Ch. 61..65: Alpha King’s Lost Luna Chapter 61-65

Chapter 61 Accident in the lab

CA SSANDRA

“Is there a way to open it?” I wondered as I stared at the box.

The librarian squatted down beside it and inspected it closely. Her round glasses nearly fell off her nose as she leaned in closer and took the large lock into

her hands.

“Ah,” she remarked, and she pointed to the back of the lock. “See there? That’s the royal seal.”

“Oh,” I replied simply and then I frowned. “So that means…”

“You’d need permission from the Alpha King, most likely,” the librarian said and she offered me an apologetic glance. “His Majesty is probably the only one with the power to open it. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help.”

“It’s no problem,” I assured her, but it was quite the opposite. I was too afraid to visit Asher and didn’t know how to face him after the events of last night.

“Is there anything else-”

I shook my head. “No, I think I’m going to grab my things and go back to my lab. Thank you again for letting me in, I appreciate it greatly.”

“Of course, Healer Ca ssandra,” the librarian replied.

I quickly returned my notebooks and pens to my backpack and once I had everything, I walked out of the library and headed back toward the lab. I was disappointed that I hadn’t found anything helpful and

also a little intrigued by that strange box. Normally, I would let something like that go, but I had a strong feeling that something interesting was in there and my mind wouldn’t dismiss it.

As I made my way down the hall, I heard loud voices in the distance. My

eyebrows creased together. What was going on?

The volume increased as I got closer and when I reached the doors, I noticed the guard’s face was bright red. Asher had appointed him to keep anyone who wasn’t supposed to be in the lab out.

So who was Becky arguing with?

“What’s going on?” I wondered, and the moment I asked, I heard Becky’s voice again.

“I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

“Just who do you think you’re speaking to?” the other voice demanded and my heart began to race.

The voice belonged to Adalyn. And she sounded angry.

“I’m sorry, Healer Ca ssandra,” the guard apologized. “I didn’t mean to fail my

duties-”

“I’ll handle this,” I assured him, and after I took a short breath and centered myself, I stepped through the doors and into the lab.

Adalyn was frantically walking around the place, checking devices and various things on our desks. Meanwhile, Becky was following along, begging her to stop.

“Please, my lady,” she begged. “Don’t tamper with our things… it’s important research!”

My assistant’s voice was quite despaired and she seemed a little helpless. It was as if Adalyn couldn’t hear her or something. Anger swelled within me. I needed to put a stop to this.

to

“What’s going on here?” I blurted out boldly, and both sets of eyes fell on me at once. Adalyn’s were full of rage as they darted over to me and her full, red lips drew

into a thin line. She looked as beautiful as ever but it was clear that she was incredibly tired. Last night had apparently done a number on anyone, but I wasn’t

going to let her continue on with her behavior.

“This lab is forbidden to anyone else but the King,” I emphasized.

Adalyn rolled her eyes and ignored me. She turned back to the desks and continued to rifle through the papers. It was clear she was searching for something,

but I had no idea what.

I

I approached her this time and blocked her view of the desk.

“What are you looking for?” I demanded in a much firmer tone as I stared her down. She could intimidate me anywhere else but here… here was my place of work. She was messing with my things, my research, and my assistant, and I wasn’t going to let it fly.

Adalyn huffed. “Stand aside. I’m looking for the serum.”

“The serum?” I repeated back in confusion. “What serum?”

“You know what I’m talking about,” Adalyn hissed. “Goddess knows if the viper will return again or not. I need the serum in case it comes after me or Marco again.”

Even though her tone was angry and demanding, I almost wanted to laugh. My. eyes glanced over at Becky and she had a similarly surprised expression. But when I turned back to Adalyn, I remained calm.

“The serum is still being worked on,” I explained. “It’s nowhere near being done. But even if it was, only a royal healer would be allowed to handle it. You would need their help.”

Adalyn’s beautiful face gréw angrier and her nostrils flared for a moment. She was flustered.

“Of course,” she shot back. “In that instance, I suppose a royal healer would be more helpful. So long as it isn’t you, of course. I wouldn’t trust a village commoner like you to administer it.”

I lost my patience immediately.

“Please leave,” I said, and I pointed toward the door. “Since you don’t trust me to do my job, you should never try to come back in here again.”

