Chapter 34
Brooke’s P.O.V
Groaning loudly, I blearily opened my eyes and sat up, rubbing my head slowly. It felt like I had been hit over the head with a shovel. Wincing in pain, I surveyed the shop and noticed Hollie and Hattie were beginning to stir. All I could remember was a loud bang and a lot of purple smoke then silence and darkness. I just hoped Elena and the baby was okay. Elena! Where was she!? Quickly I clambered to my feet and unsteadily made my way across the shop floor, looking for Elena but she was nowhere to be found.
“Elena!” I croaked out loudly, ignoring the loud thumping in my head. “Elena, where are you?”
“Brooke?” Hollie gasped, hobbling over towards me while holding her side. “What’s going on? What happened?”
“I don’t know!” I sobbed loudly with worry. “Elena is gone! The Prince is going to kill us! I don’t know what happened. One minute she was with us and then the next, there was purple smoke everywhere!”
“I know what happened,” a voice called out softly. “We were attacked and Elena has been kidnapped.”
I looked up to see Hattie hobbling towards us. Slowly, she eased herself into one of the armchairs and beckoned us over. Slowly, I sat in a chair opposite Hattie and looked at her angrily.
“Did you know that this was going to happen?” I croaked impatiently. “Where has she gone? And what was that smoke?”
“That smoke came from a potion that was made by a witch. It’s called Magikal Sleep Potione. And it’s available to buy quite easily and to make yourself at home,” explained Hattie quietly. “Elena will be long gone by now. The sleeping properties of Magikal Sleep Potione last for about forty minutes before you start to wake up. And no, I didn’t know this was going to happen. How could I!?”
“What do we do now?” whispered Hollie nervously. “She could be with anyone or anywhere right now. She could even be dead?”
“Don’t you dare say that!” I snapped loudly, shooting Hollie a quick glare. “We have no choice. We are going to have to go back to the Palace and explain what happened to Kieran. Hopefully, he will understand that this wasn’t our fault. Come on, let’s go.”
“Would you like me to come with you?” Hattie offered gently. “It may help if you had another witness to explain what happened. You know that the Prince will be furious, especially if she is carrying his baby.”
“No, it’s okay,” I thanked. “It’s best if it came from us. I don’t know what he will do to us but it was us that promised to keep her safe if she came to the city and we have failed her.”
“That won’t be necessary,” a loud voice boomed angrily. “What the fuck has happened, and where is my girlfriend?”
I looked up and my face instantly dropped in horror as Kieran stormed into the shop, the door banging loudly against the wall. Immediately after him, the golden guards marched in after him and began searching the shop for any trace of Elena. Kieran turned to Hattie and eyed her up and down beadily before turning his attention back to me.
“Who the fuck is that?” he snarled. “And why are you in a dump like this?”
“That is Hattie. She is the owner of this dump. Elena used to work here, remember?” I retorted back angrily. “Hattie is a friend of Elena’s. She wouldn’t try to hurt her so don’t you dare think she has!” We were attacked!”
“Attacked! Ha! Right if you say so,” scoffed Kieran loudly. “And you can drop your attitude. Don’t forget who you are talking to!”
“I will drop my attitude when you drop yours,” I scoffed. “It works both ways!”
“I’m warning you, Brooke!” Kieran snarled. “Anyway, you’re telling me that someone just came in and took Elena from right in front of you and you didn’t even try to stop them. Jesus, when Davina called Elena an immature little virgin bitch, that really pissed me off. But this has topped it!”
“And what are you going to do us? The same thing as you did to Davina?” I spat back sarcastically. “We have done nothing wrong!”
“I did nothing to Davina! I had her tied to a wooden cross for four hours, yes. But I didn’t hurt her,” thundered Kieran furiously. “The bitch begged me for forgiveness and me being me, I let her go, with a warning that she ever disrespected Elena in front of me again, then I’d slit her throat in front of everyone. But this takes the biscuit. You both have topped this! I’ll have your heads for this! They will be on a stake by this evening!”
“Please, sir. Your Highness,” Hattie pleaded loudly. “They didn’t do anything. We were indeed attacked. With a simple yet effective potion called Magikal Sleep Potione. Have you heard of it perhaps? It sets off a thick purple fog, that sends anyone who breathes it in into a deep sleep for at least forty minutes. Whoever has Elena, planned this attack in advance and they obviously followed her here!”
“Magikal Sleep Potione?” murmured Kieran disbelivingly. “No, it cant be? Yes, I’ve heard of it but are you sure that was what was used?”
“Your Highness, no offence, but I work in an apothecary,” Hattie smirked. “I work with potions, herbs, plants and spices everyday. I know what this potion looks like. And you can’t really mix the purple fog with anything else.”
“Reginald, take the girls back to the Palace,” Kieran ordered loudly, while not taking his steely gaze off of Hattie. “Throw them in the dungeons for now and put them under constant guard!”
“Your highness, no!” Hollie screamed out in terror. “You can’t do this! We’ve done nothing wrong!”
“Shut up!” roared Kieran, finally peeling his eyes away from Hattie and glaring at Hollie menacingly. “Throw them in the dungeon like I said. Then go and find the Commander General and tell him that I need fifty of his best men to accompany me on a small trip. I need to go some where and check something out. We shall continue our meetings when I get back.”
“Of course sir,” Reginald acknowleged before saluting. “And if the Commandxer General asks where you are going, what shall I say?”
“Tell him, that I am going to visit the Palace of Pearl.”