Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper
Chapter 260

Chapter 260

CASSANDRA

The information that Ms. Benn had told me about Lady Helene seemed to spread through the castle like wildfire. The stories from the maids traveled fast, and servants began to gossip and wonder if Helene had died. These rumors spiraled on and turned absurd by the time it was three days before the wedding. People suggested they were going to see a monster at the altar because surely, that was what Helene had turned into.

So, when Ronald announced that he and his fiancee were holding a party at his residence two days before the wedding night, everyone was surprised.

Before I had received my invitation that day, I was summoned by Kaleb and taken to the same meeting room we’d spoken in before. When Ms. Benn quietly escorted me from my chamber and dropped me off in the corridor, I heard whispers about Lady Helene and did my best to drown them out. I didn’t want to pay these awful stories any mind, especially if something really had happened to my friend. Lila had yet to disclose any information to me, so I was completely in the dark about the situation.

When I walked into the meeting room, Kaleb was seated at the table. His dark blue eyes were distant, as if he had much weighing on his mind. It wasn’t until I took a seat that he finally glanced up at me.

“Cassandra,” he greeted me emotionlessly. “Welcome.”

“Your Majesty,” I said back politely.

He sighed and ran a hand through his golden brown hair. “While I appreciate the niceties, there’s no need for the stiffness, Cassandra.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond, so I simply nodded. The king of Yurene seemed satisfied by that and continued on.

“I suppose you want to know why you’re here,” he mused. “I wanted to ask you some questions regarding Emmett-”

“I’ve told you all that I know,” I interrupted him, and then I softened my tone and forced a calm expression. “As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t know anything special about him, nor have I remembered any new details from the past. I’ve told you everything.”

Kaleb exhaled heavily and began to rub his temples. There was a restlessness about him and from the dark circles beneath his reddened eyes, I had the feeling it had been going on for days. He seemed on edge, more so than usual.

Something was bothering the Northern king.

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But what?

As he massaged his temples, he closed his eyes and I wasn’t sure what to do or say. I needed a distraction, something to shift the focus to rather than Emmett.

“How are Raven and Roxy?” I wondered. “I haven’t seen them in quite some time.

Kaleb suddenly opened his eyes at the mention of Roxy’s name in particular, and his deep navy irises bore into mine with intensity. My heart beat swiftly in my chest as I worried that I may have said the wrong thing.

But just as quickly as he reacted, he softened his gaze and sat back in his chair.

“Roxy is on a mission,” he noted nonchalantly.

It was immediately obvious that Kaleb was stressed about something. Perhaps this so- called mission that Raven’s intense and angry twin sister was on? Though he was trying to maintain a certain coolness, I saw right past him.

He was hiding something.

Kaleb shifted slightly, and as he turned away from me, I noticed the pallor of his skin. He looked much paler than usual like he was feeling ill. If his mannerisms were any indication, he likely wasn’t sleeping well, which would only make things worse.

For the first time, Kaleb appeared weak.

I had an impulse to take advantage of the situation and ask him about the things that had bothered me- Raven’s research, the mind-controlling, the impending fight against Wegalla. Part of me was almost deluded enough to think if I asked, Kaleb might communicate with me openly and in the process, reveal something about himself. Perhaps a weakness I could make note of or some vulnerable bit of information I could keep in mind for the future.

But no matter how much I wanted to try, I said nothing.

I couldn’t risk making things worse for myself, or for Finnick or Erika. While we were all trapped here in Yurene, I couldn’t act rashly or on impulse. I had to be smart in case something backfired.

So, I remained quiet.

However, the moment I committed to silence, Kaleb turned back to face me and spoke softly.

“After Ronald’s wedding, we can consider our own thing,” he offered vaguely. “Our wedding.”

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The heaviness in my heart

grew.

Kaleb was unable to communicate, wasn’t he?

I wasn’t sure what to say, so I forced a small smile and nodded.

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The king of Yurene reached out to me as if he wanted to hold my hand. It was a strange gesture, and while I knew that in his current state, it was a meaningless thing, I avoided his touch.

“Finnick is expecting me,” I said awkwardly, and I glanced at the door. “I promised to play chess with him today.”

Kaleb’s hand lingered halfway between us and then he nodded and pulled it back.

“Of course,” he said quietly, and then he gestured forward. “You’re free to go, Cassandra.”

***

Later that day, a maid arrived at my chamber to take me to Ronald’s residence. She was a middle-aged woman I’d never seen before and she wore a pleasant smile. She introduced herself as Helene’s maid and mentioned that her mistress looked forward to

seeing me.

After I said goodbye to Erika and Finnick, I agreed to go with her, and as we walked to Ronald’s residence, I studied the maid closely. She was acting normal, much to my surprise, and I realized that the information Ms. Benn had given me was true. Helene’s former maid was truly gone.

But was it really a suicide?

I felt both agitated and worried. I didn’t understand why Ronald had decided to throw this party. If he wanted to show everyone that Helene was fine, he could have done so in two days at the wedding.

I wished I could replace a way to talk with Helene privately and figure out what was happening.

When we arrived, I was taken aback at the sight. The first floor of Ronald’s residence had been decorated with multi-colored fragrant flowers and gauze. It was lush and dreamy, not to mention the perfect backdrop for an allegedly romantic event.

As I glanced around, I realized I was quite early. There weren’t many guests in the room yet, just a few here and there.

Helene and Ronald were speaking with a dark-haired woman on the opposite side of the room. Helene was smiling elegantly, and even from my vantage point, I could see

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her cheeks were flushed a deep rose color. Her light brown eyes twinkled, and she looked radiant in a pale cream-colored dress. She didn’t seem ill or depressed at all.

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However, the longer I stared at her face, the more worried I grew. I had a weird feeling that I couldn’t explain. Something was amiss.

As I walked closer, I realized the person the couple was talking to was Raven. The sorceress was dressed in a simple black dress, and when I approached, the conversation ended, and she offered me a smile.

“Hello, Cassandra,” she greeted me warmly, and after she gave me a quick hug, she turned and left to mingle with another guest. I was a little taken aback by the interaction but forced myself to remain collected as I turned to see Ronald.

The king’s cousin smiled. “Cassandra, how lovely it is to see you.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” I said as he and Helene fixed their gazes upon me, and I gave them a kind smile of my own.

“It’s a shame Kaleb isn’t able to attend tonight,” Ronald remarked as his soft blue eyes trailed over me. “He would be stunned by your beauty tonight.”

Heat spread to my cheeks. I had taken the time to brush out my waist-length hair and wore a pale blue dress, but it wasn’t anything extraordinary. His flattery was nice. enough, but I didn’t trust it.

“Helene is the one whose beauty is a sight to behold,” I complimented his fiancee. “She’s so radiant that no one else matters.”

“Indeed she is,” Ronald agreed, and he k*ssed Helene’s hand. “She’s the prettiest lady in my eyes.

Helene blushed. “Cassandra, you are too kind, as well as modest. You are very lovely as well.”

While her words were kind, there was something strange in her tone and expression. She seemed off and spoke to me like I was just a friend of Ronald’s she wasn’t familiar with at all. There was no depth in her voice or gaze.

While I was unnerved, I continued to speak with them, and after we chatted a little, Helene mentioned that she needed to use the ladies’ room. I picked up on the opportunity immediately and offered to escort her there.

Thankfully, Ronald didn’t object and nodded with a fond smile.

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