Adalyn’s body shook with anger and before I could stop her, she swept her arm across the nearest desk and knocked a bunch of bottles and vials to the floor. They shattered upon impact and various liquids spilled all over.

Asher’s

wife didn’t stop there. She sprang into action and began to destroy our things while Becky and I stood there in horror.

Adalyn had always been like this. She would perform and pretend to be a sweet, charming girl in public, but when she was alone with someone she didn’t like, she showed herself as the monster she really was.

I

When we were children, Asher and I had built a treehouse in the garden of the Felix house. It was a secret place just for us. It wasn’t long, though, before Adalyn found it. She was angry to have been excluded and threw a fit. One day, she snuck into the garden and destroyed the treehouse when I wasn’t home. Devastated, I’d tried telling on her to my father, but there was nothing we could do. She was the Beta’s daughter and could get away with anything.

Now, things felt like the same. Adalyn had probably wanted to destroy this lab. for a long time.

As she threw her fit and continued to mess with our things, I rushed over to Becky.

“Take the guard and go find the Alpha King right now,” I said. My assistant nodded and rushed out of the room, leaving Adalyn and me alone.

“The Alpha King isn’t going to be pleased,” I called out to her and Adalyn. laughed.

“I don’t care,” she seethed, and then she raised a bottle high in the air. My heart nearly stopped. It was a container of chemical acid.

“Adalyn, please put that down,” I advised her gently. When she noticed my panic, her crazed look turned into a cruel smile. She took a step toward me, the

bottle still held high.

“I don’t care what’s i

this,” she said slowly. “But apparently it’s something bad. So, I have a proposal… leave Anemond for good. Or I’ll pour this right on that pathetic face of yours.”

“Adalyn, please,” I pressed. “I didn’t come here of my own volition-”

“Shut up!” Adalyn blurted out, her amber eyes manic. “I don’t believe you!”

Before I could get a word in, she opened the bottle, and in one swift motion, she shook it right toward me. As the liquid poured out, I flinched and stepped out of the way. I closed my eyes.

Adalyn let out a scream. When I opened my eyes, I was shocked to see that the acid had burnt the skin on her forearm.

 

Chapter 62 Are you injured?

CA SSANDRA

Just as I was about to make sure Adalyn was okay, the laboratory doors flew open, and in walked the Alpha King, Becky, and a pair of guards. Asher’s gray eyes were ablaze and when they caught sight of Adalyn on the ground in pain, he only

grew more angry.

“What have you done?” he demanded, and his face contorted as he roared.

recoiled at the sound, my heart racing, and my body shaking at his incredulous tone. This was it. I had been in plenty of trouble since I’d arrived in Anemond, but this would be my crowning glory. I was going to the dungeons or worse.

Adalyn sobbed even louder.

“I-I-It was all HER fault!” she cried out and pointed in my direction.

Asher’s eyes fell to me and a lump formed in my throat. I wanted to protest, to explain what had actually happened, but the words were stuck in my throat. Even if I could explain, I doubted that Asher would trust me.

I was terrified.

The room fell into silence, save for Adalyn’s cries, and it was then I noticed a foul smell in the air. It took a moment for it to register but I realized it was the burnt smell of flesh. The acid was no joke and Adalyn should not have handled it so carelessly. The mark would likely last forever.

Asher didn’t speak a word. He simply squatted down beside his wife and took her arm in his hand. She winced under his touch and when she began to whimper,

he turned to the guards.

“Take Adalyn to the royal healers at once,” he demanded.

“I won’t go without you!” Adalyn sniffled. I half-expected Asher to deny her request, but to my surprise, he nodded.

“Okay,” he said, and he helped her to her feet. Adalyn trembled and nearly sank back down to her knees, but Asher held her steady. The guards stepped in to help and before they left the room, the Alpha King glanced at me. Though the moment was brief, it felt like an eternity, and my throat only grew tighter.

For a second, I wanted to ask Asher to stay so I could tell him everything that had actually happened. But the other part of me knew I couldn’t.

Ever since I’d arrived in Anemond, I’d done my best to avoid trouble, and yet, here I was, swept up in another bit of drama and turmoil. Why was this my fate?

I watched in fear as they left the room and once the doors closed behind them, Becky rushed over to me.

