CASSANDRA
As my head began to pound from the influx of this new information, | stared off in the far corners of the room.
| saw movement in my peripheral vision, and then | felt Kaleb sit on the couch beside me. | nced briefly in his direction, and he
held a tissue out to me. Though my cheeks were stained with tears, | didn’t take it. | knew this was all by design. Every step he
took was deliberate, and today’s conversation was no exception. He allowed me to listen to what Raven was going to say and
then watched me break down.
Though | wanted to continue crying and dissolve into my sadness, | took a few deep breaths and calmed myself. Ronald was
right. There was no way | could fight against Kaleh, at least not directly: Eneeded to be cunning and brave if | wanted to take the
king of Yurene down
So, | forced myself to look into his dark blue eyes,
“Are there truly 50,000 people in Wild Crawler who have caught the disease?” | asked him quietly.
Kaleh didn’t answer directly. Instead, he slightly raised his eyebrow and clenched his jaw before speaking
“The longer you drag out giving me an answer the more the number will increase” he said, his tone calm but also somewhat
threatening
| gulped down the lump that had formed in my throat and summoned all of my courage. | wasn’t certain how this was going to
y out, but | couldn’t wait any longer. No one else would die because of my resistance.
“| will marry you,” | decided. “And I''ll do anything you want to help find the magic that Emmett hid within me. But | have some
conditions. If you want to make use of mepletely, you''ll need my full willingness to cooperate.”
The Northern king seemed surprised by my statement and nodded for a second.
“What do you want?” he asked softly as his eyebrows crinkled together. | hesitated and then put forward my conditions.
“First, a cure needs to be sent to Wild Crawler,” | stated. “Before our wedding even takes ce.”
Kaleb nodded. “That can be done. | promised as much would happen.”
“| hope you''re the kind of person who would keep your promises,” | replied, and the king of Yurene’s expression grew solemn
“Of course,” he insisted. “That''s why | never swear them easily. My morals may not align with others too often, but I’m a man of
my word, Cas sandra. Now, what else do you want?”
“Well, secondly, | want Raven to create the cure to Inferno,” | answered without missing a beat.
Kaleb lifted a brow and didn’t answer immediately. He must have known it was for Asher, but his handsome face didn’t betray
that at all. He ran his hand through his long golden-brown hair and after a brief moment of hesitation, he nodded his head
“| will allow Raven to give it a try, he remarked. “But | want you to know upfront that she could very easily fail. She’s talented but
there’s a possibility she cannot crack at
Ewanted to fire back and tell him that it was non negotiable, but simply nodded back and then summoned the courage to make
supposed what he was saying held some merit. So, 1
last request.
“Andst trailed off and after a moment of pause. | straightened up “I don’t want Asher to find out about this.”
1/3
Find CRM For Small Businesses
11:49 Fri, Feb 23
Kaleb smirked. “I doubt that it could be kept from him. News of our engagement is going to reach th if | tried my da mndest to
ensure that no one tells him, the king of Wega would likely find out fro
“| know,” | sighed as my stomach twisted into anxious knots. “But | want to keep it a secret at least ut invented
The king of
Yimene narrowed his eyes and studied for a moment. Then, yet another smirk formed on his
“You love your mate, he assessed, and when | parsed my lips, heughed lightly. “Alright. I''ll help you save Asher and allow the
naive king to remain oblivious.
Even
| thought he would have much more to say on the matter, but to my surprise, he didn’t continue. Instead, he rose from the couch
and then walked over to the door. He lingered in the doorway as he exchanged a few words with the guard stationed outside of
the room, and then he turned back to face meN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.
“Helene’s maid is waiting for you,” he announced, and | was nearly startled by his words. Like Ronald’s fiancee said, Kaleb
surely kept an eye on whatever | was doing. But still, it chilled me. | wasn’t sure if Kaleb knew I had agreed to be Ronald’s
informant. He probably wasn''t, of course, but | was particrly on edge.
| forced myself to smile through my stress and nodded politely
“I''ll walk you out myself,” Kaleb said as | stood up. “I have a few friends to visit, so it''ll be
| swallowed hard and then nodded again
be on my way.
You and Helene must have a lot inmon to talk about. he remarked as | crossed the room to join him. “You''re both from the
South, after all. | suppose that’s why you''ve visited her so oftentely.”
His voice was cid, yet his eyes were as sharp as ever. | had the sense that he was suspicious, but | remained calm and even-
faced.
“Indeed.” | replied, and | offered him a small smile, “Helene is very kind. I''ve enjoyed herpany greatly.”
| must have managed to not appear panicked or suspicious because Kaleb simply nodded in response.
He held the door open for me and we stepped out into the hall. We continued our walk in silence, and when we turned the
corner, we spotted na, Helene’s maid.
na’s eyes widened when she caught sight of Kalebs, and she immediately bowed her head.
“Hello, Your Majesty, she uttered politely as her cheeks flushed scarlet.
Kaleb didn’t address her. Instead, he reached out and took my hand in his. My heart began to race as | tried to make sense o
what was happening, and then the king pressed his lips against thy hand gently
Have a good day, Cassandra,” he said, and after he dropped my arm, he left. | tried to catch my breath. It was just a kiss on the
hund, but it was more than I’d expected
Asolowed na to Ronaldsdence, | pondered the disy of affection
waiting for mac on the terrace. The table wastaden with an entire feast of delicious smelling food, but | didn’t diate an apprima.
No instead Tupped at mane bitter tes and faced a sene, id in We talked and ate with mass and
Hirjeir couldija say mything about her sis n, but | wasn’t upset about it was still rechung trom
Sales was arge golden bekas today and it was very eye tegie, and at in that bedre When | praised
ching The pertand in the milde was shaped like an she happily told it was one of her favorites
tand mas
When lunch was finished, Helene smiled at me and gently tour hed my arm.
“| want to give you a present.” she announced, and then she withdrew her hand and unfastened her ne. When she handed
it to me, | waspletely surprised.
“Oh, Helene, | couldn’t ept this. | objected, but she shook her head.
“You must,” she insisted, and when we stood up, she then she hugged me. Before | could break the embrace, she whispered. in
my car. “You must take it.”
Before | could question it further, | felt Helene ce something in my pocket.
My lips parted in surprise, but when | nced at Ronald’s hancee, she shook her head.
“Wait until you get back to your chamber,” she whispered.
It was a warning, and it sent a chill down my spine:
What had | set in-motion?