Chapter 236

Prince Alexander suggested that the two of us head back into the castle after we completed a few rounds around the royal gardens.

I wasn't fully ready to leave the gardens, but I also wanted to see if I could find Lucas. There was so much that I had to share with him from the past couple of hours. Besides the breakfast I had with the Alpha King and Prince Alexander, the secrets were lingering secrets of the locked White Wolf book.

As Prince Alexander and I walked back into the castle, the air seemed charged with unspoken tension from our previous conversation.

He had been awfully silent, which was somewhat unlike him. I wondered if he was finally giving me some peace and quiet to sort out my own thoughts.

We turned a corner down a dimly lit hall and unexpectedly ran into Liam, Kendrick, and Lucas. My heart fluttered at the sight of Lucas.

"Lover boy," Prince Alexander whispered in my ear, a joking glint in his eyes.

I shot him a scowl before turning my attention to Lucas.

Something in the way Lucas was watching the prince caught my eye, a subtle wariness that raised questions. It was obvious what that look was saying. He didn't like Prince Alexander, and I was sure that he didn't trust him either.

"Had a walk through the gardens with Miss Shana, Your Highness?" Liam asked pleasantly, his eyes shifting between Prince Alexander and me.

"Yes. What have you been up to Liam, boring our guests?" Prince Alexander teased.

Liam scoffed at the Prince's words and shook his head in a disapproving way. "Merely ensuring they feel welcomed, Your Highness. As per your father's request."

"Yes, because a tour of the grounds is so enthralling," the Prince continued with an eye roll.

"Unlike some," Liam said. "I don't find the history of the Ethereal Palace dull. In fact, it is full of lots of intricate—"

"Blah, blah, blah. That's all I heard coming out of your mouth right now, Liam." Prince Alexander smiled while faking a yawn. "It's a wonder how our guests don't fall asleep mid-conversation when they hear you speak."

Liam shot a pointed look at the Prince, his demeanor unyielding. "The affairs of the court require a level of finesse and respect, Your Highness. Not everyone can afford to be as cavalier as you."

The exchange between them hinted at a history, a familiarity that went beyond mere formality. I observed their dynamic, the subtle tension beneath the surface, wondering about the complexities of their relationship.

They were very hard to figure out.

"Well, I think I've had enough this morning. I think I'll retire to my room for now. Shana," Prince Alexander gave me a bow and a quick wink before gracefully walking away.

I watched him go silently, the weight of our conversation lingering in the air.

So... he was going to leave me alone for now. Good. I needed some time away from the Prince.

"I should be going as well, the Alpha King requires my assistance. If any of you need anything, don't hesitate to call," Liam announced, his gaze following Prince Alexander's departure.

Liam scurred off after the Prince, leaving the three of us to ourselves.

Kendrick approached me with an expression of concern. "How are you doing? How did it go?"

His words sounded sincere, though I couldn't shake the feeling of underlying motives.

Kendrick was confusing to me. I could never truly figure out exactly what he was thinking.

Most of the time, his actions always had a double meaning. He only did things that benefited himself, and right now I supposed being nice to me was a benefit for him.

"It was fine. We had breakfast this morning," I replied, choosing not to delve into the details.

"With the Alpha King?" Lucas finally spoke, his eyes locked on mine.

I nodded. "The King and the Prince. Where did you both go?"

"We had a tour of the grounds," Kendrick answered. "It's much larger than I originally expected. I think they just wanted to get us out of the castle so that you could have your privacy with the royals."

"I know Prince Alexander was only teasing Liam, but I have to admit, it was pretty boring," Lucas confessed.

Kendrick shot Lucas a glare. "Keep your voice down. Someone could overhear you and relay that message to the King."

"Yeah, because the King is really going to care that I found a tour of the grounds boring," Lucas said sarcastically with a bit of attitude. "Liam was going on and on about the different kinds of plants that grow in the soil here. It was all so unnecessary."

"Did you see the royal garden?" I asked, curiosity evident in my voice.

Lucas shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. Only guests of the royal family are allowed to enter the garden."

"Well, I hope the two of you get the chance to see it before we leave. It's pretty spectacular," I commented.

"No offense, Shana, but I think I've had enough tours to last a lifetime," Lucas said with a deep sigh. "We've practically seen every single inch of this palace."

"Liam even took us to see... the outhouses," Kendrick said as he twisted his face up in disgust.

I followed his frown, glad that my tour didn't consist of the same experience.

In that case, I supposed the two of them had every reason to be exhausted with touring. They had been walking around the palace for the past couple of hours.

I wasn't even sure if they had the chance to have any breakfast or not yet.

I glanced around, noting the guards and maids discreetly standing nearby. "Well, actually. There's something that I want to tell you."

"What is it?" Lucas asked as he stepped closer, suddenly on high alert.

"There's more I want to share," I said in a hushed tone, "but it seems like it's not possible for us to speak in private here."

"Yes, I know," Kendrick admitted, looking around as well. "Guards will most likely follow us wherever we go."

"I could take you to my room, and we could discuss there. I have a lot to tell you about the breakfast," I suggested, looking at Lucas.

"What happened?" he asked, suddenly looking nervous. "Did something bad happen?"

I shook my head, "I'll tell you in private. Only two guards stand outside of my door. If we whisper I don't think they'll be able to hear our conversation."

"Is this a private conversation or can I join in?" Kendrick asked me, squaring his shoulders.

I thought about it for a second but realized there was no harm in Kendrick knowing about what the King had done to me this morning during breakfast.

At this current moment, we were all on the same side. Kendrick deserved to know the truth.

"Do you think the king would allow us to talk privately?" Lucas questioned, skepticism etched on his face.

"It's in the king's best interests to appease me at the moment," I responded cryptically, leaving Kendrick and Lucas confused. "Let's just say, he shouldn't mind if I take both of you back to my room. I think he'll allow it."