“Ca ssy,” she breathed. “Oh Goddess, are you alright?”

Her eyes were wide with shock and they only grew wider when she took my

hand.

“Ca ssy?” she prompted me again, and she gestured down at my hand. “Oh Ca ssy, your hand is burnt.”

Her statement was enough to snap me out of my daze.

田

“What?” I asked, and when I looked down, I was shocked to see that my hand was indeed, quite burnt. It was then that the pain started to set in. The feeling was

familiar.

I knew the sensation of burnt skin all too well.

“We need to treat this right away,” Becky urged, and then she guided me over to the nearest table. She helped me sit down in the chair and then gently rested my hand on the desk while she grabbed the necessary supplies.

I sat there, shocked, as she got to work. I wasn’t sure if it was the pain or the

fear that consumed my mind, but I couldn’t move, couldn’t utter a sound. It was as if

I was frozen in place.

I winced as she applied some ointment. The moment between Adalyn and I had happened so fast that I hadn’t even realized I’d been burnt. I had been too swept up

in it to notice.

Luckily, the spot didn’t seem that big or that deep. I supposed I was lucky that there hadn’t been too much acid in the bottle. Had that ended up near my face, things could have been much much worse.

Becky studied me closely, her expression full of sympathy and concern.

“I don’t think the Alpha King can be tricked very easily,” she said softly as she applied an ointment to my burn. I don’t know what happened between you but I know it wasn’t your fault.”

Her tone was soft and kind, and I knew she was trying her best to soothe me. I forced a small smile on my face. Becky was too innocent. Things in Anemond didn’t work like that. It didn’t matter if I was at fault or not. The Beta family, as the second in command to the King, would cause a stir. Adalyn might not be the most intelligent person, but her father was. He would make sure that I would be dealt with

accordingly.

Once I was bandaged up, Becky brought me some water and forced me to drink. As I sipped at it, she rubbed my back, and for a moment, I thought of Marley. The two were so much alike, and I was surprised to see this side of my assistant. She was so incredibly kind.

After a while, the lab doors opened, and in walked a few guards.

“Healer Ca ssandra,” one addressed me directly in a cool tone. “We’re here to escort you to the King’s study.”

I nodded calmly and then turned to Becky. She offered me a nervous look, but I just smiled. “I’ll be okay.”

Becky nodded and then helped me to my feet. I walked across the room to the

guards and followed them out into the hall.

As we got closer to the study, my heart began to race again. I had no idea what to expect, but I knew this wasn’t going to end well. I could only hope that Finnick. would be alright, no matter what happened.

When we reached the study, a guard knocked on the door and I heard Asher’s voice from within the chamber.

“Enter.”

I gulped and without another moment’s hesitation, we entered the study. Asher stood at the large window behind his desk and stared out onto the grounds.

“Healer Ca ssandra is here,” the guard announced and after Asher nodded, the guards left the chamber and closed the door behind them. Once we were alone, Asher turned around. He stared at me for what felt like an eternity and then spoke.

“What happened?” he asked calmly.

I took a deep breath and then explained everything as objectively as possible. As the story continued on, the Alpha King’s frown deepened, and I struggled to figure out what he was thinking. Was he angry? Bloodthirsty?

His silence was difficult to interpret.

Once I was done sharing, I went silent and waited for him to reply. His gray eyes were more piercing than usual, and I braced myself for impact. I knew, deep down, that I was about to face some harsh consequences for fighting with the Alpha King’s wife.

But instead, he glanced at my arm and frowned. He gestured toward my bandage.

“Are you injured?”

Chapter 63 All her options

CA SSANDRA

I was a little taken aback by the Alpha King’s question. Did Asher actually care that I’d been hurt or had he asked only out of politeness?

I nodded anyway. “I’m fine.”

He didn’t seem as convinced. His eyes remained fixed on my bandaged arm and his mouth drew into a thin line. With every second, I was growing more and more uncomfortable with this interaction and decided to not waste any more time.

“How is Adalyn?” I wondered and immediately, Asher broke his gaze and cleared his throat.

“Half of her left forearm is burnt,” he revealed and he ran his hand through his tousled dark hair tiredly. “Though the acid wasn’t strong enough to get to the bone, it will leave permanent scars. The royal healers did all they could, but there’s only so much they could accomplish. Adalyn is upset.”

