Chapter 23


    ASHER


    Chapter 23 Her sorrow


    “You don’t understand!” Ca ssandra shouted, and then suddenly, she broke into a fit of heavy s obs.


    The healer’s knees buckled slightly as she cried, and her chest heaved as she fought to breathe. Her


    copper hair fell into her face and her cheeks flushed pink.


    I stood there,pletely stunned and unsure of what to do.


    For the briefest of seconds, she reminded me of Cora.


    Cora had once said the exact same phrase to me once many years ago when she thought I’d lost a


    pendant she once gave me.


    It had been the first time I’d been allowed to join the Crescent Pack’s hunting group, and furthermore,


    the first time I’d been allowed to enter the hunting zone of the forest in Anemond. I’d admittedly been a


    little nervous, but Cora was absolutely terrified. She was always looking out for my well-being and


    cared so deeply for me


    which meant the world.


    I remembered putting on a brave face, but that wasn’t enough for Cora. So, one day, she came over to


    my house and presented me with a pendant. It was a gorgeous thing- white gold with a moonstone at


    its center, ringed by tiny, sparkling diamonds. The ne was one of the most beautiful things I’d


    ever seen.


    “What is this?” I’d asked.


    “It was my mother’s,” Cora exined, and her lips curled into a sad smile. She never spoke about her


    mother, but I knew the memory brought her pain.


    “It’s lovely,” I said, and then my brow furrowed. “Why did you bring it?” “It’s for you to wear,” she said,


    and before I could protest, she leaned in close and wrapped the chain around my neck. I was still


    confused, but I let her do it anyway. When the sp was fastened, the moonstone settled against my


    skin. It was cold,


    but the sensation had been pleasant,forting somehow.


    “I don’t understand,” I said. “Why do you want me to wear your mother’s ne.”


    “It’s a good luck charm,” Cora insisted, and this time, her smile was brilliant. “Wear it with you into the


    forest. My mother will protect you just as she did me.”


    Her smile was so earnest that for a moment, the entire world faded away. Coral had that effect. She


    was so sweet and so kind that I could hardly grasp just how much she cared.


    Not only that but there was afort in knowing that Cora’s mother could be watching me. My own


    mother died right after I was born. I hadn’t gotten a chance to know her, so something about the idea of


    having a maternal presence with me during my first hunting festival meant a lot.


    Dayster, it was time for the festival. I’d worn the ne under my shirt, and something about it


    helped my bravery. My nerves faded away almost instantly, despite the darkness of the forest, and


    when I howled along with the rest of the Crescent Pack, I swore I could feel someone watching over


    me.


    When I returned from the festival, I decided to stop by Cora’s house. The entire time, I began to wonder


    if the ne had really helped or if it was just in my head. It didn’t matter, but for some reason, my


    brain couldn’t let go of the small sense of


    doubt.


    I was a very young man back then, and despite my upbringing, there was a little mischief in my mind. I


    couldn’t help but be co cky and a little tricksy. So, on the way there, I decided to y a joke on Cora.


    “Asher!” she greeted me at the door when I arrived. “How was the festival?”


    “It was fine,” I said, and then I pretended to be sad. “But something happened.”


    Cora’s eyes widened. She brushed her blonde hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear,


    just as she always did when she was nervous.


    “What happened?” she asked, and her eyebrows creased together in concern.


    “Well… it’s about your mother’s ne,” I said, and Cora gasped.


    “Where is it?” she demanded, and her eyes fell to my throat.


    “I think I lost it in the forest,” I said, and immediately, Cora burst into tears. Her knees had buckled as


    her chest heaved with heavy s obs, and I regretted the joke immediately. I’d never seen her cry so


    hard, and I felt awful for ying tricks on her.


    “Cora, wait,” I insisted, and I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ne. “I was just kidding,


    it’s right here!”


    I held it out to her and expected her to stop crying, but she didn’t. She sn atched the ne from me


    and nearly fell to the ground as she sobbed.


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    “Oh, Cora,” I pleaded. “Please don’t cry. It was a stu pid joke. I’m so so sorry, please stop crying.”


    Cora’s eyes suddenly stared deeply into mine, and she red at me. “You don’t -understand, Asher!


    You don’t understand how important this is to me.”


    As I stared at Cas sandra Keller, I was reminded of Cora’s pain, and the feeling. tugged at my


    heartstrings. There was a dryness in my throat, and a strange sadness that overcame me as I watched


    the healer finally fall to the ground. She covered her beautiful face with her hands and continued to cry.


    I wanted to say something to soothe her, just as I’d done with Corá, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.


    She wasn’t Cora, she was just one of my subjects.


    My Cora was gone.


    But I had to help the healer anyway.


    I turned to Lancel, who’d appeared just as Ca ssandra had started crying.


    “Find the arsonist,” I demanded, and Lancel nodded immediately.


    “Right away, Alpha,” he replied, and then he turned to his men. “Let’s go!”


    The guards bowed at me in respect, and then the crowd of them disappeared from the garden. Once


    they were all gone, I tuned my attention back to Ca ssandra. Just beyond us, Gareth and Sofia stood in


    shock. They didn’t know how to react


    either.


    I let out a heavy sigh and then squatted down beside the healer. I reached out and touched her arm,


    and when that didn’t work, I gently pulled her hand from her face. Herrge eyes were red from all of


    the tears.


    “It’s going to be okay,” I assured her. “They’re going to figure this out. Now, can you tell me what was


    so important in that house?”


    With every word, I’d calmed my voice, and even I was surprised at the gentleness. I wasn’t usually one


    tofort.


    Ca ssandra took a long, deep breath, and then shook her head. She wiped the tears from her cheeks


    and then shook her head again.


    “There’s no need, Your Majesty,” she said quietly. “It’s not… important. It’s just… the house belonged to


    myte husband…”


    Her voice trailed off, and there was a strange look in her eyes. I assumed she simply was mourning,


    but there was a part of me that felt like she was lying.


    “This is just a huge shock, Your Majesty,” she continued, and as she rose to her feet, I knew she was


    lying.


    She’d been so intent on returning to the house to retrieve something, and now it was just unimportant.


    Why? What was she holding back?


    Ca ssandra bowed to me respectfully. “Please excuse me, Your Majesty.”


    Before I could say another word, she nodded at Gareth, Sofia, and Prince Rayden, and then fled from


    the garden. Perhaps she really was in shock at the idea of her house burning, but I had the sense that


    there was more.


    Cora had been so inconsble back then and wasn’t keen to get out of her sorrow so easily. As I


    watched Ca ssandra leave, I was reminded of all of the hours I’d spent soothing her.


    But Ca ssandra wasn’t Cora.


    Frustration bloomed within me.


    Enough thinking about the past. Tomorrow, I would return to Anemond and put all of these delusions


    behind me.


    I rose to my feet, brushed off my hands, and turned to Gareth.


    “Please have the car ready for me, Alpha Gareth,” I instructed. “I hope to leave tomorrow morning.”