Chapter 40 THE CASE AGAINST THE LIES
Lucian's POV
Celestia offered to sit back in the living room and wait for me to finish my conversation with Raphael briefing about everything he needed to know so that he could act accordingly with her I asked her if she wanted to come with me about a couple of times under my breath but she kept insisting every time no that she was fine sitting here in the living room.
I had thoughts about that that counted what she said because this was the place of her torment, the place where she had to endure so much suffering when she had given them her everything, living alone seemed like a risk. What if she broke down? What if she wasn't able to take it or if somebody tried to hurt her while I was away?
She was more or less in enemy Territory right now I didn't feel good about leaving her but she leaned close enough so that I could smell how without even needing to try even while I tried not to and then she reassured me that she was going to be fine it was just supposed to be for a couple of minutes so I nodded, kiss her on the forehead making sure that has stupid ex-mate saw it pretty well before following him to his study.
Soon we were settled on two chairs with a table between us then he intermingled his fingers, head bent, and asked.
"Was that really Celestia?" The question seemed to go to me and then the other half to himself as if he couldn't believe his eyes and I had my hands on the table asking why it wouldn't be her.
He raised up his eyes not looking directly at me but they seemed to blaze with alarm.
"But she was..."
"I know everything about her past which is exactly why I'm here, I want you to reopen the case the one that sent her out of this park on exile 10 years ago, I've gotten to know her and I believe she's innocent,"
Of course it was not just her personality that made me believe she was innocent it was however what pulled me to investigate a little deeper and they were so many in flaws and holes in the arguments that was brought up before to have her kicked out it wasn't enough to make the entire case fall apart on its head but is wasn't enough to ask questions enough to have it reopened and for the judgments it was given to be questioned.
Raphael was not a recipient of this.
He flicked his tongue over his mouth as if moistening it would give him the words that he needed to see next then as he fumbled with his fingers he went on with an explanation that seemed almost rehearsed that he had done all the investigation that was needed 5 years ago and the end of its he concluded without doubt that she had definitely tried to kidnap the child of another woman.
"Was she the kind of person who could have done something like that before?" I said my anger beginning to boil he acted as if he had actually done some investigating when in truth he had probably framed her for everything just so that he could be with his mistress he was so vile just speaking to him made me sick down to my stomach he seem to retrace his steps back acting as if he was no more than a husband who had the carpets taken right off of his feet before he could fully even recognize its himself he braces himself backward and said that he had also been shocked when it happened.
"Honestly I never thought she could do anything like that she seemed like such a nice good woman and she did everything for the park I tried not to believe it at first just like you I was in denial of it all and assumed that there had to be a mistake somewhere but after the investigation keeps proving over and over again that there was no mistake what was I supposed to do other than my responsibilities as the Alpha?"
Now it was monitoring me to lean back and take a good look at him. He was really something more to a snake shifter than anything else to see how his leader was away from any responsibility at all was quite the sight. He acted as if he were so helpless and life had taken him by surprise.
He must have played this victim act over and over again until it's finally stuck and it was almost believable but perhaps it was so to other people as for me it seemed as if there was a clown trying his best act and failing badly.
"It might do you well to know that I have plans to make her my queen and for that to happen I need to clear her name so this is not just about your personal feelings anymore I'll have to prove her Innocence at the end of the day so we don't reopen the case and do just that?"
He instantly looked like the old color in his face had been washed away in an instant.
"I thought she was something like a mistress or whatever...b-but your Queen?!" He reacted as if I had just ordered him to be executed in public or something, then it seemed like he was struggling to breathe for his second or so.
Now he looked even more determined than he had been before as if he had come to a new conclusion that he could not be pushed away from no matter what anybody did or say to try to convince him otherwise unfortunately for him as I had said before his own personal petty feelings held no deciding weight in this it might slow the process down in the end but eventually I was going to have this case opened once more whether he liked it or not.