I nodded but didn’t say anything. Of course Adalyn would be upset. She was incredibly vain when it came to her appearance. Any type of flaw or imperfection would make her more emotional than the physical pain itself.

For a moment, I wanted to scoff at the ridiculousness, but then I remembered my own injuries from the inferno. To this day, I had no idea how Emmett had been able to cure me and remove all of my burn scars.

“Look, I know this wasn’t your fault, Ca ssandra,” Asher spoke again. “But this is a complicated matter that needs sorting out. In the meantime, I suggest that you don’t leave your chambers or roam the palace. I think it would be best for everyone

you remained confined and out of sight, at least for now.”

if

“I understand,” I said quietly and I nodded as I considered his words. Adalyn Moses was the Beta’s daughter and the Alpha King’s wife. I was nothing more than a

country commoner. Though I had once been someone important, I no longer held any power, therefore, I needed to heed Asher’s decree, no matter how much I

disliked it.

“Are you sure it doesn’t hurt?” Asher pressed, and he gestured again to my bandaged hand. He reached out to touch my arm, but I automatically recoiled from

his touch.

“I’m fine,” I managed, and then I backed away further still. “If there’s nothing more to say, Your Majesty, I think it would be best for me to leave. It’s been a long. day for everyone and I need to see my son.”

Asher said nothing, but I turned around anyway and headed toward the door. I waited for him to say something or stop me in some way, but when he didn’t, I continued out the door and into the hallway.

My eyes began to well up with tears, but I forced them back as best as I could. As much as I appreciated Asher’s care and understanding, it came with a cost. The more he offered, the more jealous and wrathful Adalyn would be, and I didn’t want anything to do with that. This time I had been the intended victim of her scorn but next time, it could be Finnick. I couldn’t risk that. I would do anything to keep my son safe, no matter what.

When I got back to my chamber, Erika and Finnick were waiting for me, and they both noticed my bandage immediately.

“What happened, Ca ssandra?” Erika demanded and she rushed to my side. She carefully took my arm and stared at me with wide eyes. Her concern was nearly enough to make me cry all over again, but I couldn’t risk getting upset in front of

Finnick.

“Something at work,” I remarked. “An accident. I’m okay, though.”

Erika didn’t seem convinced and neither did Finnick at first. The pair stared at me for a while until Finnick returned to playing with his toys. Meanwhile, I took a seat at the table and released a heavy breath. Erika disappeared for a little while, and when she returned, she had tea and a small tray of tiny cakes. She brought

some over to Finnick and then set them in front of

mo

“Ca ssandra,” Erika said softly as she poured me a steaming cup of jasmine. “What happened? Are you alright?”

I glanced over at Finnick. He was too distracted by his treat and his stuffed

animals to notice us. So, I decided to tell her the truth.

“I’m okay, but something did happen,” I admitted, and then I told her the whole story. I didn’t spare any detail, but I kept my voice hushed enough for Finnick not to overhear us. The last thing I needed was for my son to get involved in this

nightmare of a situation.

Erika shook her head as I finished. The color had vanished from her usually rosy cheeks and worry painted her expression.

“Ca ssandra,” she sighed. “Oh, goodness. Lady Adalyn won’t let this go easily.”

I nodded gravely. “I know.”

I took a long sip of my tea and prayed it would soothe my nerves, at least a little bit. I forced a little more down, and once I found the courage, I looked back at Erika and took her hand in my uninjured one.

“Erika, if something happens to me, will you take care of Finnick?” I asked

quietly.

The maid’s eyes welled up a little and she leaned in.

“Of course I will,” she said with no hesitation. “I will do anything and everything to take care of that sweet boy. You have my word, Ca ssandra.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, and then I glanced over at Finnick. He looked so happy. All I wanted was for him to have the best life possible.

Suddenly, Kaleb’s offer crossed my mind for the first time. It was a crazy idea, and I was certain the king of Yurene wanted something from me beyond what he was expressing, not to mention the North was dangerous. I was unfamiliar with everything there. But it was tempting to leave Anemond behind for good. If I went to the North, Adalyn, Asher, Margaret, and Oliver Moses would all be a part of my

past.

