back stiffened for a minute. He hesitated for a second before he patted me gently.
“This isn’t your fault,” he assured me. “None of this is. | know you've been blaming yourself for what happened in Wild Crawler, but this isn’t your fault. No one had expected Angela’s condition to deteriorate so quickly and besides... you can’t conjure a cure in such a short amount of time. The more you try to rush it, the harder it’s going to be.”
| knew what he said was true. | had tried to assure myself of the same thing, but still, every time | closed my eyes, | saw Angela and Marina. I'd likely never forget the helpless looks in their tired eyes
“What if | can’t do it?” | whispered. “What if | can’t make the cure? I’m not a sorceress, and | might never accomplish what Spike did.”
“Becky, you're incredibly intelligent, not to mention talented, Dic kson assured me, and when he pulled away, he removed his dark glasses. “You have all of the makings of an incredible healer. You can do this. It’s just going to take time.”
| shook my head and tucked a lock of my dark red hair behind my ear. What | needed wasn’t just time. Spike’s research report had been very informative and I'd studied it carefully... but something seemed to be wrong.
See, for some
reason, my analysis of the coroner’s report on Angela was inconsistent and
showed major differences from Spike’s research. There were some discrepancies, and | wasn’t sure what to make of them. | had started to wonder if something was amiss.
For so long, | had believed Spike was right and his findings were indisputable. How could he be wrong? He was a sorcerer. after all, and he had been killed in cold blood because he had found the cure to the mysterious illness that was plaguing the country. Yet | couldn’t help but wonder... what if Spike’s report was somehow incorrect? What if he’d made a mistake after all, and what we'd believed to be the cure wasn't the cure at all?
Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind, and | straightened up and looked at Di ckson. His blue eyes crinkled at the sudden movement, and his eyebrows creased together.
“What's going on?” he asked, his tone drenched with concern. “You have this strange look on your face. Are you feeling okay?” “| feel fine,” | assured him. “But | have an idea.”
Chapter 218
ASHER
As Silas reported on what his father had been doing in Anemond, | pursed my lips in irritation but listened without making any sort of comment.
In my absence. Oliver Moses had taken the Beta’s guards into the royal palace and imprisoned the Head of the King’s Guard. The councilors who had been loyal to me, their Alpha King, had either been imprisoned or killed. Everything had been. done in the name of his so-called “justice” to expose the “imposters who caused the king’s disappearance”.
And of course, my father-in-law was recruiting soldiers, using the excuse that he needed an elite army to fight for the Alpha King when | returned to Anemond. He was doing all in his power to make it seem as if someone else had taken me hostage to dispel blame from himself and his family.
When Silas finished his report, silence hung in the room, and for a long moment, neither of us spoke. | wasn’t sure how to word what | needed to say, and my brain felt frazzled by this influx of information. | was angry. Impossibly angry. At this situation, the Moses family, the king of Yurene, and all of those who had orchestrated this awful takeover.
“How many soldiers does Oliver have?” | asked finally.
Two thousand, perhaps.” Silas replied, his golden eyes somber as they stared into mine. “All from different Packs. And since he had control over most of the councilors, he assumed control of their guards as well. But... the actual number is unsure. There are a few Packs that support him and others he’s always been close with
| nodded as | considered this information. It was unpredictable which side the different Packs would be on. Wegalla was such a large country that most of the Packs ruled themselves in their own way. Despite the pledges of allegiance they made to the Alpha King, | couldn’t rely on that ancient oath when war approached.
Many of them might not care who was the king so long as their lives continued like normal. Others might be power-hungry and wish to win more through the chaos. If | wanted to get their support, | would have to visit them one by one.
But first, | needed an army, which was precisely why Silas and | were going to the Myriad tomorrow.
“Asher.” Silas spoke again, and after he took a breath, he sat down in the chair opposite me. “Is it really better for you to remain here in the shadows? I’ve heard rumors circulating in the city that you’re dead. If we let that rumor get too far, who knows what that could mean for your reign. You could lose your crown for good.”
| gulped as a lump formed in my throat. His statements held a lot of weight, and for a moment, | was about to stagger under them, but | managed to steady myself.
But before | could answer Silas, | heard footsteps, and when | turned my head, | was surprised to see my brother in the doorway. The light of the many candles made his golden hair gleam, and though he seemed tired, he appeared just as regal and poised as ever. Our current circumstances hadn't managed to dim his composed air.
