Chapter 78 Who is the Monster?

Chapter 78 Who is the Monster?
Rosia's Pov

I pour a cup of hot tea for each of my mates while the morning breeze blows my hair over my face. Aerion gently pulls it back before picking up his drink. I hated our first picnic, but I have finally grown to like eating outdoors. 

Aeries and Aerius scowls after tasting the tea. "That's the first bitter tea I have ever tasted," Aerius comments with a laugh. 

I frown because I made the tea. I thought it was a good idea since Aerion was the one baking our cake. And we were doing something without involving the servants. 

"Oh dear, you have never cooked before, have you?" Aerion asks after tasting his.

I was a slave not a Servant, of course I have never cooked before. The only tasks I got were those that involved cleaning my stepsisters dirt. 

"I only cleaned for stepsisters. She knew how to cook well. They all did." I answer.

"And look how they turned out," Aeries adds. 

I shrug my shoulders. "You already liked her," I remind. 

"Only because we were stupid then," Aerion defends. 

I think it's best to forget the past since everything is okay now. So I smile. "We got here in the end," I say and we all smile. 

Everyone starts enjoying the meal until we hear the sound of footsteps and turn to look. My mate's new assistant, Silas is running towards us with a worried look. 

"Your majesties . . ..," he pauses to huff in tiredness.

"Take your time," Aeries says while taking time to drink his tea.

"Your majesties, we just discovered, the body of one of your most trusted servants in the servant quarters this morning," he reports. 

Aerius sets his cup down. "People die every day, Silas. Summon the doctor to ensure it wasn't a fever or a plague. If it's natural, have the body removed and sent to her family with a pouch of gold as payment for her last tasks."

"It wasn't a disease, Sire," Silas says . "She seems to have been... slaughtered."

The kings raise their eyebrows in astonishment, so do I. 

"Who would slaughter a servant inside our palace? Have you found out who?" Aeries furiously questions, standing up from the ground.

"We haven't done any investigation yet. We thought we should let you know first," Silas answers. 

I was hoping we would have a little more peaceful time before another problem arose. Seems happy ever after was never meant for us. 

My other two mates rise as well. "Guard our mate, we will take care of this," Aerius requests their assistant.

"I am coming with you. I was already full anyway," I state.

They nod and we walk back to the palace. Curious servants cluster outside the door but are ordered to step back away as soon as we arrive.

"Look, someone smashed the door," I points at the broken lock and we enter the tiny servant room.

On the floor lay the maid. She was one of the senior staff. Her body looks gruesome like she was attacked by something with claws, huge ones. It suggests a wolf, but it would have to be a very big one and a standard werewolf would have gone for the throat to kill quickly. But the attacker here ripped her entire chest off. Her bodice seems to have been shredded to give way.

"It's too big to be a wolf," Aerion says, his nostrils flaring, "And it's scent... it’s not a weird."

Can it be the monster my mother was talking about? I know that sounds ridiculous. I mean I didn't want to believe what she told me so I concluded that she's traumatized from her time as slave and believe me it does things to your head. That's why I didn't tell my mates about it. But what if she's right?

"Someone must have seen what attacked her. Expecially her close colleges. Find anyone who saw or heard anything and bring them to our throne room." Aeries orders and their assistant nods taking the guards with him.

We have just stepped out of the room when I see mother and Rhea approaching. 

I quickly move to intercept them. I would rather my sister doesn't see that.

My mother's face already looks pale with worry. "It's the monster that killed that servant? isn't it." she questions a little too loudly, attracting the attention of people around us.

I obviously can't tell her if it is or if it's not.  

"No one really knows what happened.
It looks more like she was attacked by a big wolf that tore her chest off, nothing like a monster." I tell but for some reason the color drains from her face instantly.

"So it ate only one of her body parts? That's exactly what the Monster does. She screams. "Let me see the servants body."

"Mother, calm down!" I urge as she's now shouting and I'm blocking her way.

"You don't understand, dear. It’s here! The monster is here. It followed us!" she shrieks and now everyone is looking at us with curiosity. Even my mates have come to stand beside me.

"Mother, please, you’re scaring everyone," I whisper feeling really embarrassed. I actually do believe her a little, but this is not something we should talk about out here in public. Everyone is already staring at her as if she has truly lost her mind. 

"There is no such monster. It's just a wolf, my lady." One of the guards says.

"A wolf?" my mother shrieks, pointing a trembling finger toward the room with the servants body. "A wolf doesn't pick and choose the parts it likes! It’s the monster! And it will be looking for it's next victim! It’s within the walls of this palace!"

I shake my head in disbelief and she quickly turns to my mates."You have to kill it! It’s going to eat my girls!"

The hallway is quiet. Everyone gawking at her. 

"It’s a Beauty-Eater!" Mother says to my mate. "It attacks only the pretty ones! and my daughters are in danger."

My mates stand paralyzed, exchanging looks of pure confusion. 

"Get her to her chambers," Aerius orders shaking his head. "And get a physician to check on her."

"No! no! no!"Mother screams. "If you do not believe me ask Alpha Nolan." 

The guards immediately takes a hold of her arms and force her to walk with them.