Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

ASHER

Chapter 70 Dubious foreigners

I was only half awake as I sat in the meeting room and listened to the morning report. Jacoby was informing me about the investigation being conducted about the attempted kidnapping that’d taken place in the market, and the councilor’s dark eyes were glum as he spoke.

“We checked the identity of the kidnapper, Your Majesty,” he said. “They didn’t live in Anemond, nor did they seem to be residents of Wegalla at all.”

My brow shot up immediately. “Do you think they were foreigners?”

Jacoby nodded. “I believe so, Your Majesty. But without officially issued certification, no foreigners would have been able to pass the territory line of Wegalla.”

I frowned.

This was all very strange.

“Did the soldiers stationed there fail their duties?” I wondered as frustration rose within me. “How could a foreigner enter the territory without anyone knowing?”

Jacoby hesitated for a moment.

“Perhaps,” he began. “There’s another possibility. I find it a little coincidental that the king of Yurene appeared right then and there to stop the kidnapper from taking Miss Ca ssandra…”

“Are you suggesting that he was behind it all?” I asked directly.

“I don’t know,” he replied, and his cheeks flushed with color. “All I know for sure is that the king is infamous for being scheming and slippery. He could be responsible. It would certainly raise the reputation of Yurene if a king swooped in to

save a citizen of Wegalla. It would make their country and their people seem much more civilized and important.”

My frown deepened as I considered his words.

I wasn’t sure if a matter such as this was important enough to make such a fuss about. I didn’t want Wegalla’s own reputation to come into question and be smeared by an incident such as this. But then again, I couldn’t deny the possibility that Kaleb was behind this. As Jacoby had pointed out, it was a little coincidental that he happened to be in the vicinity when the incident had taken place.

help but think about Ca ssandra.

do with the way he devoted so much of his attention to her. I didn’t want to consider the idea too much further, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he had his sights set on her in multiple

certain was that I couldn’t trust the

turned my attention back to Jacoby, who was waiting

I said politely, and then I nodded at him. “Please keep up the investigation and let me

Majesty,” Jacoby said dutifully, and then he bowed his head in respect. As he walked out of the room, I couldn’t help but admire the way he’d conducted

a small groan as my head throbbed. Though I’d drank my fill of coffee this morning, I still

wasn’t Emmett Keller’s son, my mind could

Ca ssandra had been three months pregnant when she’d been brought to the territory by Emmett. Of course, it had just been idle gossip since no one seemed to know

had been right when he’d said this kind of information wouldn’t be

to Wild Crawler had been so wrought with mystery. But then

idea crossed my mind.

been pregnant

to consider, but I couldn’t help but think about it anyway. My recent theory was one I couldn’t

from all those years ago. I tried to picture her body… was she showing any signs of physical change?

much as I hated to admit it, I couldn’t recall. Before the inferno that’d burnt

with the ceremony and other palace business, along with my efforts to clear

over me like a tidal wave and my heart

done everything I could?

my final images of Cora fade away?

despair, I heard a knock at my chamber door. I sat up straight in my chair and wiped away the tears that had started to spill down my cheeks. For the briefest of moments, I considered

I called out

Moses, Your Majesty,” my guard reported from

door.

within

who I wanted to see this