Chapter 139: A Witch
Alana;
In the silence of Alpha Rhydian’s room, I watch him eat. The words I intend to say to him begin to replay in my mind, and I take a deep breath as I once again remove and swap out some words in the tale I plan to weave this morning.
I’ve been wanting to speak, but have also been holding back.
Alpha Rhydian doesn’t look like he’s in a good state. His eyes are sunken, and he looks like... he’s in discomfort.
My eyes zero in on the way his knee constantly bounces, even though he’s eating... the way his movements are a tad sluggish, and how distant his eyes are...
This doesn’t look like the type of exhaustion that sleep can fix.
It looks like exhaustion from within. The kind that only hard tears and redemption can remove.
He suddenly stops eating, and without looking up at me, he speaks.
"The only reason I still let you serve me is because of my Brother’s order. That does not give you the liberty to do whatever you please. Is your gaze meant to be on me, or the ground?" He growls, and I can hear the irritation in his voice.
I quickly look away, and he looks up at me.
"What are you even still doing here?" He questions, and I shut my eyes.
"I want to apologise, Alpha," I whisper, and there’s silence.
"I want to apologise for my misconduct and for failing to properly do my duty as a Royal aide," I add, and when I steal a glance up at him, his grey eyes are fixed on me with interest and confusion.
"What exactly are you apologising for, Alana?" He asks, and I take a deep breath. Here it goes.
"I felt suspicious of Bram. Wanting to be sure that he wasn’t a danger to you and Master Elián, I asked for Alpha Igma’s help. I told her to help me dig into him, and then she found a poster that claimed his real name was Abner Ikostar, and that he is a con artist." I begin, but pause.
I know what King Wilhelm told me to do. He wants me to feign guilt so Bram would drop his guard, but I’m not going to do exactly that. I won’t lie that I tried to set Bram up. I have never lied to the Alpha’s before, and I’m not about to start doing so. I’ll simply play with the truth.
I will twist the truth in my favour and get what I want. That will be the difference between me and that snake. He lies, while I don’t.
"Alana." Alpha Rhydian calls to get my attention, and I let out a breath.
"I took the evidence she gave me without digging deeper. I was going to tell you what we had found on Bram because I didn’t like Bram and saw him as a threat to you and the young Master. I should have dug deeper. I shouldn’t have let my dislike for him come before logic. I should have made sure beyond a reasonable doubt that he truly was a criminal before planning to come to you with evidence I wouldn’t be able to defend." I add, and silence falls upon the room.
My heart hammers slowly in my chest as I wait for his reply, but he says nothing. I steal another glance at him, and finally, he breaks the silence.
"What happened between you and Bram in the corridor that day? Why did Igma attack him?" He suddenly demands, and my heart skips a beat.
Fuck. I plan not to lie to him, and now he’s asking me this??
"I am asking you because I believe that you will tell me the truth... at least that is what I am choosing to believe. It’s getting hard to trust anyone these days." He adds, and I bite the inside of my cheek as my brain begins to race.
If I tell him what happened, he won’t believe me. His cousin tried to, and he didn’t believe her. Why then would he believe a maid’s words??
Besides, the act of repentance I intend to put on will not allow me to say anything that will paint Bram in the worst light.
And every truth will paint that worm in a bad light. The light Alpha Rhydian is refusing to see. What do I do now??
"I’m listening." He speaks to grab my attention, and I sigh.
"Bram believes that I tried to set him up. Light knows I told him about your order for Eliàn’s room. For some reason, he seems to have forgotten and believes that I didn’t tell him because I wanted to set him up. That can’t be any more farther from the truth." I begin, and Alpha Rhydian raises a brow.
"So?" He demands, and I decide to sell this properly.
I stand straight and square my shoulders.
I’m not lying, so I don’t have to act or look guilty.
"He accused me of setting him up. I can’t decide if it was fear or anger, but he kept screaming at me that I should tell you that I set him up. I refused to tell such a lie against myself, and... things escalated. He suddenly attacked me. He choked me so hard, I might have died if Alpha Igma didn’t save me." I reply, and Alpha Rhydian stares at me in silence.
