I was inspecting my dagger when a pair of hands embraced me from behind. I stood still as the head rested on my back gently.
"Good morning," I said as I felt her warm breath on my bare back.
"Morning, you have an amazing physique." She murmured.
"All natural but it also took years of workout."
"I see."
She released her hands and shifted back, granting space between us.
"Why are you..half stripped?"
I turned to her and looked at her disheveled hair and sleepy eyes.
"This is my chamber and I was dressing up before you came up to me, gripping me."
"Yeah… sorry about that, when are we going in search of Alistair?" she asked curiously.
"As soon as you get ready," I replied as I pulled on my clothes. Her eyes trailed my movements.
"Lorien?"
"Yes?"
"Umm. I know it is so hard on you to feel betrayed by your brother and pronounce him as a criminal….
"Nothing is hard on me Seraphina." I cut her short abruptly and she glanced at me.
"I'm the Alpha of this kingdom and I must bring justice to the victims and punish the offenders. Even if he was not my brother, I'd scour the earth for him and bring him to justice. I have no mercy for anyone." I added and she nodded silently.
"I understand."
"Good! The maids will come and get you ready for the day, I'll be waiting at the gate." I walked out, putting my dagger back in its place.
I headed to the training ground and my two trusted warriors followed me.
The chariots were steady and quipped, I Inspected them carefully.
"Any sign of him?"
"Not at all, your majesty. It seemed he had fled from the castle but we saw signs of the shadows." Atlas replied.
"Shadows? In this castle?" I inquired as I turned to them.
"Yes, Your Highness, some rumors have been going around about a strange man circling the dungeon a few hours before the crowned prince escaped."
"And the guardians did not confront him and why am
I get to know this now?" I asked angrily. The only shadow I knew was Aurelia but if Aurelia could enter the castle, other shadows could also gain free entry.
"They confronted him, and he left, but a few hours after he left, the crowned prince and the man himself were nowhere to be found."
"We've been too careless," I murmured to myself silently. Could Caelum be helping Alistair? It was not possible, caelum despised duskbane and its inhabitants.
Someone was in the castle using dark magic and shadows. But who was it?
"Send a letter to Aurelius, his attention is needed. Make sure to include in the letter to come to our meeting spot." I whispered to Atlas, and he bowed, then left.
"Search the castle, every chamber, and every corner for any strange items and bring the owners to me." I declared to the guards and they bowed then left.
"Your Majesty, there are numerous letters at the gate," Felix said gently.
"What letters?"
"The deliveryperson said it was for the queen from the people."
"Ohh, bring them all into my chamber, the queen and I will be leaving the castle in a bit. She will go through them when we get back."
The guard bowed and then walked to the gate. They opened it, and I was astonished at the piles of letters.
"Are those for me?"
I turned my head in the direction of Seraphina's voice. She was clad in a simple short gown and her long hair was styled up in a bun.
"Yes, you'll have a lot of reading to do when we get back," I replied as she walked towards me.
"I'm so glad to be honored by this role."
"It's high time we left. Ready the chariots." I commanded the guards.
They obeyed and we got on the chariot immediately. Seraphina sat silently while I stood instructing the warriors to keep the castle secured and safe.
The gate was opened and I directed the horses towards the entrance.
Our chariot raced out of the castle while the other warriors followed on horses.
"Where do we go first?" Seraphina asked.
"I've sent some investigators to look around; we are heading to the outskirts of Duskbane to search for him. I retorted as we took another path instead of the public route.
"I just hope he has not gotten far."
"He has support, from a dark source."
"Dark source?"
Seraphina seemed alarmed, and I turned my head to her; she looked perplexed.
"Yes, did that ring a bell?"
"No, no, I mean…the only shadow I've ever encountered was Aurelia, so I can't say. What if the dark source is from the castle Lorien?"
"It is inside the castle. I just don't know what, where, or who it is, but I'll find out soon," I answered back gently.
"I hope so," she replied quietly.
Throughout the search, Seraphina stayed quiet as if something was bothering her mind. She refused to tell me when I asked and I let her be.
We found nothing relating to Alistair and even asked some passersby but they all claimed they had not seen me.
We returned to the castle reluctantly and Seraphina got out of the chariot immediately, looking dismayed.
"I have to see the queen regent." She said.
"She must be in her chamber or the hall of Magnus," I replied, and she left swiftly; her maids paced after her. I wondered what was wrong.
~~~~~~
Seraphina's POV
If Alistair had help from inside the castle, it was his mother!
How could I have not known, that witch must be hiding her son in her chamber?
I got to her chamber and banged the door.
"Your majesty, you just got back from an outdoor activity. You should rest." The senior maid said, but I needed no rest; I need an explanation from the regent.
The door opened and her maid peeped out of the room.
"Her highness is….
I pushed her out of the way and forced my way inside. They must have never seen a woman from the future creating turmoil, but I'd give it to them.
I walked in and stood firmly. The queen regent was sitting, and her maids were styling her hair.
Her maid, whom I pushed away, came forward with her head bowed.
"The queen is here to see you, your majesty," she announced, obviously trembling.
"Queen? What queen?" she said as she chuckled to herself.
"Bring Alistair out, Queen Elera. You must be having so much fun watching the Alpha, and I stress ourselves just to look for the son you're hiding!" I yelled angrily.
The maid looked shocked and her expression changed drastically.
"Leave." She said and the maids obeyed immediately, closing the door behind them.
She stood up and smiled lightly.
"You're so lucky Caelum protects and wants you alive, Seraphina; I would have ripped your sharp tongue out and burned your body in a scorching heat. You mean nothing to me without Caelum and your sweet Alpha." She said wryly.
"And you mean nothing to me without your dark powers just wait until Lorien hears about it!"
"Well, who is gonna tell him?" She looked around. "No one! Not even you who almost died in a rub of milk." She added and chuckled loudly.
My body boiled with unseen anger and I formed a fist but kept calm.
"Where is Alistair?" I asked softly.
"My precious son must be somewhere enjoying his freedom."
"Where is he, Queen Elara," I asked again sternly.
"Well, ask your soon-to-be husband that that locked him up. No don't do that, go to bed with your Alpha and…
I punched her in the face with full force and her head bent to the side immediately.
"Wow, I've always longed to do that. It felt so good." I said stretching my arms.
She turned her head to me, placing her hand on the spot I had punched.
"How dare you?"
"Where are your lethargic shadows? Call them out now."
"You're so fortunate caelum has stripped me of my powers Seraphina…
"You're powerless now?" I asked curiously.
She walked over to her table and examined her bruised cheek.
"Well, he was so fed off me trying to kill you so he collected his gift back…
"Gift? The power was a gift given to you?"
"It was a long story. He gave me the power as a reward for killing my husband, the former Alpha."
I widened my eyes as I shifted back, that could not be true. Neither I nor Lorien was safe from this wicked woman.
She looked at me and beamed broadly.
"You look so pale, have you never seen a killer?"
"You're a devil in human clothing!" I screamed.
"No, you got that wrong. Caelum is the devil in human clothing, I'm just an innocent queen."
"Caelum have you power because you killed your husband, but why?"
"That's a long story as I said, let's focus on the present." she retorted.