“Staying in the shadows is the best choice for now,” Kane said. His violet eyes were somber but his expression was perfectly calm as he entered the room. “Oliver is probably twelve steps ahead of you. He’s likely anticipated your
return and has planned accordingly. We don’t know what he’s arranged. If you suddenly appeared...you could be in even more danger than
you are now
As much as | didn’t want to admit it, he had a good point. Oliver Moses had conducted this usurpation right under my nose. | had no idea how long he'd been planning this coup, nor did | know what else he had up his sleeve. This mess of a situation was unpredictable and | needed to think strategically if | wanted to make it out of this alive.
Silas turned to Kane and was about to speak, but just as the Beta opened his mouth, my brother continued on.
“Silas, since you and Asher have such a long journey ahead of you
tomorrow.
morrow, you
should
try to get some rest,” he advised
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politely but firmly. “This might be the best sleep you'll be able to get in the next few days. Take advantage of having a nice bed. Besides, | need to have some private time with my brother. So if you don’t mind...”
“Of course,” Silas replied dutifully, and he rose to his feet. “Good night, Your Majesty.”
He offered me a polite bow, and when | nodded back at him, he left the room without hesitation.
Once he was gone, Kane sat down in Silas’ seat and crossed his legs.
“What time are you leaving tomorrow, brother?” he wondered with a raise of a golden eyebrow,
“Around 5” | answered without pause, and then | rubbed my temples. A headache hard begun to stir within me, and | felt. exhaustion start to creep in. Ever since Cas sandra had left, | hadn’t had a proper medical check, and | was feeling the effects of the illness much harder these days. “It’s the time that the guards change their shifts, It'll give us a fighting chance.”
Kane nodded thoughtfully. “I'll meet you at 5 then.”
“Excuse me?” | asked in surprise.
I'll be joining you.” he replied as if it were obvious.
1 shook my head immediately. “You don’t need to, Kane. In fact, you shouldn’t. You should remain here, away from the potential madness.”
“I'm not asking for your permission,” my brother countered. “Let me remind you whose house you're in now-”
“Is that a threat?” | cut him off, and | narrowed my eyes at him. “Are you truly on my side, Kane? Because from what Silas has informed me, your mother, Margaret, has allied with Oliver Moses.”
“Are you questioning my loyalty?” Kane asked, and he shook his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you’d doubt me after all of this time. If | wanted to betray you, Asher, | would have done it when | found you and Silas lingering around the palace after your return from the forest. | could have let Oliver Moses’ guards know where you were. It would have been all too easy to give you up. But | didn’t. And it would be good for you to remember that. I’m not your enemy. I’m your ally, and I’m here to help
Though his tone was genuine, a lingering feeling of doubt remained in the back of my mind. With how impossible and confusing things had been lately, it was hard to determine who was truly my ally and who was a traitor. | didn’t know who trust in light of this awful coup
But as Kane’s violet eyes stared directly into mine, | found myself nearly convinced by his words. Yet... a thought plagued me, one that | couldn't cast aside.
“Are you doing this for her?” | wondered. “Are you staying by my side because of Cas s andra?“
Chapter 219
SHER As Silas reported on what his father had been doing in Anemond, | pursed my lips in irritation but listened without making any sort of comment. In my absence. Oliver Moses had taken the Beta’s guards into the royal palace and imprisoned the Head of the King’s Guard. The councilors who had been loyal to me, their Alpha King, had either been imprisoned or killed. Everything had been. done in the name of his so-called “justice” to expose the “imposters who caused the king’s disappearance”. And of course, my father-in-law was recruiting soldiers, using the excuse that he needed an elite army to fight for the Alpha King when | returned to Anemond. He was doing all in his power to make it seem as if someone else had taken me hostage to dispel blame from himself and his family. When Silas finished his report, silence hung in the room, and for a long moment, neither of us spoke. | wasn’t sure how to word what | needed to say, and my brain felt frazzled by this influx of information. | was angry. Impossibly angry. At this situation, the Moses family, the king of Yurene, and all of those who had orchestrated this awful takeover. “How many soldiers does Oliver have?” | asked finally. Two thousand, perhaps.” Silas replied, his golden eyes somber as they stared into mine. “All from different Packs. And since he had control over most of the councilors, he assumed control of their guards as well. But... the actual number is unsure. There are a few Packs that support him and others he’s always been close with | nodded as | considered this information. It was unpredictable which side the different Packs would be on. Wegalla was such a large country that most of the Packs ruled themselves in their own way. Despite the pledges of allegiance they made to the Alpha King, | couldn’t rely on that ancient oath when war approached. Many of them might not care who was the king so long as their lives continued like normal. Others might be power-hungry and wish to win more through the chaos. If | wanted to get their