Chapter 40: The water is cold

"Two months ago, a house of black mages was discovered by the river in Forks village. A mage traveler happened to stop by the house and encountered a young black mage who attacked him. He managed to kill the black mage and when he went inside the house, he found several different clothes and shoes proving that the black mage wasn’t living there alone..."

As Lauren continued to speak, Alec listened attentively.

"He also noticed some small vials with strange liquids in them that were taken by the inspection officers who arrived that day and took them to the royal laboratory for tests. The strange thing is, the next day every vial retrieved from that house vanished in the laboratory after Lord Dauncey paid a visit, the same day the lord was killed. Believing that Lord Dauncey was connected to the black mages and is planning a rebellion, His Majesty got worried about having other traitors in the court so he kept Lord Dauncey’s possible connection to the black mages a secret and had the ministers investigated privately. Even the council didn’t know it was Lord Dauncey who stole the black mages’ vials."

Alec thought about it. "I was in Acheron that time for King Sebastian’s birthday. When I returned, I only heard about the black mage’s house in Forks village and how the vials vanished in the palace laboratory."

"I think Lord Dauncey was used as a scapegoat. With him being pointed as the thief of the vials, he would be captured and forced to spill the beans if he was alive. The person above him must be too cautious to gamble so he killed him."

Alec nodded. "A rebellion is indeed possible, but how sure are you that these people who turned into savages are connected to it?"

"I found the traveler and turned out he kept one vial for himself out of curiosity. He said he was to ask his friend who’s an expert to identify what kind of liquid it was, but the vial got broken by accident and his dog licked a bit of the splattered liquid on the floor. The next day, his dog went mad and killed his young nephew. At first I thought it could just be a poison that will make people lose sanity, but when I saw the girl this morning, I realized it is possible the black mages are doing sorcery to create potions that will create a different version of one’s self, a deranged being who is stronger and capable of killing many."

Alec narrowed his eyes at her. "How did you know all of this?"

Lauren’s lips twitched. "As they say, walls have ears, milord. I live in the palace which is the center of unending strifes. I just couldn’t help but feed my curiosity when something piqued my interest. Besides, acquiring knowledge is better than being ignorant."

"But sometimes ignorance is bliss."

"Never in my case though," Lauren said seriously. She would always prefer knowing the entire truth than being kept in the dark. She wouldn’t be alive right now if she only relied on what was presented in front of her without looking behind the curtains.

"I want to know who else are the traitors in the court. I might be hellbent on bringing the royal family down, but I care for the people. I don’t want to kill another innocent child who lost her future because of someone’s evil plans. So let’s work with each other, Lord Alec. That’s what partners are for, isn’t it?"

Alec’s eyes darkened. Watching the proud princess showing off her wit and how capable she was, her calm yet feisty soul ignited something in him, making his mind wander somewhere else. Somewhere wicked.

"How about I think about it while having a bath?"

Lauren sighed. "Think about it then."

She followed him out of the dungeon and when they reached the upper ground, Lauren stopped to tell him that she would have dinner while he bathed, but she was taken aback by what he said.

"I meant that we take a bath together, dear Lauren."

The butler who happened to pass by near the two almost stumbled on his feet upon hearing his master’s blunt words.

"I..." Lauren was at a loss for words.

"What? Getting nervous now?"

She pursed her half open lips, gritting her teeth. She wanted to refuse but how could she when she signed a contract with her giving him a right to her body?

When they arrived in the bedroom, Alec asked some maids to prepare the bath. It didn’t take long and the servants immediately left the room, leaving them alone.

Lauren gulped after Alec entered the bathroom first. While taking off her clothes, she realized that if she had slept with some men before it wouldn’t be this overwhelming to show her naked body to a man.

With only the white robe covering her nakedness, Lauren tried to calm herself before stepping into the bathroom.

She wanted to flinch when her bare feet touched the cold tile, and the moment her eyes laid on the man waiting for her in the huge tub filled with scented petals, she wanted to run away.

Alec sat at the edge of the tub, leaning on his back with his upper body exposed to Lauren’s eyes.

While she was untying her robe and hesitantly taking it off, his eyes watched her like a hawk. His dark gaze went down to her chest the moment it was exposed, her creamy plump breasts coming to his view. Then his eyes dropped to her small waist that he could scoop with one hand, to her wide hips... to her flawless legs... then to the part between her legs.

No wonder why he heard so many men wanted to take her to their bed, Alec thought darkly.

Stepping into the water, Lauren paused when she realized the water was cold.

"I don’t do cold baths," she said in an annoyed tone. She was dying to dip her body into the water, uncomfortable with being naked before the man’s eyes, but the water was just too cold for her to endure.

"Let’s make it warm then," Alec replied and the fiery look in his eyes was enough to set her body ablaze.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read