Chapter 46
“It looks like whatever was in that chalice, was laced with poison,” the doctor grimaced at us gravely. “Someone wanted Greta to drink whatever that liquid was. Could you think of anyone who it would be?”
“What were you even doing down in the town anyway?” Kieran butted in quickly. “Didn’t your last adventure teach you anything?”
“Firstly, I’m not tied to this Palace. I can come and go as I please,” I retorted back hotly, glaring at Kieran’s audacity. “Secondly, I went to Greta’s to find out about the Deadly Nightshade. We think it came from Walter’s Weedery.”
“Oh, if that’s ever a dark and desolate place to go,” the doctor hummed, shooting Kieran a knowing glance, before glancing down at Greta’s body on the bed. “Does this woman have any friends or enemies, or even family?”
“She has a daughter!” Hollie blurted out while screwing up her face in disgust. “I’ll give you three guesses on who it could be!”
“Davina?” Kieran murmured slowly while looking at Elena in shock. “Do you think she would have been capable to kill her own mother though?”
“I don’t know if I’m honest,” I shrugged casually. “But from what her mother was saying, Davina hasn’t seen her mother since the day she was bought up to the Palace. Even when she was untied to the Palace, she told her mother that her new life was with Carlton and that she didn’t need her mother anymore.”
“What if she killed her mother to keep her mother silent about the Deadly Nightshade?” Brooke questioned loudly. “Davina knew that we were investigating your grandmother’s death. Kieran even made an announcement stating that if the murderer was found, then they would meet a sticky fate.”
“Of course!” exclaimed Hollie excitedly. “Where else are you going to go and ask about Deadly Nightshade. It was known that we had already visited Hatties, and Brenda’s are shut down. It was obvious that the next shop would have been Greta’s!”
“Hmmm. It’s possible,” the doctor murmured while searching around in his pocket, before pulling out a scrap of paper and handing it to me. “The guards searched the shop after we left, and they did find this. Make of it as you will.”
“This is just a simple gift, to make up for the past. May the future be ever brighter. Love the beloved one,” I whispered slowly, racking my brains in thought. “Wait! The beloved one? Greta mentioned the beloved one, just before she died! Who is the beloved one?”
“I’m not sure but it sounds like a code,” the doctor frowned while scratching his head. “What else were Greta’s last words?”
“Be careful, my princess as the end is nigh! The beloved knows and Thana is coming for you. It’s too late for me! This is my punishment for helping the Sunray!”
“Well, correct me if I am wrong, but Thana is Greek for death. So death is coming for you,” warned the doctor slowly. “I’m not sure about Sunray or the beloved one?”
“I know what Sunray is!?” Kieran blurted out uncomfortably. “I looked up the name when Elena moved here. Elena’s name is a Hebrew name and it means ‘Light, Sunray, Shining!”
“So Greta’s message basically means death is coming for you. It’s too late for me! This is my punishment for helping Elena?” Brooke hissed angrily. “Right, who the fuck is the beloved one because no one is going to ever hurt a hair on my girl’s head. I swear to god, I’ll ram my dagger so far down their..!”
“Alright Brooke, calm down for a minute,” I breathed, placing a hand on Brooke’s arm comfortingly. “We need to know what was in the poison. Doctor, can you find out?”
“Of course, I can, but I’ll need a few days,” the doctor nodded surely before waving to the body. “What do you want to do with this one?”
“Just bury her in the city graveyard,” growled Kieran. “She doesn’t need a Palacial interment. Soon as you find out what was in the chalice, I want you to let us know. Got it!”
“Of course, Your Highness,” the doctor nodded before turning to walk towards his office and out of sight.
Kieran turned to look at me sadly as he extended out his hand. Shaking my head, I stepped back and frowned slightly.
“What do you want Kieran?” I snapped while folding my arms. “I told you. I need time and space!”
“Elena, he loves you,” Hollie whispered, trying to nudge me discreetly towards Kieran. “Just go and sort it out with him. Look how hurt he is!”
“No! He needs to learn!” I argued back stubbornly. “First off, you need to apologize to Brooke and Hollie and show that you mean those words. Secondly, you need to show me that you are sorry and that have actually grown up!”
“I’ll do anything to get you back in my arms,” Kieran croaked while trying to keep a steady face. “ I can’t live like this, knowing that you’re in my Palace but I can’t touch you, or be near you, or even love you. My heart is breaking Elena!”
“Well, maybe this is how you will learn from your mistakes!” I replied coldly white biting my lip. My own wolf was howling with despair and I knew she wanted Kieran badly just as much as I did but I had to take a stand. “Anyway, like I said. You can make a start by apologizing to my friends!”
“I know what I did was wrong and there is no amount of sorry that will ever change what I did,” growled Kieran slowly, looking thoroughly sorry for himself. “if there is anything I can do, to make it up to the pair of you, then please let me know. I’m not a bad person. I just did a shitty thing to both of you and it was out of order. I am so sorry. Please, forgive me?”
“It’s okay, I understand?” smiled Hollie gently. “Elena is just so stubborn. Me and Brooke are both fine, but I accept your apology wholeheartedly. But there is one thing that I would really, really like, Sir!”
“And what may that be?” Kieran asked, genuinely interested as he smiled gently at Hollie. “Say the words and I’ll make it happen!”
“My mother and father are poor and I know that they struggled to afford to keep me and my little sister,” Hollie began, tears beginning to prickle in her eyes. “I always promised my sister that I’d be there for her. But being up here in the Palace means that I can’t do that. I want my sister bought up to the Palace so that I can look after her!”