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Chapter 9
Chapter 9
/-Selene-/
“I don’t know,” I cried.
My hands began shaking. What had I done?
“Death was closer than I thought,” the beta scoffed.
A few guards stormed in and even drew their blades like I was a big threat.
I didn’t know how that made me feel.
Important or in trouble.
“Stand down!” Kaelen ordered the guards.
Thorne had stopped screaming now, but his next movement shocked the hell out of me.
He turned in my direction and stretched out his hand to touch me as though he could see.
“Thorne, what’s happening?” Kaelen asked, confusion evident in his expression.
“What did you put in my eyes?” Thorne finally spoke.
Oops. Another trouble
I didn’t even know the names of the herbs I picked.
“L…uhm….The…..” I stuttered, trying so hard to think of any name at all.
“Aren’t those the herbs you said your grandma showed you?”
That was Kaelen to the rescue.
“Yeah. You are right. I can’t really remember the names, but I can recognise it whenever I see it.”
“Sure it’s not poison?” The Beta chipped in.
“You won’t say one more word!” Kacalen snapped.
“Please apply it again.”
What!
We all froze.
“You heard me,” Thorne said.
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Chapter 9
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“Put that thing on my eyes again; I feel this weird movement in my eyes as though some tiny insects are moving.”
My blood chilled.
At first I stood still, but when he yelled his instruction the third time, my legs forced themselves to move.
He let out that loud cry again as the concoction touched his eyes, after which he ordered us to leave.
“Kaelen“, Thorne called.
“Stay. You both can leave.”
I bowed and turned to leave, but I suddenly felt dizzy.
It was as though power had gone out of my body and I was left empty.
I stumbled.
The last words I heard were “Selene!” Then everywhere turned black.
Slowly my eyes fluttered open to see Kaelen sitting beside me.
“You are awake,” he said softly.
“What happened?”
I touched my forehead, and it burnt like mad.
“How is Thorne?”
“Relax,” Kaelen said. “There is a lot happening, and it’s funny you know nothing about it. I….
“What’s happening?” I interrupted.
“Selene, how did you do that? There is black liquid coming out of Thorne’s eyes. His pupils now react to light, though he can’t see yet. Have you been lying to me? Are you really a healer?”
I didn’t respond immediately.
I sat up and inhaled deeply.
“I am a healer,” I lied boldly again.
“That makes it two lies in a row,” Kaelen said.
“What’s the second lie?”
“You and the beta.”
11:28 Tue, Sep 16
Chapter 9
My jaw dropped.
:
I had thought we were done with that conversation; why bring it up again?
“Hmm,” I cleared my throat.
“I would like to join the kitchen maids to prepare dinner, if you don’t mind.”
I made to walk away, but he pulled me back.
“You look perfect to me. Keep it at the back of your mind.”
“What!” I whispered slowly, and my vision blurred.
That was the nicest thing I had heard since I was born.
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I watched him walk away without saying a word and broke down in tears when I was sure he was out of sight.
“What does he stand to gain? Oh, moon goddess, please.”
“Call that deformed rat Selene and tell her we need help in the kitchen!”
That was the head of the slave speaking.
She was standing right outside my door.
I quickly stood up and cleaned my face before stepping outside.
“You deformed being!” She screamed.
“You think getting preferential treatment from one of the twins makes you special, huh? Get lost now before I lose my temper.”
She had already lost it; what other temper was she talking about?
I scurried away to the kitchen and faced another group of people.
“Hey hunchback, we’ve got an important guest coming; do well to stay invisible so you don’t corrupt the air.”
I bit my lower lip.
That one did hurt.
“Over here,” another girl called.
I foolishly walked towards her direction without seeing the banana peel on the ground.
The moment my leg stepped on it, I slipped and landed violently on the ground.
They burst into laughter, clutching their sides and making funny faces.
11:28 Tue, Sep 16
Chapter 9
Still I stood; I couldn’t leave until we were done.
When the head of the kitchen came, they all became serious, and we began cooking.
I fought back tears.
None of them agreed to stand close to me or touch whatever equipment I touched.
My heart burnt with pain.
What did I do wrong to the moon goddess to be cursed like this?
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Minutes turned to hours, and soon we were done with the cooking; it was time to serve the guest.
i
I was the last person to leave the kitchen; of course, I wasn’t allowed to present my food until they had all presented theirs.
I stood outside Thorne’s chamber waiting as they went in one after the other.
Who was that guest that was that important?
“She’s such a beauty. Did you see her flawless skin?
One of the maids whispered to the other.
Oh, a woman.
“Please don’t spoil the mood with your bad energy,” one of them said when it got to my turn.
I walked in and froze at the sight of the woman.
My hands let go of the tray I held, and it fell to the ground, spilling its contents.
The guest was none other than my stepsister Elara.
“What!” A gasp escaped my lips.
What was she doing here, and why were the twins so captivated by her presence?
“I’m sorry,” I apologised quickly and bent to pick up the pieces of the broken plates.
“Are you okay?” Kaelen asked,
“Hmm,” I grunted, a meaningless response.
“I will go put out another food; I still have some left.”
“Oh, don’t bother,” Elara said. “I might be cursed if I eat from your plate. I think the moon goddess just saved me. Well, I and my fiancée are okay with these ones.”
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Chapter 9
Did she just say fiancée?

Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.