Chapter 52: Chapter 52

REYNA

My voice had turned hoarse from crying. I felt like I was dying inside.

Knowing Casvan was in critical condition because of me was hell.

I didn’t want to believe it, but what else would affect my strong mate like this? It had to be me.

Only, I didn’t understand how I could have poisoned him. Nothing made sense.

Casvan was my mate, half of my soul, and if it turned out that I was the one who caused him harm, I didn’t know how I would feel about that.

I blamed Alaric for locking me away.

What hurt was that I didn’t know what was going on with Casvan—if he was better or not, if he was alive or…

No, he was definitely alive. I knew it, even if I couldn’t feel him.

Just then, I heard footsteps in the hallway.

A few seconds later, the door to my room swung open, revealing two huge warriors and my nana.

They let her into the room, then went to close the door.

Despite the happiness and relief of seeing my nana alive and healthy, I couldn’t muster the excitement I was expected to feel in such situations.

“Nana.” I rushed to the woman.

“Thank God you’re alive.” I might not have shown it, but I meant it. I crushed the older woman with a hug, glad that I hadn’t lost her.

“Wait, how’s Casvan?” I rushed to ask. I stopped the warrior from closing the door.

One of the warriors was glaring at me, while the other looked at me with pity.

“Please, I’m begging you, tell me how he’s doing,” I said, staring at him with my heart on my face.

“He’s not dead,” he said.

But it was enough for me. As long as Cas was alive, then I would do everything to find a cure for him, even if I had to risk my life.

My life was nothing without him anyway.

But I had to convince Alaric to believe that I would never hurt Casvan, even if my life depended on it.

“Oh, thank you, thank you so much.” Tears leaked out of my eyes.

If Casvan wasn’t dead, surely there was some way to cure him.

“My princess.” Nana’s voice reminded me that the woman was really here and alive.

I hugged Nana again, letting out a sob.

“Oh, Nana, I miss you so much. I thought I’d lost you and that you were dead.”

“I thought you were too, Rey. I’d thought Dr. Elizabeth had killed you. Dr. Benjamin told me everything that happened to you, poor baby. I’m glad you are alive and well,” Nana replied, sniffing.

We hugged each other and cried for a while before I found the strength to pull back, wiping away my tears.

“And Cassandra, is my mother okay?” I asked hopefully, even though a part of me already knew the truth.

Nana shook her head, crying.

“I’m sorry, Reyna, but Dr. Elizabeth had already killed Cassandra way before Marlenia was attacked.”

I couldn’t stop the fresh tears that blinded me as I remembered the woman who gave birth to me when others would have aborted me.

No matter what Cassandra did to me, I believed with all my heart that she really loved me in her own way despite everything, and I loved her too.

Dr. Elizabeth, that madwoman, had wanted power and had gotten rid of the only person standing in her way. Then she attacked me and tried to make me believe that Cassandra hated me.

That she had consented to what the doctor had put me through. In the end, karma had gotten to her, and she deserved what she got.

Something clicked in my brain right then, stopping my cries.

“Nana, something terrible happened. I need you to tell me. Did you know anything about Poison Roses? Is the rumor about them poisoning people true?”

Nana suddenly looked shocked.

“Why would you ask such an absurd question? Of course it isn’t true,” Nana denied.

“Please, Nana, you’ve got to tell me the truth. I made love with Casvan—you know, the beast that was locked up back in Marlenia. He’s the king here, Nana, and I think I might have poisoned him. I don’t know if Dr. Benjamin told you, but I’m not really a complete human. I’m half lycan.

Dr. Elizabeth told me that Cassandra was raped, and that’s how she got me.” My heart twisted as I waited for my only remaining family to reject me.

“Oh, Reyna, I’ve always known who you are. It doesn’t matter who your father is, you’re always my little princess,” Nana said, hugging me.

I sniffed and hugged her back, my heart a bit lighter.

“Can you tell me what you know about the Roses, please?” I asked.

“I do know a little bit about it, but Dr. Benjamin would know much more than me,” Nana replied.

“Dr. Benjamin is alive? Where is he? We must go to him right away. Maybe he knows how to save Casvan,” I said, already heading to the door.

“He’s here, we were captured together.” I ran toward Nana and shook the woman so hard she yelped.

I quickly let her go. I forgot how strong I was now.

“I’m so sorry, Nana, but this is very important. Is he here in Dakhur?”

“I’m absolutely sure of it. I shared a car with him when they were transporting us. He’s been taken to a different building, though.”

Adrenaline coursed through me.

My body was trembling with anticipation. My heart ignited with renewed hope.

I started banging on the door so hard and screaming to the guards to quickly open the door.

When the door opened, I forced my way out.

“There’s a way to save your king. Take me to Kayak and call Alaric fast—you need to hurry,” I shouted orders at the shocked warriors.

But seeing how serious I was, one of the warriors nodded to his subordinate and turned.

“Follow me,” he said. He was walking so fast with his long legs, I had to run to catch up with him.

Smart guy. I already liked the beast—he was more adept at reading people than the other one.

Nana and I followed the man to the throne room, where Kayak was shouting at Alaric to find a way to save Casvan.

I was glad that they were all here.

“Kayak, Alaric, there’s a way to find out what is wrong with Casvan and also find a cure for him,” I said, hurrying to where they stood.

“I already know what is wrong with him. You poisoned him,” he said, his voice accusative.

“It’s the same poison the other women used on Vok and Drik. Tell me what’s the cure? Why did you do it? I swear if anything happens to my brother I will kill you,” he said, cornering me.

And from the look in his eyes, he meant every word. I didn’t blame him.

“I would never poison Casvan—he’s my mate. And I wish I knew what the cure is, Kayak,” I said, barely stopping myself from breaking down.

If Casvan died, I knew I’d die with him. There would be no living without him.

Life would be meaningless. I had to get Kayak to listen to me.

“Listen, Kayak, I don’t know if I really poisoned him. Casvan is my mate. I would kill myself before I ever knowingly harmed him.”

Kayak stared at me with narrowed eyes before he nodded.

“How can we save my brother?” he asked with a somber look.

I nodded at him, grateful that he’d chosen to trust me.

“There’s a doctor among the people who just arrived,” I said. “He’s one of the doctors who had poisoned me. We need to talk to him and find out if there’s a cure.”