I could leave Anemond and all of this wickedness forever. I could finally let Coral Felix rest and allow myself to live fully as Ca ssandra Keller.

“Thank you, Erika,” I said again, realizing I’d fallen silent as my mind wandered. “For everything. I really appreciate everything you’ve done and continue to do for

1.

“It’s no trouble at all,” she assured me. “I promise you.”

She squeezed my hand and smiled warmly at me. Even with a different identity, the maid had treated me the same as she had when I was young. She was so warm, so friendly, and so willing to take care of me and my son. Erika was one of the best people I’d ever known. Could I leave her behind? I didn’t know.

And what about Asher? Could I forget all about him and abandon him for the North? I thought I could. But ever since our reunion, something had changed inside me. Would I be able to force back my thoughts, my dreams, my desires to have him as my own again?

As much as I longed for an answer right then and there, I didn’t know what I

wanted.

But I had to consider all of my options.

I had to.

 

Chapter 64 Old Beta’s request

ASHER

“Your Majesty, you have to put that vicious, wicked healer in jail!” Linda Moses declared in a shrill voice that sent a shiver down my spine.

She and her husband stood in front of my desk, their eyes filled with wrath as they awaited my answer.

I exhaled deeply. In the last few hours, I’d heard two versions of this story. Ca ssandra Keller had said it was Adalyn who’d threatened her and spilled the acid on her arm, while Adalyn had insisted that it was actually Ca ssandra who’d spilled

the acid.

Deep down, I knew whose version was more likely and trustworthy, but trust had nothing to do with it. The situation was much more nuanced than that.

“Adalyn should not have entered the laboratory,” I said as a headache began to plague me. “Everyone in the palace knows not to go in there, and the guards. informed me she was told quite explicitly to stay away-”

“That doesn’t matter!” Linda blurted, and then her cheeks flushed scarlet and her eyes fell to the desk. “Your Majesty.”

“It does,” I pressed. I could have pushed further and chided her for her insolence, but instead, I sighed. “Besides, Ca ssandra Keller has been confined to

her chambers for the foreseeable future.”

“Confinement isn’t enough,” Linda insisted. “Besides, Adalyn told us why she was there. She was simply worried about the viper attacks. She just wanted to make sure that any future bites wouldn’t be an issue for the family-”

“The development of a curing serum is not Adalyn’s business,” I cut her off. “In fact, it’s mine. I hope that Adalyn wasn’t attempting to interfere with that, but I have a feeling she was.”

Linda’s face suddenly paled and she shook her head. Her hair flared around her and her eyes widened.

“She wasn’t trying to i-interfere,” she said and her lower lip began to tremble. “She was just w-worried a-about M-Marco… All she cares about is the safety of her family, Your Majesty!”

Adalyn’s mother began to cry, meanwhile, Oliver Moses’ eyes remained fixed on mine. I was a little agitated by his boldness, but I was already in the middle of a tense conversation. The last thing I needed was for this to escalate further when I was feeling so weak and stressed out.

“I want a thorough investigation of the incident,” he said slowly. “I want witnesses, interrogations, any information we can get about what happened in that laboratory.”

“The only witness was Ca ssandra’s assistant, Becky,” I pointed out, and I leaned back in my seat a little. “We’ve spoken to her and she maintains that Ca ssandra’s story was the true one.”

“Of course she did,” Linda said through her sniffles. “She’s clearly lying because

she’s on the healer’s side.”

My eyebrow shot up at the way she was speaking to me, but I chose to ignore it and looked over at Oliver.

“The healer could be lying,” the Beta said. “And so could her assistant. There’s a strong possibility of bias there and I think that there’s more to the situation than they’re letting on.”

He straightened his posture and folded his hands in his lap.

“Your Majesty, I worry,” he stated in a strangely cool tone. “About Adalyn clearly, but most about you.”

“Explain,” I urged. What was going on here? What did the Beta mean?

“I’m suspicious of this Ca ssandra Keller and her origin and intentions,” he

continued. “Something about her strikes me as odd. I don’t like what I’ve heard. With your permission, Your Majesty, I would like to interrogate the healer.”

