Page 76 of The Princess's Pet

“Your gardener, that you have loaned to Lady Sana every month for the past year?” I questioned. “Am I to believe that he did not know the danger of Hades’ Delight to a pureblood vampire?”

“Please Selene, do not look at me like that. He believed the plant was grown for its painkilling effects, to be used for the servants. He did not suspect foul play,” Amelia defended. “He helped administer the cure that saved you.”

“And why was he arrested; what evidence does Vasilios claim to have?” I questioned, trying not to allow my unrest over Percy’s health to cause me to unnecessarily distrust Amelia. She had never betrayed me before.

“Only that other than Lady Sana herself, he had access to the Hades’ Delight grown in the greenhouse,” Amelia told me. If Lady Sana was in league with my uncle as I suspected, my cousin’s poor gardener was an easy scapegoat.

“Who of the council was witness to my father’s decree naming Vasilios as regent?” I continued as I got dressed.

“Lady Sana and Lord Antoniou were both present, as well as Vasilios himself,” Amelia answered.

“How convenient. And where were Baros, Creel, and Halkias when my father was lucid enough to make such a decree, do you know?” I asked Amelia, she was excellent at gaining information and I had no doubt that she had her spy’s already at work.

“They were in discussions with representatives from Rabina concerning fishing treaties.”

I hummed in response. Baros, Creel, and Halkias were not concerned with personal gain. The good of the kingdom was their top priority and an ailing king or dying princess was not cause enough to sway them from their duties. It was why I trusted them.

I left my room and was surprised to see Obscurum guards in their black armour, standing to attention along the corridors of my wing.

“Amelia, why does it appear that your husband’s house has stationed itself within Borealis walls?” I asked and turned to my cousin.

“I sent your personal guard to watch over Percy. They did not question the order.” She looked at me accusingly. I only nodded my understanding and did not reveal that my personal guard have taken blood oaths to protect Percy’s identity as my soul match and to protect her from those that would do me harm. I was pleased they had enough sense to follow Amelia’s orders in my absence.

“Vlad was concerned for our safety once Vasilios was named regent. My father-in-law sent his guard for our protection. Vasilios turned tail when met with the Night Guards of Obscurum and has not attempted tovisitwith you since,” Amelia explained.

“This could easily be interpreted as an act of war my cousin,” I told her mischievously.

She smiled deviously and winked. “Vasilios may be regent but our generals would turn against him if he were to demand an attack on Obscurum guards, guests in Borealis. The traitor has made a grab for power but it is in title only. My husband’s men are a reminder of this.”

My cousin liked to make an impression, preferably one that stung an ego. Amelia was quite entertaining. Vasilios would be raging, licking his wounded pride.

We walked, Obscurum guards as our chaperones to the servant quarters, to my pet.

It was easy to find where Percy was being cared for. My personal guard stood strong at the entrance of the servant quarters and outside of the room which held her.

My guard bowed and opened the door to Percy’s room for me.

I was not prepared for what met me. Syngeneia witches sat by the bedside obstructing my view of who I knew was Percy as her scent permeated the room heavily.

The growl of warning that left my lips was ferocious, my pet being kept from my sight by witches angered my already upset possessive instincts.

The oldest of the two witches stood and bowed respectively but I paid her no attention when I was able to see my pet.

Percy lay atop the bed, her small frame weak and skin deathly pale. She looked dead. I watched the blood magic of the witch that clung to her wrist spread through her veins and body.

“Percy,” I spoke her name quietly as I approached the bed and took the empty seat. I reached out to caress her face, she was cool to the touch.

“What are you doing to her?” I asked and for the first time noticed that the witch still working on my pet was the Syngeneia witch from the Academy.

“I’m keeping her heart at a rate just above death,” she answered.

“Why?” I asked, my eyes returning to Percy her chest rising so very slowly.

“Poseidon’s Wrath administers a toxin that the body can theoretically extract,” the other older witch replied. “By keeping Percy’s heartrate at the minimum possible for her survival we are increasing the time her body has to eliminate the toxin.”

“And you are?” I questioned without taking my eyes from Percy. Why had she done this to herself? For me? What had I done to deserve such an act of devotion?

“I am Piper Syngeneia, Ana’s Aunt,” Piper replied and provided me with the name of the girl I had not concerned myself with learning before.

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