"He... attacked you first?" He questions like he’s shocked by that fact, and I grit my teeth.
He can’t believe that Bram would attack first, but he believes I did!??
"Yes, Alpha Rhydian. Bram attacked me first. In all the chaos, he even threatened to kill me like he’s killed others. I don’t know if he was just bluffing to scare me, but... it worked. I was scared for my life, Alpha. I thought I was going to die." I reply, and I watch his expression shift to horror.
"Alana, you..." He begins, but I cut him off to continue my act.
"Please forgive me for not being thorough in my quest to expose the suspicions I had about Bram," I say, with a bow, and he turns his face away from me in defiance.
He says quietly, and I battle a smirk as I realise that the veil over his eyes is slowly starting to rip.
"Leave me." He orders, and I bow lower before standing up straight, and as I turn my back to him, I can’t help the full-on smile that splits my face.
Step one, successful.
The next step... Bram. The snake who thinks he’s so wise... He might be. But one thing about me is I never fail when I set my mind to something, and this time? What I’ve set my mind to is his downfall.
You are going to fall, Abner Ikostar. Face flat. And not only will I watch you fall, I will make sure I watch your head roll, too.
That’s not a promise. It’s a vow. A punishment for coming after someone I vowed to protect.
*********
Bram;
"Have you heard?" I hear a maid whisper, and immediately, my steps stop.
It’s not just the words. It’s the way it was said. It can only mean one thing.
Gossip.
And by the tone of the hushed question... this is juicy gossip.
"Heard what, Ava?" A second voice questions, and I stay still in the shadows as I stare at the young maids in the garden picking fresh fruits.
I’m hidden behind a tree and the shadows of bushes, so they can’t see me.
I’ve masked my scent so they can’t smell me either... I wonder what secret I’m about to learn this time?
A lot of people do not know, but the palace workers are very vital loopholes in the secrecy of the royals.
Like little vermin, maids always know something about things they should know nothing about. Snooping about them and hearing their gossip is one sure way to gain knowledge that can later prove very helpful. Well... for those who know how to differentiate between authentic gossip and rumours.
"There was a witch on the palace grounds."
Immediately the words leave her mouth, I turn to stone.
"A witch!?" The second girl gasps as she stands upright, and the first girl immediately closes the gap between them and cups her hand over the second girl’s mouth.
"Not so loud! Do you have any idea what would happen to us if anyone hears us talking about witches!?" She scolds in a whisper, and the second girl nods shakily.
"Where... where did you hear that?" The second girl questions as she slowly peels the first girl’s hand away from her mouth.
"Celine. She saw the witch. Two nights ago. She says she thinks the witch was here to see someone." The first girl replies, and my heart starts pounding.
They saw her!?
Someone saw her!??
I thought she said she was careful!! She’s a witch. Couldn’t she get an invisibility cloak or something!?
Fuck! Fuck! Shit!!! Did someone see me getting the mind warp potion from her!?
"Really?! What fool would be dumb enough to see a witch on Howleroot’s palace grounds?? Who was the witch here to see?" The second girl whispers curiously, and I subconsciously lean in as I await the answer.
"Celine didn’t see much. She said she only saw her for a second. According to her, the witch was haggard and looked... like death." The first girl replies, and I hold my breath.
The rest of their conversation fades into a blur as I try to calm my racing heart.
It is a taboo for wolves here to have anything to do with witches. For years, witches have tried to subdue wolves and make wolves their slaves.
They have used spells and potions to try to achieve this. This made wolves see them as chronic enemies. The punishment for associating with a witch is death.
Imagine... imagine what will happen to me if anyone finds out I was the one the witch came to see?? And that too... that I bought a mind warp potion from her?
Fuck! Fuck!!
I need to steer clear of this gossip at all costs. No matter what, my name must not be associated with this topic.
Otherwise... otherwise... these people will have my head.
Twig snaps behind me, and I freeze as my spine shivers into a proper posture. Who’s that??