Chapter 135: Investigate
Queen Cassia;
I stare at his adorable face, and my smile grows at his shocked expression.
"You know??" He gasps, and I can’t stop myself from pinching his cheeks.
"Of course I do. I’ve been keeping a watchful eye on you since you arrived. If something were to go wrong with you, I’d know before Koda." I reply, and his jaw drops as he blinks at me in awe.
I gently lift his chin to close his mouth, and he just stares at me.
I sigh as I realise that he’s still confused and I need to do some explaining for him.
"I was the one who found you after your trance with the goddess. You collapsed in my arms. I had to carry you back here, but I couldn’t tell Koda the truth. If he’s going to find out that you’re a Primodial, it has to be on your terms." I begin, and he just listens in silence.
"Koda was worried sick. He kept talking about how he forgot you had internal bleeding, and the alcohol must have messed with it. I didn’t want to lie to him much, so I let him believe this theory that he had woven." I continue, and he tilts his head as he listens attentively.
"When I examined you, I noticed that there was Nothing wrong with you. Your powers must have taken care of it. Again... I couldn’t tell Koda that, so I had to perform a make-shift surgery on you. A fake. Nothing too deep, or too serious." I conclude, and he raises a brow.
He takes his index finger under his chin as he stares hard at me, and I raise a brow.
"You seem to know a lot about Premodials." He notes, and I smile.
"I have a fair amount of knowledge," I reply, and he grins at me.
"Then you can help me! This is all so confusing, and the goddess told me things I don’t quite understand. You can help me iron out all this, right?" He says excitedly as he holds my hand, and I raise a brow.
"Iron... out?" I question, and he sighs.
"Smoothen out. Explain... figure out." He replies, and my mouth forms an O as I understand what he means.
"Oh... of course I’d help you, Honey Bun. What do you want to know?" I reply, and his grin grows wider as he hears my words.
Who can resist doing anything to see this happy look on his face???
********
Rhydian;
I walk into Bram’s room to check on him, and as I shut the door behind me, I pause when I see a stool with an assortment of meals on it.
My ears twitch when they hear water running inside the bathroom, and I instantly know that’s where he is.
What is all this??
Why is there so much food here? Did he suddenly grow a large appetite?
My eyes flick to the corner of the room where Bram is coming out of the bathroom, and I raise a brow at him.
He stops when he sees me, and a massive smile splits his face as he wipes his hands on his pants.
"Alpha Rhydian. You’re here!" He says in excitement, and my brows crease as he rushes over to me.
Isn’t he recovering? Shouldn’t he be in bed??
What is all this?
"I... made lunch for you. As a... way of thanking you for all you’ve done for me." He says as he reaches for and holds my hand, and as he rubs the back of my hand with his thumb, my skin crawls.
"Shouldn’t you be recovering?" I question as I pull my hand away from him, and his face falls.
"I’m... I am recovering, Alpha Rhydian. I felt a bit better and couldn’t think of something else to do with all the energy." He replies as he walks over to the stool and kneels in front of it.
"So you decided to make me a meal?" I question as he starts setting out plates and forks, and he nods excitedly.
"Mm-hmm." He replies as he opens one of the covered dishes, and the aroma of grilled meat fills the room.
"You made all this??" I ask in bewilderment as I stare at tens of covered silverware, and he nods again like an excited child.
"I did. I’m an amazing cook! You should have a taste and see for yourself. You’ll never stop craving my cooking after that, I promise you." He replies, and something about that statement makes my skin crawl.
"Does Elián cook?" He suddenly asks, and I freeze.
My eyes flick up at him, and there’s a massive, innocent smile on his face. However, something about the question doesn’t seem innocent.
"Elián has no reason to cook. He is a member of BeastHeaven’s Royal family, and doesn’t have to worry about serving anyone or even fending for himself. From cooking to as little as what he needs to wear, he doesn’t have to worry about. So, I don’t know if Elián can cook, and quite frankly... it doesn’t matter." I reply, and I watch his expression fall.
"It... seems like I struck a nerve. I’m sorry. I don’t even know why I asked the question, I..." He begins, and I cut him off.
"Stop talking about Elián. You have no reason to." I cut him off, and he stops talking.
He doesn’t even look up at me. He just stares at the ground.
Was I too harsh on him? Did I let my emotions get the better of me? I shouldn’t have spoken to him like that...
"Bram..." I begin, but he cuts me off.
"Alpha Rhydian... since I lost my family, no one has been as kind to me as you have been." He says, and my heart skips a beat.
"I haven’t had anyone care for me the way you do, and you have no idea how eternally grateful I am for that. You truly are a gem of a person. The only one that had stayed by me after I lost my family..." He continues, but I can not help but cut him off.
"Since you lost your family?" I repeat, and he stares at me, frozen in confusion. Not understanding what I’m aiming at, but I’m confused too. I don’t understand what is going on, and I need him to tell me.
"What do you mean by since you lost them? Didn’t you say my mother has your family?" I demand, and I watch his face fall.
Panic skips into his expression for just a split second before he holds out his hands to me, as if that would stop my thought process.
"Alpha Rhydian, please don’t misunderstand me. Al...Alpha Liandria does have my family. I... I was talking about when I got separated from them." He replies, and despite that explanation, it still doesn’t add up.
"That’s not it. You speak about them like they’re dead." I note, and he pauses.
He stares at me in silence before looking away.
"Wouldn’t it be better to think that way?" He croaks, and I am stunned when I see him secretly wiping tears.
He’s crying!?? What I said hit him that hard??
"Alpha Liandria still hasn’t released them. I... I have heard nothing from them and have no idea of their whereabouts. What makes me believe they’re still alive?" He cries as he looks up at me, and I stare at him in silence.
At his tear-filled eyes, red nose, and flushed face.
I don’t know if it’s all the doubt building in my mind, or if it’s my desire to get rid of him... but for some reason, doubt doesn’t let me believe his tears or words.
I can’t do this for much longer. I need to think about things with a clearer mind.
"I’m not hungry, Bram. You shouldn’t do something so reckless again. Rest till you’re fully recovered, then you can go about cooking and doing whatever you want." I order, and his mouth falls open.
"But I made these just for you..." He begins, but I ignore him.
"I’m going to my room. I came to check if you were okay, and from what I see, you’re more than okay." I cut him off, and he just stares at me.
"Sorry about the food." I give a shallow apology before turning my back on him and walking out of his room.
Thankfully, he doesn’t even bother to try and stop me.
As soon as I get into my room, Ishu follows with a tray of breakfast, as I’ve had nothing to eat this morning.
I watch as he sets the tray down, and my mind runs back to the entire conversation with Bram and how... off it felt.
"Ishu, I need you to do something for me," I speak, and Ishu stands up straight as he looks at me.
"What is that, Alpha?" He questions, and I take a deep breath as I fold my hand behind me.
"Investigate Bram. Get as much information about him, his past, and his family for me. Be careful about it. I don’t want him to have a clue about this." I order, and Ishu nods.
"Yes, Alpha."