I wanted to laugh at him directly. There was no way that I would agree to that request, and besides, I knew what Oliver wanted. The Beta had a rat among the royal healers. I had no idea which one it was, but one of them was working for the Moses family under my nose. That was the true reason I’d brought Ca ssandra back in the first place. She was out of Oliver’s control and I could trust her to conduct research impartially without any ulterior motives.

Oliver thought he could play me just as he did the others. But he couldn’t.

“Are you questioning the Alpha King’s decision?” I challenged him.

The Beta shook his head immediately and then gave me a small bow of respect.

“No, Your Majesty,” he insisted. “No no. I would never do that. I just worry about you. I want to make sure everything is well with you. You know me. I would do anything for the glory of the Wegalla Empire.”

“Hmm,” I remarked, and I crossed my arms against my chest. “I see. I question. your dedication to Wegalla, Oliver, as you keep challenging me at every turn. Do you think I’m unfit to make decisions of my own?”

“No, Your Majesty,” Oliver said, and he raised his hands up slightly. “Thats not what I’m saying at all.”

“He would never dare to say something like that, Your Majesty,” Linda chimed in as she wiped the tears from her cheeks.

“Stay out of it, Linda,” Oliver hissed under his breath, and once his wife sat back, he turned to face me again. “Your Majesty, what I’m trying to say is that if you insist on only going your own way, the rest of the Pack might voice complaints. Especially some of the councilors.”

My jaw tightened instantly. Oliver was like a fox. The councilors who would be against my decision were all on his side. The Beta’s words served as a reminder that my power wasn’t stable.

As much as I didn’t want to admit it, my place here in the Empire wasn’t without its challenges. It was hard to live up to the legacy my father had built, and there were many who wanted to see me fall. Oliver was one such person and this recent threat to Adalyn only put me-and Ca ssandra for that matter- in danger.

“I think I can take care of this myself,” I addressed the Beta in a voice that was stern and cold. I raised my chin and gave him a chilling smile. “Thank you for your kindness, Oliver. It’s appreciated as always.”

The old Beta stared back at me with a confused expression. He opened his mouth to speak and then seemed to give up on the plan entirely. He simply nodded and then rose to his feet. Without another word, he took his wife’s hand and led her to the door of the study. Before they left, they offered bows of respect, but I didn’t care. I was relieved to see them go.

The Moses family had been a thorn in my side for far too long, but there was nothing I could do about it at this point. I was married to Adalyn and Oliver was the Beta of the Pack. I couldn’t dismiss them, even though I desperately wanted to at this point.

Once I was alone, I released a heavy breath.

Ca ssandra, Adalyn, Oliver, the vipers, the king of Yurene…

My head spun and I closed my eyes.

This game grew more and more complicated by the day and I was struggling to keep up.

ASHER

Chapter 65 News from Kane

I rubbed my temples and tried to remain calm. I was spending more and more time in my study these days to stay away from those who wanted to incite more. trouble or drama around me. I needed to stay relaxed, but the disease was affecting me more and more lately.

Heat spread through me as my head pounded and I could feel sweat building up. I rolled the sleeves of my shirt up and when I did, I winced in surprise. The mysterious black marks had been growing significantly, and now there were some blooming up on my forearms. I wanted Ca ssandra to check up on them, but since she was confined to her chambers, my health check would have to be delayed.

I hadn’t expected any of this to happen. It wasn’t my fault was it? Kane had. warned me beforehand and told me that Adalyn was jealous of how I treated. Ca ssandra. I knew that she was wrathful and hell-bent on destroying the healer.

But what I didn’t understand was how I felt about the ordeal and furthermore, how I felt about Ca ssandra.

All my life, I’d been someone who was always in control. I knew what to say, how to say it, and how to keep things from escalating beyond their means. But ever since, I’d met Ca ssandra, my sense of control had started slipping.

Seeing Ca ssandra’s bandaged hand and finding out that Adalyn had wounded her made me furious beyond imagination. I wanted to inflict punishment upon my wife like no other. There was even a small part of me that wanted to kill her.

I’d only felt this intensely protective over one person before.

Cora.

A thought crossed my mind. It was crazy and nonsensical, but the moment it entered, I couldn’t push it away.

What if Ca ssandra Keller was Cora?

Could she be?

Despite the inferno, the charred remains of Rosepetal, and the other evidence, I’d never believed that Cora had really perished in the fire. So what if there was some way she had changed her appearance and assumed a new identity?

