Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 18 Is It Really Warren?

I tried my best not to let my irritation show on my face as I digested the name the redheaded girl had just divulged.

She was under the impression that my brother might be the one person on the planet who could save the life of the woman I was meant to have a child with.

I needed to concentrate on the fact that the blood within the girl was the most vital part of the equation to me. I had no reason to want to see any harm befall Ciana. She was nice enough, I supposed, but to me, her true value lay in the blood coursing through her veins.

“Shall I send for Prince Warren, Your Highness?” Dottie asked me respectfully.

“No,” I said immediately, my voice stern enough that everyone in the room flinched. I took a deep breath to steel myself. “I will fetch him myself.”

The moment I walked into the hallway, my head cleared a bit, and I felt like I could pull a full breath of oxygen into my lungs. Something about being in that room with all of those concerned people had been like a weight on my shoulders. But now… my thoughts were sharper. I could sense reason.

Winding my way to the other side of the palace where my brother’s rooms were, I took my time.

He only needed to give it a try so we could see if it worked, but there was no need for him to know that Ciana was fond of

him….

Two guards stood here, neither saying anything to me but making a sign of respect. Unlike me, Warren was constantly surrounded by people. They knocked and opened the door for me.

My brother was clutching a book in his hand. “Oh, Theo,” he said, setting the book aside. Obviously, he was enjoying a leisurely evening. “What in the world brings you here?”

“I have a bit of an issue, and I was hoping you could help.” I tried to keep my tone as relaxed as possible.

Immediately, my overly helpful brother snapped to attention. “Of course. What is it?”

“One of the girls who is here as part of Father’s task was unconscious. Dottie thinks it may be a sleeping spell… a curse of some sort. There’s a possibility that you might be the one to wake her.”

“That sounds just awful!” he said, resting his palm against his heart. “The poor girl! Why does Dottie think I can be of

assistance?”

“I’m not exactly sure,” I lied. “I guess… perhaps… you know the girl… well?”

“Who is it?” he asked, leaning toward me slightly as he shook his head. “I haven’t spent much time with any of the girls. They are here for you, after all.”

Why did I feel relieved? Whether he knew Ciana well or not had nothing to do with me!

With a sharp nod, I tried to forget all of the times I had seen him with her myself. “She’s called… Ciana, I believe,” I said, forcing nonchalance into each word

“Ciana?” he repeated, his eyes widening. “Oh! Oh, no!”

dripping from the question even though I intended

into her a few times. Such a sweet,

my arms. “I guess you know her better than I

your personal attendant now?” Warren

“You know, they all sort of look

I can,” he said, putting on a jacket. “Although, I hardly

we realized

me… I wondered how much of our conversation she

spared her a glance and simply walked

“Your Highness! Please!”

We both stopped.

you?” Warren whispered. “What’s

at him.

the eighty girls father got for you,

withheld the food from Ciana and Brook, allegedly

she said, dipping her head. Then, she turned to

evening, Miss-?”

Sir, but I’ve been studying sleeping sicknesses like this

overheard our conversation?” Warren asked

but she didn’t answer him directly, only continued, “Sir, I believe it’ s a curse that’s been cast on her, and if you are to touch her, you could also become a victim of the same curse. You mustn’ t allow yourself to be harmed for someone

inconsequential as her!”

have already dealt with her, but this wasn’t the right time. I was about to step forward and pull Warren away when I heard him say, “Miss Chambers!” His tone was sharp. “I will decide for myself what is

fun of her for feeding the animals and made demands of her while she was

glistened in the girl’s eyes as she looked up at him. “Forgive me, My Prince. I was only

around, a more determined look on his face than ever, and he

put the other girl in her place and was resolved to help Ciana, but I didn’t particularly

arrived at my chambers, Brook was still there, sitting on a settee across the room from

she was just lying there asleep. For a moment, I let myself imagine she was resting, dreaming, and I wasn’t able to peel my eyes away from her. But then I forced those

He picked up her delicate hand in his and stroked it gently. “How long has she been

pulled her hand out from his and tucked it under the

couple hours,” I

“Poor girl,” he sighed.

your fingers to her forehead, if you are truly the

at the healer. I hadn’t quite told him all of that, and I could see he was surprised.

sentence.

Brook said from her seat across the room. “She often spoke of

at Brook, and the two of them smiled at one another

Ciana.

going to be sick. It must have been