Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 85 Unexpected visitors

CA SSANDRA

“Lancel looks so sullen,” Becky whispered to me quietly.

My assistant and I were hard at work in the lab, and Asher’s head guard was perched near the door. The older gentleman had a look of disdain on his face, but I wasn’t sure if that was due to any actual reason or if it was just his appearance.

Either way, I stifled a giggle.

“Don’t take it personally,” I whispered back. “Maybe he’s just having a bad day or something.”

“Or maybe it’s just his face,” Becky joked. I started cracking up immediately. Though we were two different people, we had the exact same sense of humor. Becky always knew how to make me laugh.

My assistant was right of course. Lancel was a very serious guard and performed his duties diligently. I’d hardly ever seen him smile. Even when I was younger, I rarely saw the man’s expression change.

Then again, Lancel had never really liked Cora. I didn’t know why exactly, but maybe it was because he thought the poor, miserable girl brought his Alpha too many difficulties and struggles. Every time there’d been any sort of drama happening in my life, he’d always seemed to have his nose turned up.

Of course, it seemed like Lancel didn’t really like me now either. When Asher had asked his guard to protect me and keep me safe, the older man’s expression had been one of disbelief. Though he was too loyal to question his king’s orders, he didn’t look all that willing to lay his life on the line for me.

But he cared for Asher too much to defy him.

Once Lancel had agreed to the idea, Asher and I set the rest of the plan int

motion. It wasn’t too difficult. The message had been spread out and well-received in the palace that Healer Ca ssandra had found something important among the vipers. Maybe a little too well, because when I returned to my room yesterday, even Erika had started to ask me about it.

had been highly concerned about the vipers, but I assured her, just like everyone else, that the

in motion, and I was wondering if we’d messed everything up. Even though the library and the basement of the house had been thoroughly investigated, we couldn’t find any more

Slipped away

logically that it was unlikely since Asher had made a decree that no one was allowed to leave the palace or Anemond for that matter without

still, he didn’t believe the gossip about the supposed meeting

the man didn’t turn up before

could get back to my life. Palace life had become such a tangled web of drama and secrets. All I wanted was to continue my research so Finnick and I could go

thoughts away from my old life. I wasn’t naive enough to believe that it would all go back into place so easily. Things were

now for that.

some clues through the venoms of the snakes we’d sampled, but unfortunately, we didn’t know enough about poisons. As much as we tried, our countless hours in the laboratory hadn’t gotten us very far. We needed to make more progress on the

papers, I thought of Marley. Though she was still a healer in training, having another medical

I realized it was the end of our work day. I cast my books

my assistant. “I think we’re done for the

book and

“If it’s okay with you, I might take this with me. Maybe read ahead

I said. “Just make sure you’re getting some rest, okay?”

she replied, and then she offered me a small smile and a raised eyebrow. “Make sure you’re getting some decent sleep yourself, Ca ssy, okay? I know we’ve been pulling some long hours lately, and I want to make

at her gratefully. “I

She was very pretty, and I admired her intellect and warm heart. I had no doubt in my mind that

I prompted her again as she headed toward the

she asked as she looked

“For all of your