Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 83 Stolen

CA SSANDRA

We left Asher’s study immediately, and the moment we set foot in the hallway, the guards stationed outside both glanced at each other in alarm.

“Is everything all right, Your Majesty?” one asked as he studied the Alpha King’s expression. To his credit, Asher was looking slightly exhausted. His dark circles were far more present than they’d been in the past week. As the illness was affecting him more and more, his physical appearance began to look more sickly. He was still as handsome as ever, but it was evident he wasn’t sleeping much these days.

“I’m fine,” Asher answered him politely. “I’ll return shortly. I’m going accompany Healer Ca ssandra on an errand. Remain here.”

to

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the guard replied obediently, and after he offered Asher a nod, the Alpha King turned to me and gestured forward.

“Let’s go,” he said, and then we made our way down the hall.

Our walk down to the royal library was silent, and I once again found myself surprised that Asher was entertaining this theory of mine. I hadn’t expected him to go along with this, but I was grateful that he was giving my idea the time of day.

When we entered the building, the librarian rose to her feet and bowed to the Alpha King. “Y-your Majesty,” she stammered. “I didn’t expect to see you here. Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Yes,” Asher replied simply. “Healer Ca ssandra and I would like to take a look in the private room if you don’t mind. Could you unlock it for us?”

“Of course,” the librarian said, and she offered the king a brilliant smile. “Let me find the keys and I’ll let you in. The library is empty today, so you’ll have all the privacy you need.”

3

Asher nodded. “Perfect.”

The librarian rooted around in her desk, and after she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and ran a hand through her white-blonde hair, she approached the door and held it open for us.

the room, and as we got closer, my heart dropped, along with

in the world…”

took in the sight

been trashed. Books littered the ground, some spine-down, others completely ripped up. The shelves were off-kilter, and

room. I maneuvered around the piles of discarded books until I reached the back. The large wooden box was still there, but it was wide open. I

all of the

librarian’s face.

in shock. “This room is usually locked, Your Majesty. In fact, no one’s been in here lately other than Miss Ca ssandra,

into the room and began to inspect it all. His eyes darted in every direction, and suddenly he stopped.

some footprints back here,” he said, and we rushed over to join him. Sure enough, beyond the stacks, there was a set of muddy footprints

as I

done it yesterday,” Asher

librarian, and much to my surprise, she looked as if

about to burst into tears.

understand. I swear the window was locked, but I must have done

her gently. “It’s not your fault-”

spread to my cheeks and a lump formed in my throat. “The last time I was here, I opened the window to get some fresh air. I must have forgotten to

as if he were going to say something, but he didn’t. Instead, he

inclined his head toward the librarian. “She’ll help you navigate since she knows this

vigorously and then gathered herself. As they got to work and looked through the room, Asher and I stood aside and waited. I crossed my arms and tried not to beat myself

took a good twenty minutes, and when they stepped out into the main section of the library,

books about the Ewonmiams are missing,” she reported.

This wasn’t good. Was the intruder looking for things about the Ewonmiams? And if so, did that mean the

been the same man from

footprints are suspect as well,” one of the guards.