ARTEMISIA
“Where are the spices we bought?” Ramona asks as she looks through my special cooking bag.
I sigh sadly while I watch her go through the bag, which must be the best protected bag in the universe. “I had to throw them away. They were left behind with my pot.”
“Oh, damn.” She pouts as she takes out another spice container. “But we can re-buy them, right?”
“I guess so,” I say with a chuckle, making her grin.
Since I have been watching my own spices and cooking my own food from ingredients bought from the market by just a restricted circle of persons, I have been feeling increasingly better, making me wonder how this poisoning situation could go so unnoticed.
I talked to Cayden about my suspicions about Lisa being involved, even if it hurt my heart to snitch on her, as I could be completely wrong.
She had tried to talk with me several times, but as my bodyguards were rather strict, she didn’t get the chance to tell me what she was panicking about.
Also, I was so busy with the preparation for the pending trial that I couldn’t actually care less about what was bugging her.
“This is perfect,” Ramona says as she picks up the pot to bring it to the table where Mirella is already waiting with a big smile.
She has already set the table and Ramona fills the plates with the delicious meal, making my stomach growl happily.
We dig in while chatting leisurely, and just for a moment, I get to forget about all the chaos that is blowing up around me at the moment.
After finishing our meal, we start cleaning up, wanting to be out of the kitchen before it will be overrun by hungry wolves who could infest my cooking bag or anything else that could impair my health.
We are just about finishing as the doors open and a swoosh in the air announces Hendrick appearing next to me with a broad grin.
“Good afternoon, my Beloved. Oh, it smells amazing in here,” he compliments, making me giggle.
Folding the rug in my hands, I ignore Mirella and Ramona, who are grinning at me from the table while acting as if they were cleaning it. “It’s a pity that you can’t stomach it because we made a really tasty soup.”
“Ah, yeah. I guess the food smells alright as well,” he says with a sly grin, making me shake my head, hoping it would shake off my blush. “Are you ready for your lesson?”
I groan, letting my shoulders slump. “Actually, no, but I guess it can’t be helped.”
“No, beautiful. We leave tomorrow and we need to go through the most essential points once again. Cayden will join us in about an hour too, so we can wrap it up,” he sighs, taking out a golden pocket watch out of his jacket.
“What about Logan?” I ask, making him distort his face.
“Finnegan and Matthew are still trying to find out what got him to act like this. He seems to be out of his trance, but he can’t explain what made him react like this. Especially since he is swearing on the fact that getting Lisa in your entourage has never been his priority.”
I scrunch up my nose, Cassy whimpering in my head. “That is awfully strange.”
“Yes, indeed.” He nods repeatedly before turning to Ramona and Mirella still scurrying around the table. “Would you mind if I were to kidnap your Lady for an important task?”
They shake their heads simultaneously, squealing lowly before Ramona jerks out of her happy trance, “Oh, I’m coming with you.”
She hands her towel to Mirella, and we walk out of the kitchen, reaching a meeting room on the ground floor which is already filled with piling documents as we have been rehearsing the trial for days.
“I’m so tired just by seeing this room,” I sigh, and Hendrick lays his hand on the small of my back.
“Just a few more days, Missy. And it will have made it.”
Taking a deep breath, I walk around the table, letting myself slump into my usual chair while Ramona takes her seat at the end of the table.
Hendrick starts taking files off the table and starts interrogating me while asking me random questions about the high council.
The interrogation pains my heart very badly as they practically want to throw my family, and especially my brother, in front of the bus.
I know that it has to be done in order to expose Rick and whatever he might be scheming and to keep living with my mates, but it’s incredibly painful nonetheless.
“Oh, I nearly forgot,” he says, taking a passport out of his inside pocket. “Your new identification papers came this morning,” he announces proudly, making Ramona and me cheer.
“Just in time!” she squeals as I take the passport out of his hands with sparkling eyes.
My heart stills in my chest as I read my new official name, which Cayden made me apply for to show the council my firm conviction about wanting to be with my mates.
I was honestly surprised it was even possible, seeing the pending high council order.
Letting my fingers glide onto the special paper, I smile a whisper escaping my lips. “Oh, my Goddess.”
Artemisia Blackwood
“Oh, it sounds so good,” I say as I look back up to Hendrick, making him laugh.
He is just about to take another file to continue the interrogation as the door opens and Lisa comes in with a tray filled with cups.
We stare at her incredulously, as she halts in her tracks looking at us lost. “Alberta told me to bring you something to drink.”
As she steps into the room, setting down a cup in front of Hendrick, Ramona has already gotten up to take her place right next to me.
Hendrick lifts his brow as he watches us, and I grin up at him as if the situation wasn’t extremely awkward.
After having set down the cups meant for Ramona and me, she hugs the tray to her chest. “I hope the trial goes well.”
“Thank you, Lisa,” I answer her with a smile and she turns around, walking around the table.
She has barely reached the end of it as Ramona moves, tipping over my cup as she acts like she wants to take a file off the pile.
“Oh, no,” she wails theatrically as I skyrocket out of my seat to prevent myself from getting burnt by the hot beverage.
The clear liquid flows over the table and we push aside the documents hastily, saving them from getting destroyed by the hot water.
Lisa’s eyes widen as Hendrick halts in his movements, leaning over the table to take a better whiff of the liquid now dripping off the table on his side.
“What the hell is this smell?” he growls, his eyes flashing up with rage as he turns towards Lisa.