The King hurried to Casper’s bedroom and what he saw made him stop at the doorstep. Queen Thalia was crying as she held the lifeless body of her son in her arms. A knife was pierced through Casper’s heart, and with his lips that had turned black, it didn’t seem to be an ordinary knife but one with poison.
King Martin knew that Casper’s condition was a hopeless case. They had sought all the healers in different lands but no one could cure the boy’s illness. He had long accepted that Casper would not live for long but he never thought he would be murdered. The boy was already dying, why was there a need to kill him? He could not understand.
Back in the castle’s main hall, the remaining guests dispersed after the shocking news of the young prince’s murder while some of the ministers joined the guards in the dungeon to witness Eloise’s execution.
The senior members of the council also remained as the King ordered them to check if there were any traces left in the castle that would point out who was the murderer of Casper.
Dominic was disappointed at how his engagement soiree turned into a disaster. With how things were going and with the humiliation he received, he did not think he could still marry into Evardin’s royal family. He rushed upstairs to pack his things so he could leave early the next morning.
The evening that was supposed to be full of laughs and joy suddenly turned bloody and chaotic. The royal guards and councilmen checked the maids, the bedrooms, and the belongings of every person in the castle to see if anyone had the same poison used in the knife that killed Casper. However, hours had passed and no trace of the culprit was found.
Lauren stood by the window of the room. It was already past midnight but the councilmen were still downstairs, Alec included, talking with the King.
When she heard the door open, she did not turn. She knew it was Alec.
"Did you do it?" she heard him ask calmly, with no hint of judgment or accusation in his tone. It was like he was just simply curious.
The question did not take Lauren by surprise. She was not insulted either. With her doing everything she could to bring the royal family down, it was reasonable for Alec to think that she could kill Casper.
"What do you think?" She turned to him. He was taking off his coat.
"You are hard to read, princess. How can I be sure?"
She walked to the bed, the hem of her long nightdress touching the floor. When she was seated, she said, "Casper was just a child and he was dying. I didn’t see the need to kill him. Why do you ask? You thought it was me, didn’t you?"
"I don’t care if the boy died. I only want to know if it’s you so I can cover you up."
"But it’s not me," she snorted. "And if it was me, there is no need for you to cover it up. I don’t make a mess that is not thoroughly cleaned."
One corner of his lips rose. He unbuttoned the first buttons of his inner shirt. Lauren thought that he would go to his desk like he usually did, but this time he walked to the bed. Her brows knitted when he sat on the other side of the bed.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, raising a brow.
"Why are you here on the bed? Are you not supposed to be working at your desk?"
"I am tired. I want to rest for tonight. Is there a problem with that?"
Yes, because she didn’t want to share the bed with him, Lauren answered in her mind.
"I have never seen you sleep before. Vampires don’t need sleep."
"It is unnecessary for vampires to sleep, yes. But it doesn’t mean we don’t do it," he said before he lay on the bed with one of his hands behind his head.
Lauren stared down at him unbelievably. They had spent intimate moments before but they had never slept on the same bed and she found it rather unsettling. It was one of the reasons why she avoided marriage in the past. She felt like she could never share her private space with someone. It was like having a stranger in her comfort zone.
"If you continue to stare at me like that, I would think you want me to do something else on this bed other than sleeping," Alec said darkly.
"What a dark humor you have, husband. You are not asleep yet but you are already dreaming." She eyed him sharply before lying on her left side where she could not see Alec. She moved close to the edge of the bed just to make sure she wouldn’t touch the man on her back.
"Don’t move too far, Lauren. I will not catch you if you fell on the floor later."
"Don’t worry, I won’t fall. I stay in one position when I’m sleeping," she said without looking behind her. But she wondered if she could even sleep a wink.
"Why don’t you move a little closer here. I am your husband and we already did some things. Are you still shy?"
She pressed her eyes shut for a moment and released a breath before she rolled on her other side to face Alec but their proximity took her by surprise and made her gasp.
He was laying on his right side now, and his face was only an inch away from hers, and if she rolled a little too far, she could have kissed him unintentionally.
Alec caught the sudden leap of Lauren’s heart and how her deep blue eyes widen when she realized how close they were to each other. Although the room was dim, he still noticed her cheeks turning pink, and he rarely caught her flustered like an innocent little lamb.
For some reason, those rare moments never failed to amuse him.