CHAPTER 112: INVESTIGATE

The walk through the palace corridors was unusually quiet.

Lumina’s hand was looped through Ashen’s arm, her fingers curling lightly against his sleeve as if to anchor herself.

Stella did not come along this time around. Since Ashen himself insisted on escorting his wife.

Lumina rested her head on his chest, not minding if she would get talked about by people. But their peace did not last long.

As they turned a corner, here Prince Adam and Lady Serena appeared.

Ashen stopped with Lumina still in his arms. He leaned his head in a respectful bow. "Drop me," Lumina whispered.

Ashen wanted to hesitate but he could tell she won’t be happy if he didn’t so he did what she wanted and Lumina followed suit, her blindfolded head dipping gracefully.

Adam’s mouth curled into something between a smirk and a sneer.

"Congratulations," he said casually, "on being accepted to work with the royal physician. But don’t think that means you will be able to touch the King."

Lumina’s lips curved in a polite, unbothered smile. "Thank you, Your Highness,"

Before Adam could respond Serena smacked Adam’s arm. "You promised me you wouldn’t cause trouble today," she scolded lightly, giving Lumina an apologetic look.

"Lumina is a friend."

Ashen’s head tilted at that word ’friend’. His gaze slid to Lumina, having that questioning look.

Lumina couldn’t see the look, of course, but she felt the shift in his energy and the way his arm tensed faintly beneath her touch.

"Whatever," Adam let out, throwing his hands up.

"I was just saying what everyone is thinking. I will go with my..."

"You got married to the crown princess not too long ago," Ashen interrupted, making Adam freeze, blinking as if he hadn’t heard correctly.

"Excuse me?"

"You already have a mistress," Ashen proceeded. "And you don’t even mind what the realm says about it."

Adam’s eyes bulge out. He had never heard his younger brother confront him like this.

Ashen had always been the obedient one and the shadow that stayed out of the way. Hearing him speak like this was almost unthinkable.

"Don’t push me, Ashen," Adam warned.

"Ashen, that’s enough," Lumina reprimanded him quickly.

But Ashen’s attention was now on Serena. "Lady Serena," he called, "I would advise you to look for a better option than my brother. He isn’t worth it."

"Ashen!" Lumina called again, more urgently this time, but he only glanced at her briefly before returning his icy stare to Adam.

Adam’s temper finally snapped. "You...!"

Ashen smirked, as though amused. "You are the crown prince, Aren’t you supposed to do things that people will praise you for?" he fired at him.

Adam tilted his head, a cold chuckle escaping his lips, "Are you still mad for being punished,"

"It’s not the first time you have had me punished," Ashen replied. "Why should I be terrified now?"

Adam’s fist clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He nearly reached for his brother’s collar, but Lumina acted swiftly, positioning herself in front of Ashen.

"Crown Prince," she called respectfully.

"I apologize on his behalf...Please, let it go. He is still recovering from the previous punishment."

Adam’s anger wavered momentarily as he gazed at her. An odd, unfamiliar sensation stirred within him at the thought of her defending Ashen.

Defending the very person he had spent his life tormenting.

"You..." Adam’s voice trailed off, filled with disbelief. "You are protecting him?"

Before Lumina could respond, Ashen interjected. "Surprising, isn’t it?" His tone was low and cutting. "Finally, someone cares for me." Adam recoiled, stunned.

Without another word, Ashen stooped and lifted Lumina into his arms as if she weighed nothing.

His gaze locked onto Adam one final time before he passed him, completely disregarding the Crown Prince as he carried Lumina directly toward the royal physician’s chambers.

Adam remained motionless for a moment, his expression blank, until a sharp slap echoed on his back.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, spinning to face Serena. "That hurt."

"Yes... and maybe it will teach you something," Serena snapped. "None of this would have been so embarrassing if you had just let them pass like a gentleman."

"Serena..."

"Go back to your wife," she cut him off, her tone sharper than usual. "You don’t need to accompany me anymore."

"What? No...." he reached out, grabbing her shoulder before she could turn away.

"Why are you acting like this?" he asked, his voice softening. "You know I do care for you, so don’t get his words twisted in your head."

Serena’s eyes flickered as she smacked his hand away. "Excuse me? You ’love’ me, but you have let your own brother call me a mistress in the middle of the corridor? How do you think that makes me feel?"

"I will take care of him," Adam said immediately.

"Let it go!" Serena shot back. "You were the one who insulted his wife first. He only retaliated."

Adam’s mouth tightened. "You can’t be friends with Lumina. She is my enemy."

"She isn’t mine," Serena retorted without hesitation.

"Serena," Adam growled.

"I am sorry about that," she said coolly, "but Lumina isn’t someone anyone should make an enemy of. Your sister is already suffering, you don’t want to end up on Lumina’s blacklist too, do you?"

"What are you talking about?" Adam demanded, baffled.

"She protected Ashen just now," Serena let out. "Defended him without hesitation. That should tell you enough about where her loyalty lies. You keep fighting your brother like a spoiled child, and one day you’ll regret it."

Adam scoffed. "She’s just a blind girl. What more can she do?"

Serena only exhaled slowly. She knew power when she saw it and there was something in Lumina that warned her not to underestimate her. But she couldn’t explain that to Adam.

"Just be careful around her," Serena said finally. "That’s all I am going to say."

"Serena... wait. Don’t walk away from me," Adam called as she turned to leave but she ignored him, her steps quickening.

Adam groaned, running a hand through his hair before turning back towards the hall only to nearly collide with Ceryes.

"What now?" Adam snapped, annoyed.

"You should be cautious," Ceryes stated calmly. "Princess Lumina has already gained the king’s favor. He personally stopped the incense burning in his royal chambers."

Adam’s eyes widened. "Why would he do that?"

"Because it was poisoned," Ceryes replied.

Adam’s blood ran cold. "Poisoned? Is the king alright?"

"He is recovering," Ceryes said calmly.

"But you should focus on yourself, Crown Prince. Picking fights with Prince Ashen isn’t the primary concern you should have."

Adam frowned. "Then what should I be worried about?"

Ceryes’s eyes gleamed as he leaned closer. "The princess. Do you genuinely believe she’s blind?"

Adam froze. "What are you implying?"

"She intervened just now, preventing your attack before you could even touch Ashen. Does that sound like someone who cannot see?"

Adam stared at him, as he recalled how she had moved so quickly to stop him from hurting Ashen. He also recalled that this wasn’t her first time, she always knew how to curb their issues once it was about to go physical.

"Investigate," he instructed instantly.