Chapter 118


    Chapter 118 Stay away from her


    After returning to the pce from Cas sandra’s clinic, I decided to go and visit Mother. It wasn’t my first


    choice of things to do, but I couldn’t wait any longer, so I made my way to the South Wing until I


    reached her chambers.


    I knocked on the door but didn’t bother to wait for a reply before entering.


    Mother seemed surprised to see me, and when she rose from the bed, her eyes wererge. She


    appeared more tired than usual, not that I could me her. She was experiencing quite the ordeal, and


    the stress of her confinement seemed to be taking its toll. Her already fairplexion had lost all of its


    color and her eyes seemed sunken. Her hair was loose from its usual intricate style, and her lips


    quivered.


    “Kane,” she greeted me quietly. “What are you doing here?”


    “I came to visit, Mother,” I replied as if it were obvious, and after I crossed the room to give her a hug, I


    took a seat in the velvet armchair in the corner. “How are you?”


    “I’ve been better,” Mother remarked dryly, and then she sighed. “I heard talk from the halls that the


    wretched healer Cas sandra has moved out of the pce. Is there any specific reason behind it?”


    I smiled. “Nothing that you need to concern yourself with.”


    Mother red at me for a moment, but when she


    As much as I disliked the situation, I was d that Asher had agreed not to escte the punishment of


    my mother and allowed me to handle things, though knew he was suspicious of my intentions.


    “Ugh, that awful healer,” Mother continued, and she shook her head as she


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    stared out the window into the darkening sky. “What a terrible gue upon us all. I do not understand


    why Asher brought that vile girl to Merliscire, but I have the feeling that she is the root cause of all of


    this trouble. I’m certain she’s trying to seduce Asher and take Adalyn’s ce-”


    “Come now, Mother, that’s not what’s happening,” I sighed, and I ran a hand through my hair. “Stop


    worrying about Cas sandra. She’s no threat to you or Adalyn.”


    Mother exhaled sharply and crossed her arms.


    “Says you,” she huffed, and then her lips pouted slightly and her eyes grew round with feigned emotion.


    “I’m only worried about Prince Marco. I can’t imagine how the poor child is feeling. His father has been


    swept away from him by some. back woods woman from a territory no one cares or thinks about. I can’t


    begin to understand what a child of five could be thinking right now. He must be both devastated and


    crushed by Asher’s recent actions. And then the imprisonment of his grandmother! The boy has


    suffered too much.”


    I remained silent but rolled my eyes when she wasn’t looking. I knew my mother all too well. Margaret


    Collins had never been a good person. Some had even considered her evil because she had once


    campaigned to have me take the crown instead of Asher. For months after my brother had be the


    Alpha King, there were whispers of my mother’s wicked plights and suggestions that she’d only married


    thete king to further her agenda.


    While I knew she wasn’t a good person, I didn’t think her actions were unforgivable. I knew redemption


    was possible for her.


    I also knew that she wasn’t responsible for Cora Felix’s death, even though Asher suspected her due to


    her absence from his coronation ceremony. He’d harbor ill feelings toward her ever since that day, and


    though I knew where my


    other had actually been that day, I couldn’t tell him. Even though her whereabouts could clear her of


    suspicion, it wasn’t my secret to tell.


    I studied Mother closely.


    Even though she hadn’t been responsible fr her death, then was no denying she had disliked Cora


    Felix strongly, and now she shared a simr distaste for


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    O


    Cas sandra. Margaret Collins saw anyone close to ASher as her enemy due to her deep-rooted


    insecurity.


    Truth be told, thete Alpha King had never sincerely liked or even loved her. From all that I’d gatheredBelongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    over the years, he considered Mother to be another substitute for Selene, Asher’ste mother and


    Mother had taken those sentiments to heart. That feeling of loneliness had only hardened her over the


    years and stripped her of any goodness she may have had within her.


    Lately, all Mother seemed to care about was her hatred for Cas sandra Keller


    and Prince Marco’s ascension to the throne after Asher. She was hellbent on he


    grandson bing the Alpha King after my brother, even though the young pri wasn’t Asher’s


    biological son. I didn’t understand her hyperfixation on the matter. Adalyn and Asher had no other


    offspring, so Marco was an uncontested heir no


    matter what.


    I sighed. No of this mattered to me. I didn’t understand all of the drama surrounding the throne and the


    ruling of this country. Politics had never interested


    me.


    “What did you do today?” Mother spoke up and interrupted my thoughts. “I must say, my darling, I’m


    surprised you’ve stuck around the pce for so long. It isn’t like you to linger. You’re always traveling


    so much.”


    “I’ve decided to slow down a little,” I remarked off-handedly. “No use jetting off when there’s so much


    going on here. Now, let’s see… I spent some time in the library, walked the grounds, visited the new


    clinic-”


    “The clinic?” Mother repeated back in surprise. “What were you doing there? Don’t tell me that you’re


    experiencing feelings for the healer as well.”


    Despite her serious expression, her tone was light, so I knew she was joking. Of course, that did little to


    settle my nerves.


    “I went there to apologize to her,” I said sternly. “And rify that Erika’s name has been cleared.”


    Mother scoffed and shook her head. “Unbelievable. I don’t understand, Kane.


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    Between you and Asher, it’s as if I don’t know either of you anymore. That maid was suspicious. Asher


    should never have punished me. All of this for a healer’s maid.”


    Her scorn quickly shifted to sadness, and her eyes welled up with tears. Though I knew her actions had


    been worthy of this punishment, I couldn’t stand seeing her cry like this. I rose from my seat and


    walked over to her.


    “Don’t cry, Mother,” I soothed her gently, and I ced my hand on her shoulder.


    “Please don’t cry.”


    Mother whimpered for a moment and then began to sniffle.


    “Thank you, son,” she said softly, and then she looked up at me with tear-filled eyes. “I know what I say


    doesn’t matter, but I think it would be best for you to maintain some distance from the healer. She’s


    nothing but trouble, and you don’t need her causing any mischief in your life.”


    I smiled despite her words. “I can’t make any promises, Mother.”


    As she studied me and wiped the tears from her cheeks, I remembered the words she’d said to me


    many years ago.


    “Stay away from the warrior’s daughter.”


    At the time, I’d heeded her decree and stayed away from Cora Felix.


    However, this time, I didn’t believe I should do the same again.


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