Chapter 45


    Chapter 45 Telltale


    ASHER


    As the Alpha King of Wega, I often had to endure things that I didn’t want to, and this meeting was no


    exception.


    I wasn’t usually one to drift off during important conversation, but this particr one wasn’t holding me


    as much as I wished for it to.


    I’d invited a few of my more trusted councilors into my study to discuss some business, and as I sat


    back in the leather armchair at my desk, their discussion danced by my ears. I’d had the housekeepers


    make some rearrangements, so the councilmen were seated around me rather than all of us sitting in


    the more informal seating area of my study.


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    I fidgeted in my seat. These days, I was more restless than I’d ever been. There was much to attend to,


    but ever since the viper attack in Rosepetal’s garden with Ca ssandra Keller, I’d been off my game.


    “Your Majesty?” one of my councilors, an older gentleman named Jacoby prompted me out of my


    stupor. His dark eyes were wide with concern as they studied me, and I straightened my posture so he


    wouldn’t get the wrong impression.


    “Yes, sorry,” I apologized, and I waved my hand. “Please, repeat what you said.”


    “We were just discussing the forting visit, Your Highness,” Jacoby managed as he nced at the


    other three councilors in confusion.


    In a few days, the Crescent Pack, and Anemond for that matter, would be receiving a group of


    diplomats from North, Yurene. The group used to be a small pack, but their old Alpha was very warlike


    and vicious. In thest few decades, their numbers had grown as they’d annexed several packs in its


    vicinity.


    Normally, this wouldn’t be perceived as an issue, but their new king, who’d just


    ascended took the throne a mere year ago, seemed to prefer another way of taking.nds from other


    Packs. They made “peaceful” diplomatic rtions with the Pack they wanted to annex and then broke it


    down, economically and then physically.


    I’d received their request to visit a month ago.


    “What do you have to say about the meeting?” I prompted my councilors, and each exchanged nervous


    looks with one another


    “If you don’t mind my being candid, Your Majesty, I must say that I don’t think this is the best idea,”


    Jacoby said slowly.


    “I have to agree with Jacoby, Your Majesty,” Aremine, another older councilor.. added quietly. His tone


    was even more timid than Jacoby’s but his fierce blue eyes told another story. Aremine had been


    around since my father had been in power, and I considered him to be one of the wisest men in the


    room,


    “Exin,” I said simply, and I crossed my arms against my chest.


    “Well, Your Majesty, this visit may have ill intentions,” Aremine said. “Their Pack has a documented


    history of using these visits as a jumping off point before they try to seize furthernd for their gain.


    This could be their y now-”


    “We don’t know that for sure,” Karsh, the youngest of the councilors spoke up. “This could be a


    peaceful meeting of leaders-”


    “Be serious,” Aremine snapped, and his brow furrowed after he rolled his eyes.


    “I am,” Karsh insisted. “It would be st upid of them to y the same tricks here in Wega. The empire


    is too strong to be defeated.”


    “Such is true,” Jacoby remarked, but he didn’t seempletely sure. He was ying the two sides of


    the debate too evenly, but that was in his nature.


    “The empire is strong,” Aremine allowed, but then he turned to me. “But Your Majesty, there’s strength


    in numbers, and their Pack certainly has them. Should we allow them toe here to Anemond?”


    “If we don’t seize the opportunity to guide their visit, they’ll simplye here by force,” I said with a


    sigh. “It’s better for them to be here right under my nose rather than behind my back.”


    “Wise words, Your Majesty,” Karsh chimed in, and Aremine rolled his eyes again.


    “How do you suggest we treat the diplomats, Your Majesty?” he asked me. “As friends? Wee


    guests? Or should we be much fiercer in our interactions? Intimidation is a worthy tool-”


    “Sure, until they speak bad things about Wega when they return to their own country,” Jacoby said.


    “This will only hurt the empire’s image and bring about more chaos!”


    As the councilors debated how to handle the visit, I closed my eyes and leaned back in my chair. As


    the cold leather hit my skin, a sigh of relief escaped me. My head was beginning to ache again


    As bad as it was to admit, I didn’t care about the diplomats from Yurene, not even a little bit. The whole


    country was no matter to me. Besides, Karsh was right. Wega wouldn’t easily be taken down by a


    small country’s nasty tricks. T


    My councilors always worried too much, and they tended to drag out simple meetings over the span of


    days. But I couldn’t exactly dismiss them, not when I needed their advice.


    Suddenly, a knock was heard at the door and the councilors stopped speaking.


    “Who is it?” I demanded in annoyance, and I pinched the bridge of my nose between my fingers.


    What now?


    “It’s Merle, Your Majesty,” one of my guards answered from the other side. “I have Prince Marco here to


    speak with you. He says it’s urgent.”


    d to have some


    I exhaled. Though I didn’t know what was going on, I was d reprieve from this meeting.


    “Send him in,” I called out, and then I turned to my council. “You’re all


    dismissed.”


    The councilors obediently rose to their feet and hurried out of the room. Just as they left, Marco burst


    into the room and rushed over to me.


    “Daddy!” he sobbed as he barelled into me. A small gasp escaped me upon impact and annoyance


    bloomed in my mind.


    “What’s going on?” I demanded. Momentster, Adalyn appeared in the doorway. Her cat-like eyes


    were aze with anger and her arms were crossed against her chest. I waved her forward. “Come in.”


    Adalyn skulked into the room and immediately, I knew I was too tired to deal with this.


    “What’s going on?” I asked again.


    “It’s that Ca ssandra Keller,” Adalyn spit. “And her little mutt of a son.”


    All the while, Marco sobbed and tugged at my shirt.


    “He wanted to kill me!” he cried out. “Finnick wanted to kill me!


    “How?” I demanded as I tried to wrap my brain around the situation.


    “He pushed me,” Marco exined. “Hard!”


    “What?” I frowned. “Why would he-”


    “He humiliated Marco,” Adalyn chimed in.


    “How did Finnick Keller do that?” I demanded as my head began to pulse with pain. I was tired of this


    interaction already and no one was speaking inly.


    “H-he told Marco he was adopted,” Adalyn said.


    I frowned. How did Finnick Keller know this? Surely it wasn’t a secret, but how


    would a young child like him know about this?


    “It had to have been his peasant mother,” Adalyn continued. “Surely she nted such words in his


    head.”


    Ca ssandra?


    There was no way she would have done such a thing, I just knew it. Something more was going on


    here.


    “Take Marco to his room,” I ordered, and then I turned to the prince. “And stop crying. You aren’t hurt.


    Besides, you’re old enough to handle things yourself. Fight back rather than cry.”


    Marco stopped immediately and nodded.


    I wasn’t sure what was going on, but things were strange around here. I needed to get to the bottom of


    this mess.