Chapter 85

Chapter 85 Unexpected visitors

CA SSANDRA

“Lancel looks so sullen,” Becky whispered to me quietly.

My a*sistant and I were hard at work in the lab, and Asher’s head guard was perched near the door. The older gentleman had a look of disdain on his face, but I wasn’t sure if that was due to any actual reason or if it was just his appearance.

Either way, I stifled a giggle.

“Don’t take it personally,” I whispered back. “Maybe he’s just having a bad day or something.”

“Or maybe it’s just his face,” Becky joked. I started cracking up immediately. Though we were two different people, we had the exact same sense of humor. Becky always knew how to make me laugh.

My a*sistant was right of course. Lancel was a very serious guard and performed his duties diligently. I’d hardly ever seen him smile. Even when I was younger, I rarely saw the man’s expression change.

Then again, Lancel had never really liked Cora. I didn’t know why exactly, but maybe it was because he thought the poor, miserable girl brought his Alpha too many difficulties and struggles. Every time there’d been any sort of drama happening in my life, he’d always seemed to have his nose turned up.

Of course, it seemed like Lancel didn’t really like me now either. When Asher had asked his guard to protect me and keep me safe, the older man’s expression had been one of disbelief. Though he was too loyal to question his king’s orders, he didn’t look all that willing to lay his life on the line for me.

But he cared for Asher too much to defy him.

Once Lancel had agreed to the idea, Asher and I set the rest of the plan int

motion. It wasn’t too difficult. The message had been spread out and well-received in the palace that Healer Ca ssandra had found something important among the vipers. Maybe a little too well, because when I returned to my room yesterday, even Erika had started to ask me about it.

The maid had been highly concerned about the vipers, but I a*sured her, just like everyone else, that the information would come in time.

Two days had gone by since the plan had been set in motion, and I was wondering if we’d messed everything up. Even though the library and the basement of the house had been thoroughly investigated, we couldn’t find any more clues about the imposter.

Had he already gone? Sl*pped away into the night?

I knew logically that it was unlikely since Asher had made a decree that no one was allowed to leave the palace or Anemond for that matter without a thorough. check. But what if the imposter had found a way out?

Or even worse still, he didn’t believe the gossip about the supposed meeting and wasn’t falling for the trap that we’d set.

Any easy, the meeting for the royal healer was scheduled in a day. If the man didn’t turn up before then, all of this effort would have been for nothing.

I wanted to sigh and throw my head down on the desk. Everything was immensely frustrating and I just wanted to find the answers so I could get back to my life. Palace life had become such a tangled web of drama and secrets. All I wanted was to continue my research so Finnick and I could go back to Wild Crawler.

I managed to pull my thoughts away from my old life. I wasn’t naive enough to believe that it would all go back into place so easily. Things were far too complex.

now for that.

I turned back to my research. I’d hoped that Becky and I could find some clues through the venoms of the snakes we’d sampled, but unfortunately, we didn’t know enough about poisons. As much as we tried, our countless hours in the laboratory hadn’t gotten us very far. We needed to make more progress on the matter.

Becky and I continued the day in silence. I kept to my workstation and she kept to hers. As I studied my papers, I thought of Marley. Though she was still a healer in training, having another medical and scientific mind around would be of great help. I wondered if she would be able to see some kind of pattern that we didn’t.

When the sunlight in the laoratory’s window dimmed, I realized it was the end of our work day. I cast my books aside and piled them neatly on my desk.

“Becky?” I prompted my a*sistant. “I think we’re done for the day.”

Becky looked up over her book and then glanced at the clock.

“That went by quickly,” she noted, and then she closed the book and gestured to me with it. “If it’s okay with you, I might take this with me. Maybe read ahead and see if it could be of any use?”

“Totally fine by me,” I said. “Just make sure you’re getting some rest, okay?”

“Will do,” she replied, and then she offered me a small smile and a raised eyebrow. “Make sure you’re getting some decent sleep yourself, Ca ssy, okay? I know we’ve been pulling some long hours lately, and I want to make sure you’re doing alright.”

I smiled back at her gratefully. “I appreciate it, Becky.”

She winked at me and tucked her short dark red hair behind her ear. In the light. of the setting sun, her hair looked like fire. She was very pretty, and I admired her intellect and warm heart. I had no doubt in my mind that she was one of the kindest people I’d met here in Anemond.

“Becky?’ I prompted her again as she headed toward the door.

“Yes?” she asked as she looked over her shoulder.

“Thank you,” I said. “For all of your help. And for being my friend.”

“Likewise,” she replied. After she winked at me, she approached the door, and Lancel grumpily moved to the side. He huffed a little as she walked out and then

glanced at me. I took that as my cue to hurry.

I packed up my things and then Lancel and I locked up the lab and headed to my chamber.

Lancel followed me closely but remained silent as we traversed the halls. I tried. to broach the awkwardness between us, but Lancel wasn’t having it. The older man was short with his replies, so finally, I gave up and stayed quiet.

Once I reached the door of my chamber I heard someone talking within the

room.

I frowned. That was strange. Only Erika should be in there.

Due to the riskiness of the plan, I’d asked the maid to bring Finnick to her place and watch him there, but Erika had insisted on being here to take care of me.

Meanwhile, Finnick had been sent to a different wing with two other maids and extra guards. Though I hadn’t been certain of that plan, Asher a*sured me that my son would be safe, so I allowed it. Finnick didn’t want to be away from me, so I’d had to bribe him and promise to buy him some new toys when this was all over.

He was reluctant but finally gave in. It was a small price to pay to make sure he was safe. I paused for a moment and then decided to take a leap and open the door. When I did, I was greeted by a pair of unpleasant faces.

My heart dropped.

What were Adalyn and Marco doing here?