JASMINE’S POV
What I had seen could have killed me. My head was on a plate; worst of all, they knew I had seen them together.
I hurried out of the room and attempted to go on my way.
"Wait!" A masculine voice called when I had barely left the queen’s bedroom.
I stopped short.
My heart was beating so fast. It was like I would have a heart attack.
I slowly turned around and saw the king walk up to me.
I swallowed heavily; my entire body was reverting in fear.
Then I heard his footsteps stop behind me.
"Turn around," he instructed.
I did as he said and came face to face with him.
I heard a soft gasp from him, and he instinctively stepped away from me.
He seemed dumbstruck, and then he recovered.
"What’s your name?" He asked me.
"Jasmine," I said quietly, and then I curtsied. "Your majesty."
He just looked me over and said, "Who are your parents, and how long have you lived here?"
I wondered why he was asking such personal questions.
And then I remembered that he had never seen me.
Although I had seen him without a number when I would pass by, he had never noticed me.
I had already gotten used to the fact that I reminded all royal family members of their long-lost daughter.
Which was impossible because she would be in her late thirties by now.
"I’m the daughter of Alpha Bale, Your Majesty," I said, my eyes downcast.
It seemed that that piece of information had made his tensions relax.
Then he sniffed around me, and I knew he smelled my bloodline.
"So you’re a slave." He told me.
I nodded slightly. "Yes, Your Majesty."
He cleared his throat. "What you thought you saw, you did not see. Do you understand me?"
I nodded quickly.
"If you utter a single word of what you thought, you saw." He started. "Then you would cease to live. I would say goodbye to everyone you’ve ever known or encountered. Do I make myself clear?"
I nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty."
"Your father has already put me in peril with Xaden. Push me further, and I might unleash the hate everyone else has for you on you. And mind you, I am king."
He progressed towards me, and with reasonable fear, I took steps back.
His entire demeanor was filled with pride, royalty, and then domination.
It wasn’t like Xaden; this was a mix of true royalty.
"I would make you suffer more than Xaden has." He said. "Do you understand me?"
I nodded hastily.
"Yes, Your Majesty," I said.
At that moment, none other than the Queen stepped up to us.
I didn’t even know when she had appeared or where she had come from.
"Darling." She said so, and we both jumped.
She looked at the both of us. "What’s wrong?"
"No, I was just talking to this slave. She had come in to do some work."
The beautiful queen smiled. "I see you’ve met Jasmine. Doesn’t she remind you of her?"
I knew the woman they were referring to, Scarlett.
His lips were pressed in a need to conceal his feelings. "There is barely any resemblance."
She gave a light laugh. "I know you all think I’m going crazy, but I know what I’m telling you. She looks like Scarlett. Not Corral."
"But they are identical. They would look alike." He said.
"No," the queen said, shaking her head. "Well, yes, they were identical twins, but they didn’t look alike to me. And that’s why this girl here bears a resemblance to her and not Corral. Fascinating, isn’t it?"
Then she turned to me and gently touched my chin.
"I expect her to have looked like this when she was your age." The queen said it weakly.
I looked down.
At that moment, Princess Cherry came out of the bedroom.
I swallowed.
"Rose." Princess Cherry said. "I’ve been looking everywhere for you."
"I was in the gardens." The Queen said as she waved her women away.
They bowed and left.
I knew I could not leave, at least not without being asked to.
Princess Cherry glared at me.
"Isn’t it this slave who made Xaden almost hack Alexander?" Princess Cherry said.
I tensed.
The King, who seemingly had no idea of that, turned to look at Cherry.
"What?!" He barked.
"I don’t know the details. But your nephew is lying down without a hand or an eye for this slave. I am certain she is a witch. No one else can bring up so much trouble, and I’m not surprised by her dirty bloodline." Princess Cherry.
My body trembled.
"What does a slave have on an Alpha? I wonder." The king asked narrowly.
"Oh, please. She can’t harm anyone. Don’t say things like that." The queen said this to her sister. Then she turned to her husband. "Let the girl be. Moreover, we are all surprised when we know that a confrontation between Xaden and Alex will happen eventually. It was only a matter of time. Don’t drag the poor girl into this."
I just stood there, the object of their gaze and conversation.
I wanted to get out of this entire royal squabble.
Then I saw the Queen gently set her hands against the King’s chest as she set her head on him.
I saw Princess Cherry glaring at them.
Her eyes were mixed with sadness.
I was angry for the queen.
She had no idea that her sister and her husband were betraying her.
She was good, and she did not deserve this.
"Let her go, please." The Queen said, and then she turned to me with a smile. "Go, dear. And tell Loren that his options have been doing me wonders. That I am grateful beyond words."
"Of course, your majesty. I will relay your words to him." I said, and then I curtsied and hurried out of their midst.
I had just escaped death.