support, | would have to visit them one by one. But first, | needed an army, which was precisely why Silas and | were going to the Myriad tomorrow. “Asher.” Silas spoke again, and after he took a breath, he sat down in the chair opposite me. “Is it really better for you to remain here in the shadows? I’ve heard rumors circulating in the city that you’re dead. If we let that rumor get too far, who knows what that could mean for your reign. You could lose your crown for good.” | gulped as a lump formed in my throat. His statements held a lot of weight, and for a moment, | was about to stagger under them, but | managed to steady myself. But before | could answer Silas, | heard footsteps, and when | turned my head, | was surprised to see my brother in the doorway. The light of the many candles made his golden hair gleam, and though he seemed tired, he appeared just as regal and poised as ever. Our current circumstances hadn’t managed to dim his composed air. “Staying in the shadows is the best choice for now,” Kane said. His violet eyes were somber but his expression was perfectly calm as he entered the room. “Oliver is probably twelve steps ahead of you. He’s likely anticipated your return and has planned accordingly. We don’t know what he’s arranged. If you suddenly appeared...you could be in even more danger than you are now As much as | didn’t want to admit it, he had a good point. Oliver Moses had conducted this usurpation right under my nose. | had no idea how long he’d been planning this coup, nor did | know what else he had up his sleeve. This mess of a situation was unpredictable and | needed to think strategically if | wanted to make it out of this alive. Silas turned to Kane and was about to speak, but just as the Beta opened his mouth, my brother continued on. “Silas, since you and Asher have such a long journey ahead of you tomorrow. morrow, you should try to get some rest,” he advised 1/2 Find CRM FO For Small Businesses Chapter 218 politely but firmly. “This might be the best sleep you'll be able to get in the next few days. Take advantage of having a nice bed. Besides, | need to have some private time with my brother. So if you don’t mind...” “Of course,” Silas replied dutifully, and he rose to his feet. “Good night, Your Majesty.” He offered me a polite bow, and when | nodded back at him, he left the room without hesitation. Once he was gone, Kane sat down in Silas’ seat and crossed his legs. “What time are you leaving tomorrow, brother?” he wondered with a raise of a golden eyebrow, “Around 5” | answered without pause, and then | rubbed my temples. A headache hard begun to stir within me, and | felt. exhaustion start to creep in. Ever since Cas sandra had left, | hadn’t had a proper medical check, and | was feeling the effects of the illness much harder these days. “It’s the time that the guards change their shifts, It'll give us a fighting chance.” Kane nodded thoughtfully. “I'll meet you at 5 then.” “Excuse me?” | asked in surprise. I'll be joining you.” he replied as if it were obvious. 1 shook my head immediately. “You don’t need to, Kane. In fact, you shouldn't. You should remain here, away from the potential madness.” “I’m not asking for your permission,” my brother countered. “Let me remind you whose house you're in now-” “Is that a threat?” | cut him off, and | narrowed my eyes at him. “Are you truly on my side, Kane? Because from what Silas has informed me, your mother, Margaret, has allied with Oliver Moses.” “Are you questioning my loyalty?” Kane asked, and he shook his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you’d doubt me after all of this time. If | wanted to betray you, Asher, | would have done it when | found you and Silas lingering around the palace after your return from the forest. | could have let Oliver Moses’ guards know where you were. It would have been all too easy to give you up. But | didn’t. And it would be good for you to remember that. I’m not your enemy. I’m your ally, and I’m here to help Though his tone was genuine, a lingering feeling of doubt remained in the back of my mind. With how impossible and confusing things had been lately, it was hard to determine who was truly my ally and who was a traitor. | didn’t know who trust in light of this awful coup But as Kane's violet eyes stared directly into mine, | found myself nearly convinced by his words. Yet... a thought plagued me, one that | couldn’t cast aside. “Are you doing this for her?” | wondered. “Are you staying by my side because of Cas s andra?“ A
Chapter 220
CAS SANDRA
| froze in place, but my hand began to tremble as | stared at the amulet in shock. My mother’s moonstone necklace shone like a beacon and the sight of it made my stomach twist into complicated and painful knots.
| didn’t dare speak a word.
Kaleb’s dark blue eyes glinted with satisfaction and his full lips curled into a cruel but contented smile. It was as if he were wearing his devil’s mask once more, and a shiver traveled down my spine when | met his gaze.
How had he found the necklace?
And how had he figured out my true identity?
“| knew that you must have been from one of the prestigious families, but | didn’t expect you to be from such an important one,” he remarked after a while.”How interesting it was to figure it all out. You’ve been such a mystery to me, Cas sandra, and I’m so pleased to know that such a strange story is finally being solved”
He plucked my mother’s necklace and held it up. The pendant swung and for a moment, | felt as if | were hypnotized. Even just the sight of it in his hands was enough to set me over the edge.