My insane theory could explain why I felt so familiar with Ca ssandra the first time I saw her, why I wanted to see her all the time, why I wanted to touch her…

The idea was crazy. I knew that. But no matter how much I wanted to push it away and pretend I’d never entertained it, I couldn’t.

Ca ssandra Keller had looked so much like Cora at the banquet last night. The way the dress hugged her curves was all too familiar. I’d known that dress anywhere. It was the same Cora had worn to a ball long ago.

Where had Ca ssandra come across the dress? Was it gifted to her by someone, and if so, who was it? How did they come about an article of Cora’s clothing?

My thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. I let out a small groan. I wasn’t in any condition to be entertaining any more guests today.

“Who goes there?” I called out as I rolled the sleeves of my shirt back up. I couldn’t risk anyone seeing the black marks that painted my skin.

“It’s your stepbrother, Your Majesty,” one of the guards called out from the other side of the door. “He insists on seeing you right away.”

me?”

I sighed. “Enter.”

Moments later, Kane stepped into the room and smiled at me happily.

“Hello, brother,” he greeted me as the door closed behind him. “Did you miss

Kane had apparently returned from his short journey. Though he’d been vague

about where he’d gone, I suspected he went somewhere for a reason. He wanted to

avoid the visitors from Yurene.

His mother, Margaret, had wanted him to join in on the meetings with the diplomats, as she’d insisted that it would be a good chance for them to get to know. the royal family. But Kane had left just before the Northerners had arrived. Margaret was less than pleased by her son’s escape, and I assumed that’s why she hadn’t joined us for the ball last night.

Not that it mattered much. I was grateful my stepmother hadn’t been in attendance.

“Of course I missed you,” I remarked simply. “Now, what can I do for you, brother?”

Kane perched in the chair in front of me and studied me closely. His violet eyes. were narrowed in concern as they scanned every inch of me. “If you don’t mind me saying so, Asher, you’re looking a little worse for wear. In fact… you look like you’ve aged quite a bit. I can see some gray hairs on the sides of your face.”

“Don’t worry about those,” I muttered sheepishly. “I’m fine.”

“I don’t suspect you are,” Kane pressed.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I sighed, and that was that. He didn’t push the issue further but toyed with one of the pens on my desk.

“Listen, I’ve already heard all about what happened between Adalyn and Ca ssandra Keller in that mysterious laboratory,” he remarked as he fiddled with the glass instrument. “I got all of the details from various sources on my way here. I must say, brother, you sure are in quite a difficult situation. Oliver Moses is difficult in many ways, and I’m sure he’s not going to let this go until he gets what he wants. I’m willing to bet he threatened as much.”

I nodded. “Yes. He threatened to use the councilors against me.”

“I figured,” he said, and then he released a heavy sigh. “He’s always been conniving, but now that Adalyn’s involved, I’m sure it’ll only get worse. I don’t envy

you, Asher. This isn’t going to be easy to navigate.”

“Thank you,” I said. “I appreciate you saying so. I don’t know what to do, but I’ll figure it out eventually. For now, Ca ssandra has been confined to her chambers. I don’t want her anywhere near the Moses family, not until I can figure out how to make everyone happy.”

“Speaking of your healer,” Kane mused, and his eyebrow raised slightly. “I heard some interesting stories during my trip.

“What?” I asked and I leaned forward. “What are you talking about?”

When he didn’t answer, I frowned.

“Did you go to Wild Crawler?” I pressed. “I’d sent Lancel there to check out something.”

“By something, do you mean you sent him to investigate her?” Kane said in a teasing voice, and when I nodded sheepishly, he set the pen down and laughed lightly. “Well, you can’t always get all of the information you need through an official check, can you? Sometimes gossip can give you something more.”

“Continue,” I urged. I had no idea what my stepbrother was about to say next, but I knew that if he was dragging it out like this, it had to be an important detail.

Unfortunately, my stepbrother was known for his theatrics. He smiled and took a long deep breath before continuing.

“Well, I suppose if I must share with the class,” he joked, and then he fixed his gaze on me. “I discovered in my travels that Finnick, Ca ssandra’s boy, isn’t Emmett Keller’s son.