Alpha King’s Lost Luna

CASSANDRA

Nervousness plagued me the entire way back to my chamber. On one hand, | was afraid that Hele thing her mistress had placed in my pocket, and on the other. Iwas eager to know what it was.

When | reached my room. | took a moment to greet Erika and Finnick, and then | told Erika | needed to Though the declaration was a little bit of a lie, it wasn’t an unusual excuse by any means. I’d spent most of my since I'd arrived in Viokwell- usually eagerly studying the books Emmett had left for me and searching for clues.

Finnick was too busy playing by himself to notice anything was amiss, and as | walked by and headed to the quiet corn claimed as my reading nook. | found myself missing him dearly. We saw each other daily, but with everything happeni didn’t get the quality time | was used to with him.

| had duties to fulfill, and once | did, Finnick and I, along with Erika, would find our way back to Wegalla. Back to Asher..

| forced away my thoughts of the Alpha King and turned my attention to the object in my pocket. | carefully retrieved it an was surprised to find it was a folded paper. When | carefully unfurled it onto the table, | discovered it was quite a large piece of paper. My eyes scanned over it, and my eyebrows shot up.

“It's a map.” | whispered to myself. While it had no names and only a few explanations to it, it was clearly a map of the castle. There were a few red cross marks scrawled on the exits, which | inferred meant that they weren't passable. There were also a few green round marks on other exits, which seemed to be passable. A few lines were also drawn along the roads, which probably indicated escape routes.

As | studied the map, my heart thumped steadily in my chest. | felt excitement and panic at the same time. | knew how useful the map could be. It could be my life jacket. But | also knew all too well that it could be dangerous.

If Kaleb were to discover this map and learn of our plans, | couldn’t imagine what would happen. The Northern king wasn’t one to handle things calmly, and something like this wouldn’t go over well.

| had no idea how Helene managed to draw this and how it had been possible to do it under the eyes of Ronald. If the Southern woman's words were true, then he wasn’t any better than Kaleb, and surely a thing like this would have been dangerous for her as well.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

| needed to find a safe place to keep it.

| carefully folded it back up and decided to only read it at night when Erika and Finnick were asleep. | couldn't risk their safety or let them know that | was getting involved in business like this. They couldn’t be accessories to this would-be crime. The risk was mine and mine alone since I'd agreed to assist Helche on this mission.

Just as | went to place it back in my pocket, | noticed a small note had dropped onto the floor. As my eyebrows knitted together, | supposed it must have dropped when | unfolded the map.

Fearefully opened the note and noticed it was written in the same swirly sort of penmanship as the map. After | read it, | an shock. According to the note, the necklace Helene had gated me this afternoon was more than just a mere piece of fine jewelry It was a wrajilini

The note said that by pressing the eagle’s songs a punoned norille would be released from its open beak. The needle was apparently quite nay, but the poison within was strong. Altogether, the pendant contained ten of these little needles. It was alan martand that it shitwold teer treated.

came the ponur way dendbe and could kill a person in

ere just once, Icould have been hurt or even killed

| shuddered as 1 tucked the gote into my pocket.

| couldn't imagine how long Helene had been planning this. She was far more well-prepared expected her to trust me so much, but it felt nice to be a person like that for Helene.

Though things were uncertain, the weapon and map gave me confidence and hope.

Yet another surprise arrived at dinner.

Just as usual, it was Ms. Benn who brought us our evening meal, but this time when she entered the chamber, she look different. She wore a slightly awkward expression on her face. und her ice-blue eyes seemed timid. | hadn’t seen such a vulnerable look on her, and it was admittedly a little strange to witness.

The head housekeeper didn’t retreat immediately after setting the tray down on the dining table. She hesitated for a moment and then cleared her throat, as if she’d been gathering the courage to speak with me.

“Could | speak with you. Healer Cassandra?” she requested in her heavily accented voice.

| nodded. “Of course

As | rose from my seat at the table. | gestured at the food and addressed Finnick and Erika. “Please, go ahead and start without me.

They nodded politely, and as they began to eat. | stepped away and crossed over to the far side of the room.

*Healer Cassandra, could you indeed help my daughter?” she asked, and her cheeks flushed from embarrassment.

“I can do my best, | said softly, and then | glanced at the door. Is she with you?”

Ms. Benn nodded and then tucked a stray white-blonde hair behind her ear. “Will you please wait a moment?”

After | offered her a nod, she turned on her heels and retreated to the hallway. Erika watched on with concern but didn’t question what was happening. She gave me a knowing expression, a silent and subtle indication that we would speak about later. Before long. Ms. Benn returned with a little girl following behind her. She couldn’t be more than six. She had a pale but senous face, and the same icy blue eyes as her mother. Her breaths were thin and she trembled as she walked over.

“Cassandra, this is Lila,” Ms. Benn introduced us, and she smoothed her daughter's pale blonde curls out of her face. “Hello, Lila.” | greeted her, and when | squatted down to her level, she simply stared back at me with her wary eyes.

| didn’t pay her quietness any mind. | knew she was ill and | would never blame a child for their shyness.

“Let me grab my medical kit, | said to Ms. Benn after | placed my hand on Lila’s forehead. Her skin was hot to the touch. and covered with beads of sweat.

| crossed the room and grabbed my liug from the closet, then returned to them. | began my exam right after, and as | took her temperature and other vitals. | noticed that she was looking at Finck, who maintained his distance politely but stared at her. 1, wild tell that he wanted to greet the little girl but when I took a step toward us. | warned him that her illness 214 be contagiotis and that he needed to stay over there

He seed disappunted Rear noddest anyway.

after 1 wijte them down and comdered the possibilities, | told her

11.49 Ft Fabon.

I

The housekeeper nodded thoughtfully but her expression was grim | knew that she could get the medicine, so | decided to take matters into my own hands

“I'll try to get ahold of them. | sand thi fo

my hands on the antibiotics

one herbs. They should help her feel better until | can get

Ms. Benn’s lips candes

samle of relief.

“Thank you Healer Cassandra, she said Hank you

by was the first time the stern woman had ever thanked me, and her sincere tone warned my heart

n