Chapter 98
"But..." The handmaiden hesitated. "Won't people wonder why that marriage ended? What if they dig too deeply? What if Alpha King Rowan finds out what truly happened to her?"
"They won't," Elana said firmly. "Most of them are too preoccupied with their own ambitions to care about the details. And Rowan would never find out about what happened to that woman. He thinks she has run away. That's all he need to know."
"All you have to do is plant the seed of doubt, and it will grow on its own. Remind them that he was once a cripple and his first wife left him. Make it seem like she fled because she knew he couldn't give her children."
The handmaiden's voice lowered to a near whisper. "And if someone defends him?"
Elana's tone turned icy. "Then you discredit them. Suggest they're only defending him because they have something to gain. The court thrives on gossip and suspicion—use it. This is a war of words, and I intend to win it."
"Lucian will be the next alpha King."
I bit down on my lip to keep from gasping. The audacity of her plan, the calculated cruelty of it, sent a chill down my spine.
"I understand, my lady," the handmaiden finally replied, her voice resigned. "I'll spread the word discreetly."
"Good," Elana said, her tone softening into satisfaction. "And remember, the key is subtlety. Don't make it seem like it's coming from us. Let the court believe they uncovered these truths themselves. People trust their own discoveries far more than they trust the words of others."
I couldn't listen anymore. My stomach churned as I carefully backed away, my mind racing with the implications of what I'd just heard. Rowan was right. He didn't know that they had ordered my execution.
They hid it from him to distract him. To make him believe that I was somewhere out there still alive while they tried to snatch the throne from him.
But it didn't work, the wolf clans were still in support of Rowan and Rowan despite being preoccupied in finding me, still found time to be an attentive King.
He also pushed back on Lucian's influence. As strongly as he could
Elana was playing a dangerous game, one that could ruin Rowan's reign if she succeeded. As much as I wanted to confront her, I knew it would only backfire without proof.
For now, all I could do was watch and wait—and hope that I could find a way to stop her before it was too late.
............
I could barely keep my eyes open, my body ached from the stress of the past few days, and my mind was swirling with everything I had learned. The whispers of the Royal Concubine and her handmaiden echoed in my mind, like a constant hum in the background, fueling my anxiety.
I lay there, staring at the ceiling, wondering what to do. What could I do? Rowan had already been targeted, and the court was a powder keg waiting to explode. Every word from the Royal Concubine seemed like a dagger aimed straight for him, and I was left standing on the edge, too powerless to stop it.
My handmaiden, Beatrice, entered the room with a tray. “Your Highness, you haven't touched your meal. Perhaps something to drink will help." She smiled softly, but something about her expression made me uneasy.
I frowned, my suspicion growing. "What did you put in that drink, Beatrice?"
She hesitated, her eyes flickering to the tray. "Just a simple tonic, my lady. To help you rest. You've been under so much strain lately. I advise that you rest.”
I didn't trust her. I knew that something was off. I took the glass in my hand, pretending to sip it, but I managed to discreetly spit the liquid out of my mouth when her back was turned. The taste lingered bitterly in my mouth. Whatever it was, I wasn't drinking it.
I put the glass back down on the table, trying to appear as if I had drunk from it. "I don't need any of this, Beatrice. I need to think."
Her face fell slightly, but she didn't press the issue. "As you wish, my lady." She turned to leave, but then paused, casting a quick glance back at me. "The Royal Concubine has been informed of your condition. She asked me to tell her when you're awake."
My heart skipped a beat, and a sharp pang of anger surged in my chest. "You what?" I demanded, sitting up in bed, my legs unsteady as I tried to push myself up. "How dare you inform her? You know I never wanted her involved in any of this."
Beatrice looked taken aback by my outburst, but she quickly recovered, lowering her eyes. "I thought it best, your highness. She told me to inform her of anything that pertains to you. The Royal Concubine has influence, and perhaps she could help."
"I don't need her help," I snapped, my voice trembling with frustration. "I need to stay out of her reach and you just did the opposite of that. How could you?”
Before Beatrice could respond, the door swung open, and in stepped the Royal Concubine herself. She looked pristine as always, her sharp eyes glinting with a mixture of concern and something colder—something calculating. Behind her, the castle physician entered, his expression serious.
I couldn't believe they were here. They had no reason to be here unless they were trying to find out something they already suspected.
"What is this? Why are you in my chambers?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady, but I could feel my hands shaking.
The Royal Concubine glanced at Beatrice before turning her attention back to me. "Arin, my dear, you've been unwell, and it's a matter of concern. I thought I should personally see to it. I have brought the physician to examine you.”
I clenched my jaw, feeling the tension in the air. "I don't need your help."
Her smile didn't falter. "I'm sure you don't, but I've been informed that you've been having trouble with fatigue. The physician will see to you now."
I glared at her, refusing to back down. "I am fine. I don't need anything from you or your physician. I can manage on my own."
The physician stepped forward, completely ignoring my protests. He approached me with a clinical detachment, placing a hand on my wrist to check my pulse. His touch was cold, and I pulled my arm away, but he persisted.
"The symptoms you've been experiencing aren't just from fatigue, my lady," he murmured. "It could be an indication of an underlying condition.”
I swallowed hard, my throat tightening. No, this couldn't be happening. Not now, not like this.
The Royal Concubine's eyes narrowed as she studied me. "What do you mean, physician?"
"I won’t know until I privately examine her. Then I shall tell you what is wrong with her," he said quietly, glancing between the Royal Concubine and me.
The words hit me like a slap to the face. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't move. The world around me blurred as I stared at him in disbelief.
He couldn’t possibly tell her, could he? I told him to keep it a secret, if he told her now, that would be the end of everything.
Before I could speak, Beatrice suddenly gasped, her eyes wide. "My lady, the castle guards just informed me that Prince Lucian has returned!"
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