Chapter 80
Chapter 80 Lie
ASHER
I stared into my son’s eyes with disdain as I fought to refocus my mind. Out of the corner of my vision, I
could see Ca ssandra leaving the chamber. Though I needed to concentrate on Marco’s words, I was
still a little bothered after my
encounter with the healer.
“Marco, why are you here?” I asked him as my frustration began to rise. When my son began to pout, I
decided to soften my tone. The boy was visibly distressed and I didn’t want to usher in another tantrum.
“What’s going on?”
Though I didn’t want to admit it, part of me knew that I’d been neglecting the boy quite often these
days. I’d been so caught up in all of the drama of the snakes and the market, and the other various
goings on in Anemond that I’d barely even seen Marco.
“Daddy, why haven’t you visited Mommy?” Marco whined, and his lip began to quiver. “She was
severely hurt and she’s in pain. She needs you right away, Daddy!”
A heavy sigh escaped me before I could stop it.
Adalyn.
Just the thought of her made my head ache again.
“Marco, I don’t have the time right now,” I said gently as I pinched the bridge of my nose between my
fingers. “Daddy has a lot that he has to deal with, and besides, it’ste-”
“You could visit Mommy now!” Marco announced. “IE you have time to talk with the healerdy, why
can’t you talk with Mommy?”.
The young prince’s theory wasn’t a bad one, and I had to acknowledge the logic in his words. But then
again, I knew that this idea wasn’t unprompted.
“Did your mother ask you toe here?” I asked, and I tried to shove down the mounting frustration
within me. Marco’s cheeks lost their color and his eyes fell again to the ground.
“Mommy did want you toe see her,” he said quietly as he gave a little kick. “But she didn’t tell me
toe here. It was my idea, Daddy. I just want you and Mommy to be happy, that’s all.”
The sentiment hung in the air and I felt a tug at my heart. I couldn’t me Marco for feeling this way.
Adalyn and I hadn’t been model parentstely. He deserved better adults to look up to. How was he
ever going to learn what a healthy rtionship looked like if we didn’t at least pretend to conduct
ourselves like
adults?
“Okay,” I decided, and I reached out and took his hand. “Let’s go see Mommy.”
Marco lit up immediately. “Really?”
I nodded.
The young prince’s lips curled up into a grin and heughed.
We left the chamber and I took a moment to tell the guards where I was going. One of them decided to
remain outside of the room while the other offered to apany us to the House of Moses. I agreed to
the young man’s offer, and then the three of us made our way out of the pce.
The House of Moses was technically part of the pce grounds, but existed just on the outskirts. The
walk was a quiet one, but I could tell that Marco was beyond excited. I wanted to remind him to lower
his expectations, but at the same time, I didn’t want to ruin his good mood.
Once we reached the grand estate, Marco rushed ahead to the front door and knocked on it happily.
Momentster, the door opened, and Linda Moses greeted
1.
“Oh,” she remarked in surprise. “Hello there! Please,e in.”
She ushered us inside, and I said a small prayer to the Moon Goddess. This was likely going to be a
terrible idea.
“Is Oliver around?” I asked as we lingered for a moment in the foyer. I peered up
the stairs but didn’t see the Beta up there.
“No, no,” Linda replied politely. “He’s away visiting some friends.”
“At this hour?” I wondered, but I decided not to press any further. Admittedly, I was happy that he
wasn’t around. I wasn’t in any mood to speak with him anyway.
joy.
“We’re here to see Mommy!” Marco eximed as he practically bounced with
“That’s sweet,” Linda said enthusiastically. “I’m sure she’ll be very happy to see you. Come along.
She’s in her bedroom.”
Without further ado, Linda led us to Adalyn’s room on the top floor. With every step, I forced myself to
breathe. I could do this. I just needed to visit Adalyn to satisfy Marco.
Linda knocked on the door and momentster, there was a loud thud on the
other side.
“Go away!” Adalyn’s mu ffled voice called out. It sounded as if she’d been crying.
Her mother looked embarrassed as she turned back to face me.
“Adalyn had a small… quarrel with her father,” she exined gently and Marco looked worried. I raised
my brow. What had the Beta said to make Adalyn so upset?
I approached the door myself, and once Linda stood aside, I knocked.
“It’s me,” I said. “And Marco.”
“Asher?” Adalyn said timidly, and then the door flew open. Adalyn stood there, wearing a simple dark
red robe. Her eyes werepletely bloodshot, and her cheeks were slightly swollen.
“We came to see you!” Marco said, and he wrapped his arms around Adalyn’s legs. Adalyn’s golden
eyes remained fixed on me.
“Thanks, baby,” she said, and then she crouched down until she was at Marco’s level. “Why don’t you
go see Grandma for a while while Daddy and I have a grown-up talk?”
Marco nodded happily. “Take your time! I’ll go y with Grandma!”
Linda obediently took Marco’s hand and led him away. Adalyn and I stepped
into her room and closed the door behind us.
The room was silent as I tried to find the right words to say.
“Has your wound improved?” I asked, and Adalyn nodded.
“Yes,” she said quietly. “I feel much better. I should be able to return to the pce soon.”
“Don’t rush,” I assured her. “There’s no hurry. Take all of the time you need to rest here.”
A flicker of disappointment crossed her eyes and she frowned.
“Oh.”
Silence again, and then I decided to justy it all out.
“Adalyn, you shouldn’t lie to Marco,” I said. “He came to me crying. I’m worried that lying will only teach
him bad habits.”
Her lips parted, but I had to continue anyway.
“If taking proper care of him and teaching him is too difficult, I could hire someone else to do it,” I said.
“I don’t want him to grow up to be spoiled or-”
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“The healer!” Adalyn seethed, and her hands curled into fists at her sides. “I-| knew it! You want her to
take my position!”
“What?” I demanded, and I took a step backward. “What are you talking about?”
“You want to rece me!” Adalyn used and then she shook her head and pointed at me. “I knew it!
Well, you listen here, Asher. That woman is suspicious in every conceivable way.”
“She has nothing to do with this,” I said. “This is between us.”
“Who’s the lying one now?” Adalynughed cruelly as tears fell down her cheeks. “Asher, you’re
kidding yourself here. Don’t you think it’s strange that the king of Yurene cares so much about her? Or
that the viper attacks started with her? I’m telling you, Asher, that woman is a spy… or something even
more vicious. Mark my words. Something is wrong with her, and letting her into your life… it’ll be your
undoing.”