Chapter 178


    Chapter 178 Death and threat


    CAS SANDRA


    The morning after my conversation with Spi ke, I was too excited to sleep in, and awoke far before the


    sun had even breached the h or izon. I sat straight up in bed and stretched my arms high above me,


    relishing in the sweet release as my muscles eased. I let out a soft sigh and a smile crawled on my lips.


    Asher was set to return in the afternoon. Though it had only been a few days, it had felt like an eternity


    since I’d seen the Alpha King. I yearned for the scent of his cologne as well as the feeling of his lips


    against mine. I longed for the warmth of his skin and the way his gray eyes softened when they met


    mine.


    It was crazy to think back to when we’d first met in Wild Crawler. That Asher had a steely gaze that


    made me ufortable and cold, but this new Asher, the Asher I knew in the past… he was someone


    else entirely.


    I quietly padded over to the bathroom and gently closed the door behind me to keep from waking up


    Finnick. I approached the sink and sshed my face with water. My emerald eyes were bright for the


    first time in a while and I was relieved that the Alpha King would see a well-rested version of me for


    once..


    As I brushed the tangles out of my long copper hair, I remembered that today was also the day that


    Kaleb was leaving Anemond and returning to Yurene. I had heard that the farewell party would be


    arranged in the banquet hall in the afternoon. The king from the North had invited me to attend, but I


    wasn’t sure if I


    would or not.


    I didn’t know if Asher was set to return before Kaleb left, but I supposed that he wouldn’t be back very


    early. The pce guards had been vague with the details of his royal business, but from what I’d


    gathered from our conversations, he was likely


    a ways away.


    Considering that we might spend a long time together after his return, I decided to visit Spi ke early this


    morning to check if he made any progress.


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    I quickly got dressed and took care to wear a cute but warm sweater. I’d purchased it in the market of


    Anemond and hadn’t had a chance to wear it yet. It was made of a nice plum-colored fabric that I


    hoped Asher would like.


    Once I was dressed, I went downstairs and asked Erika if she could keep an eye on Finnick. The maid


    was up early as well, and she had no problem with spending


    time with my son.


    I headed straight to Merliscire and once I arrived, I was surprised to see that there was only one guard


    posted at the entrance of the dungeon. The rest of the corridor was empty and an eerie silence


    surrounded us. I thought it was a little odd that there were so few people around, particrly guards,


    but I didn’t give it much attention. I simply chalked it up to the fact that it was quite early and most of the


    pce upants were likely asleep.


    The guard greeted me kindly and then stepped aside to allow me into the dungeon. I gave him a warm


    smile and then descended the stairs.


    I knew I was likely appearing far too early for Spi ke’s liking, but I was eager to know how the cure was


    going.


    As I made my way down the corridor, a strange feeling began in my stomach. It was somewhere


    between nausea and unease, but it was enough to make me stop in my tracks for a moment.


    How strange, I thought. I had no idea what was causing it, but I had a notion that something was amiss.


    But I forced the feeling down and continued toward Spi ke’s cell.


    Once I reached the cold silver bars at the end of the hall, I was surprised to find the imposter lying on


    the ground. His dark hair concealed his face slightly, and her was incredibly still.


    “Spi ke?” I called his name in an attempt to rouse him. I observed the bottle of liquor on his desk and


    noticed that it was empty. For a moment, I wondered if he was too drunk to move, but as I studied him


    for a minute, I quickly realized he didn’t seem to be breathing at all.


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    “Spi ke?” I repeated myself as my heart began to pound. I crouched down and reached through the


    bars. I prodded him and then tried to shake him awake, but when his arm flopped lifelessly, a lump


    formed in my throat and I couldn’t breathe.


    Spi ke was dead.


    I tried to stand up but my knees buckled beneath me.


    How was this possible?


    My mind began to drown as I tried to understand what had happened. Spi ke had looked perfectly fine


    yesterday, and now…he was dead.


    “Help!” I called out to the guard stationed at the top of the stairs, and when no one answered, I yelled


    again. “Help! Please! I need help down here!”


    No one came to my aid, so I decided to go get someone myself.


    Spi ke couldn’t be dead. He was my biggest hope and my only chance to get a cure to this dreadful


    illness.


    When I turned to head down the corridor, I suddenly mmed right into someone. The force of it


    coupled with the surprise almost made me scream.


    me.


    But before the sound could escape me, the man grabbed my wrist and shushed


    “Don’t make a sound,” he urged me as he held me in ce. “We need to get out of here immediately.”


    The moment I heard his voice, my eyebrows knitted together.


    “Kane?” I asked in surprise. Sure enough, Kane Collins was there in front of me, wearing a guard’s


    uniform. His handsome face had a suspicious expression and his violet eyes were frantic. “Why are


    you here? And why are you dressed like this? Sp i ke is-”


    “Shh,” he urged me again. “We need to leave now, Cas sandra. I’ll exin


    皿


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    I yanked my arm away and red at him.


    “Did you kill Spi ke?” I demanded and Kane frowned and shook his head.


    “No,” he insisted, and then he looked around. “Now,e on, let’s go-”


    “I don’t believe you,” I interrupted him as I took a step back.


    Just as Kane was about to say something more, the clear sound of a chuckle came from the other side


    of the corridor. Kane’s face paled suddenly, and when we turned around, I quickly spotted who made


    the sound.


    Kaleb walked down the ward with a smirk on his face. “What a pity. It seems like it’s the end of your


    little game of pretend, Kane. Your chance to be a knight is


    over.”


    My eyebrows knitted together and I nced between the two men. The foreign king’s expression was


    unfamiliar and mocking. It was so cold that I felt a chill run down my spine.


    “Don’t worry, Healer Cas sandra, there will be plenty of time to exin all of this to you,” he remarked in


    his heavily ented voice, and before I could utter a word, he snapped his fingers.


    Two of Kaleb’s guards appeared and approached us swiftly. The impossibly tall men caught Asher’s


    brother’s arms on both sides with an iron grip. Kane snarled as Kaleb walked toward me.


    “Stay away from her!” he demanded, but the guards held him in ce. He snarled again. “Kaleb, stay


    away from her.”


    Kaleb ignored his cries and simply raised an eyebrow. His navy blue eyes nced over at his guards


    and then he inclined his head to the side.


    I watched in horror as the guards extended their ws and shed Kane’s arm. As tears welled out of


    my eyes, blood burst out of his arm and poured onto the cold


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    stone floor in front of me.


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