This is quite lovely,” the king of Yurene noted. “A very nice piece of jewelry indeed. I’m sure you’re happy to see it again. “You're mistaken,” | tried to say. “I’ve never seen that necklace before-”
But the king of Yurene held his hand up and cut me off at once. Once he set the necklace back down, he sat back in his chair and stared deeply into my eyes.
“You're a terrible liar,” he said. “Did you know that according to one of Yurene’s laws, you could be hanged for lying to the king? Hiding your true identity falls under the category of lying and falsehoods. We might be lax when it comes to some things in this country, but something so treacherous...
| took a quick breath and then raised my chin slightly. A touch of bravery flooded through me and then | spoke up.
“| didn’t know there were laws in Yurene,” | countered in an attempt to deflect from our conversation. “You seem to have the right to decide everything at your will.”
Kaleb laughed. “You're right. A king can do whatever he wishes, but only if he can handle the price.”
| frowned. “I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Some of the kings have paid terrible debts for their wrong decisions,” he noted, and then he rolled his deep sapphire eyes. “Our former king was obviously one of them. | hadn’t finished the story | began to tell you last time, and | would love to tell you more about the subject. You must be interested in the rest of the tale.”
“| didn’t believe anything you said,” | snapped at him. “I figured you were telling me what you needed to to get me here.”
“You didn’t believe me?” Kaleb repeated back and then he snorted and scoffed loftily. “How interesting. | thought you did. There’s no one else who could tell you the truth of things, so you would do well to trust me. We could be allies, Cas sandra. I’m not your enemy.
“If you want to take over control of Wegalla, then you're my eneiny for sure.” | replied shortly.
“Why do you even care about Wegalla after everything that happened to you?” he wondered, and he raised a golden-brown. eyebrow in surprise. “Your father and brother were killed by the former Alpha King, and everyone else in the country
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despises your family’s name because of their supposed traitor status. No one dares to speak about them, not to mention say something fair for them. It’s ridiculous to fight for a country that cast your blood aside.”
My lips drew into a thin line. | couldn't find any words to retort back.
“Of course, | suppose there’s always your mate to consider,” Kaleb continued, and his eyes glinted cruelly. | can see you're worried about that weak king.”
| clenched my teeth and anger swelled within me. My body began to shake from the tension and it took all of my power to keep from snarling at the smug, foreign king.
“Asher isn’t weak.” | fired back at him despite myself.
“Oh, but he is. Kaleb replied, and he crossed his arms against his chest. “The king has never seen the cruelty of life. He didn’t know how to protect his mate, and he didn’t know how to protect his country either. Asher Collins doesn’t deserve you. You deserve someone better than him.”
I stared at Kaleb for a moment, my anger still flowing through me, and after a moment, | realized what he was talking about. My irritation shifted to disbelief as my lips parted in surprise, and then my brows knitted together.
“You must be kidding.” | asked flatly.
There was no way he was suggesting this
“| don’t like making jokes in such circumstances,” he replied. “A highborn queen from the South would cheer up the morale. of the North, especially if the queen was from a family that had been persecuted by the Southern king”
Bile rose up my throat and | jumped from my chair at once. “You're out of your mind. | would never agree to something like this. “Never say never.” Kaleb quipped. “I wouldn’t say anything too definitive”
“Enough,” | hissed. “This wasn’t what you’d told me in Wegalla. You said you wanted me to help you figure out the great sorcery Emmett left behind before he passed. Was that all a deception to get me here? Was your plan to pry me away from Anemond and marry you for your own political gain?”
“Oh, the sorcery?” Kaleb repeated back, completely ignoring the latter half of my statement. “Don’t worry, I’ve already found it?” My heart skipped a beat and | stared at him in confusion, “What? Where?”
The king of Yurene eyed me for a moment and then offered me a small, contented smile. The expression was devilish and smug, as if he believed himself to be the most cunning man in the world.
“It's on you,” he remarked, and his deep blue eyes trailed over me.
| felt lost at once.
The Northern king was speaking in riddles and vague sentences that kept me interested but confused.
Why the need for such dramatics?
What was he talking about?
When | asked him as much, he rose to his feet and began to pace around the small, windowless room. He glanced around as be walked, and after a minute of complete silence, he spoke again
Do you really think it’s a coincidence that Emmett saved you from that terrible inferno?” Kaleb asked me, his voice both
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amused and annoyed. “He didn’t do it out of kindness, Cas sandra. Sorcerers aren’t kind or warm-hearted. Emmett did it because he knew you were the young king’s mate. There was no kindness about it. He just wanted to manipulate you and use you to defeat the king. His plan just didn’t work out. | promise you, Emmett wasn’t the man you believed him to be. You were a pawn and nothing more.”