Chapter 79


    Chapter 79 Complicated mystery


    CA SSANDRA


    Though we managed to untangle from one another and separate just in time for the prince to enter the


    room, I could tell the boy wasn’t happy to see me as he ran to his father. I could pretend our moment


    hadn’t happened, but it was clear that Marco suspected at least something. The prince’s eyes


    narrowed as they fell on me, and I did my best to smile and remain calm.


    “What are you doing?” he demanded and he nced between Asher and me. “Why wouldn’t the guard


    let me in right away?”


    “What we’re doing is none of your business,” Asher said firmly, and then he raised his chin. “Besides,


    Marco, I’ve told you countless times before. I didn’t hear a knock. It’s impolite to enter anyone’s room


    without express permission. You didn’t wait for me to reply.”


    The young prince’s eyes dropped to the ground and he audibly gulped.


    “Sorry, Daddy,” he murmured.


    “Now, why are you here?” Asher asked directly.


    Marco raised his gaze and peeked at me. His cheeks darkened he gulped again. He clearly wasn’t


    about to say anything, not with me around.


    It was definitely time for me to leave.


    I straightened myself out and then presented the Alpha King with a polite bow of respect.


    “I’ll see you tomorrow, Your Majesty,” I said in my most professional tone. “For the health check, of


    course.”


    “Of course,” Asher replied, and after we exchanged a brief look, I took a breath


    and then headed toward the chamber door. With every step, my body shook, but I managed to step out


    of the room just in time.


    As the doors closed behind me, I could hear Asher’s voice, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying.


    The guards allowed me to pass, and for a moment, I considered lingering, but decided it was time for


    me to go back to my own room. I’d been in the king’s chamber for far too long already.


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    On my way there, I remembered Asher’s mark and found myself at a crossroads. It was probably best


    to go straight to my own room, but I was too worried to just go to sleep. So, I decided to make my way


    downstairs to theb.


    Since it was sote, there were no people on the stairs, which meant I could slip around undetected.


    Technically, I was still under confinement, or at least I assumed I was, but I needed to do some reading


    before I could rest.


    knew I was likely overreacting to the mark, but I couldn’t be too safe.


    As I walked down the hall, the events of thest ten minutes raced through my mind.


    The kiss.


    The bed.


    Everything about it was so intense.


    Not to mention that all of that had been donepletely sober.


    My body shuddered as I remembered Asher’s hand on my thigh, the way he pulled my hair, and the


    way he’d bitten my lip.


    I had just vowed to myself that I would be more careful and that I’d stay away from trouble, but it


    seemed that no matter how much I tried, I just sank deeper and deeper. There was no getting away


    from it, no matter how much I wanted to.


    As images of Asher danced in my head, I reached theb, and when I opened the door, I was surprised


    to see Becky there.


    “Ca ssandra?” she greeted me in surprise, and then she rushed over to me. She pulled me into a tight


    hug and then squeezed. “Oh, Ca ssy, I’m so d you’re okay.”


    She pulled away and then frowned. “Are you… in pajamas?”


    I suddenly became very aware of my attire and heat spread to my cheeks. I hadn’t even realized I was


    still in such a casual state of undress.


    day.”


    “Oops,” I remarked and I crossed my arms against my chest. “I… it’s been a long


    “Don’t worry about it,” Becky said with a smirk, and then she tilted her head. slightly. “What are you


    doing down here?”


    “I’ve got a lot on my mind,” I exined. “Thank you for taking care of the guards. The Alpha King told


    me you did a great job.”


    “It’s no trouble at all,” my assistant said. “It was simple.”


    “Still, it means a lot,” I replied. “Thank you,”


    I walked over to my desk and took a seat. As I started to look over my papers, Becky approached.


    “Ca ssy, I found something else when I tested the venom,” she revealed. “Some of the snakes we


    found in the basement seemed to be like the vipers that had appeared in the garden, but a few were


    different.”


    “Did you find Udosyn in any of them?” I wondered.


    Becky nodded.


    So, my assumption was correct. The bottles I’d seen on the tables had in fact. been poisons and the


    mysterious man who’d attacked me was using them to change the venom of the vipers.


    “That’s good to know,” I said, and then I took a good look at my assistant. She seemed pretty


    exhausted. “Becky, why don’t you go get some rest? I’ll handle


    things from here.”


    She seemed like she wanted to fight and continue working, but she took a moment and then nodded.


    “Okay,” she said. “But don’t be up toote, Ca ssy. You need to take care of yourself. And besides, you


    Adalyn mighte back-”


    “I don’t think so,” I said with a smallugh. “She might not be the brightest, but I think she knows better


    than to mess with theb anymore.”


    “True,” Becky agreed, and after she smiled, she left theb. Once she was gone, I took a look at the


    notes she’d made about the venoms.


    From what I gathered in the notes, there were only two types of vipers but many kinds of unknown


    venoms, as I gathered from the question marks Becky had written beside them. Had the snakes been


    tested in any sort of way? Did certain


    poisons work better in different snakes? What was the meaning of it all?


    This was all still such a mystery.


    Who was the man? And how had he managed to clear out every trace of evidence before we’d arrived


    down in the basement? What had he wanted with me?


    He seemed like he was going to take me with him, but what would have happened after that? Was he


    going to kill me?


    Asher said that it would be difficult to track the man since it wasn’t clear where he’d gone. The hidden


    door had led out to the sewers. Where would he have gone. from there?


    Though none of this made any sense right now, I had a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach, a


    hunch that we were getting closer and closer to the truth.


    Hidden passages, mysterious men, poison-carrying vipers… this was like. something out of a twisted


    fairytale.


    As I examined the notes and the data analyses from the snakes, a chill ran through me. Whatever the


    truth was, it was likelyplicated, horrible even. This


    situation was dangerous, probably more so than any of us were ready for.