SWNOVELS Chapter 139
It took two weeks for the news of Abby conceiving the king's firstborn to reach the capital, but less than twenty four hours after that, rumors spread like wildfire back in the Silver Moon pack. "It's as if this is all premeditated, to create pressure on both you and the Queen." Dax clicked his tongue, feeling disgusted with their dirty tricks. "What are they even trying to do?"
He couldn't understand the motive of the person who planned all this crap. They had their doubts and some people didn't fit the roles at all.
"Were they being used blindly?" The royal gamma thought of a lot of things, but he still couldn't solve this mystery.
"What if they were finally letting the power hunger consume them violently?" Micah looked deep in thought.
"Eventually it was all working in that dark sorcerer's favor," Dax provided his insight, his expression a mixture of scowl and chagrin.
Even a blind person could understand this, but dwelling on it was of no use. "Is there any news from Mirella?"
"She must be back soon, she said she needs a few days at least to investigate that place thoroughly before leaving," the royal gamma told Micah what the witch told him. "How is Abby doing?" "She still has a long way to go." The king was being evasive, but how could his gamma not understand what he wasn't saying?
"Give her time, she will come around." Dax didn't look that bothered. "She is stronger than she lets on."
"That she is," Micah agreed.
They both saw how the girl immersed herself in the investigation to reduce the effect of those rumors circulating left and right out there on herself.
"It will help get my mind off of it," she said, when he asked her to just give it a rest for a few days.
However, it wasn't easy for her even then, because no matter what she did, Abby felt like people around her were pinning her with this strange gaze.
Some at least faked decorum, but the majority of the boot lickers she accumulated since her return to her so called old pack had been evading her.
"People's hearts are even stranger than their minds." Abby thought to herself as she couldn't help but shake the image of the few maid servants that were just whispering until they were going to bite each other's ears off.
"Stop, Alyssa." Abby grabbed her maid's hand, because the girl looked like she would blow her top any second now.
Abby's hearing might be normal but Alyssa's was exceptional. Even though those three omegas behind them were talking in really low voices, until Abby couldn't hear, Alyssa could hear most of their words and the girl was feeling indignant at them.
"It's not worth it, let's get on with our work," the queen told her maid, who was accompanying Abby in this investigation since Dax was a bit busy right now.
"What are you gossiping about all day long?" A stern voice echoed behind her and immediately, Abby could see those maids jump out of their skins.
"No- nothing, nothing." The omegas parroted, clearly scared that they were caught in the act. "Oh, we still have something to do in the kitchen, pardon us, Lady."
"A bunch of scaredy cats," the woman spat at them, before she turned around and floated to Abby's side. "Don't let anything get to you, Abby."
"I won't, Mirella. Thank you for just now." The girl was genuinely grateful, because she was feeling a bit uncomfortable until a few minutes ago.
"Next time thank yourself after teaching them a lesson," Mirella clicked her tongue, feeling Abby was too softhearted. "You are the Queen, you don't have to tolerate anyone."
"Okay, I'll remember that," Abby smiled at the witch. "So I reckon you just got back from the woods?"
"Yes, give me like..." Mirella thought for a moment, as if debating something before her green eyes flashed. "Twenty minutes. I need a nice, long and hot bath after wandering in the woods for days."
Abby chuckled at her expression and after deciding on the place, she hurriedly called over Alyssa. "Get the kitchen to prepare something sumptuous for Mirella."
Twenty minutes later, Mirella finally made an appearance in the now makeshift study of Abby, where she could see a mini spread of delicious food on the table.
"Wonderful, join me." Mirella pulled Abby to the table, where she had her first proper meal in days. Seeing her eat with gusto, Abby also felt her recently dulled appetite improve again.
"I didn't know what I expected by asking you to go there, but if you did find anything strange, we can analyze our theories now." Abby was being genuine with the witch, when the latter asked what made her feel the urge to investigate that groove.
"That groove is the strangest place I have ever seen in my life," Mirella began after finally pushing her plate away. "There are traces of both magic and dark energy there. It's no wonder you were creeped out by those gates, though."
"What else did you find out?" Abby was a little bit excited now. She already sensed what Mirella had to say, she just wanted to find out why her instinct told her to be extremely careful around there. "Something very interesting." Mirella's eyes flashed again. "If my hunch is correct, a great battle seemed to have taken place in that place."
"Between a magic user and a dark mage?" Abby almost guessed the good part, and then chatted away with the witch.
Apparently, that place was no ordinary place after all, because Mirella found a substantial amount of evidence to connect it to the place where Calpin was confined by that great witch all those years ago. "And another fun part is, the pathway was created during that battle, that was why the air there is a bit strange." Mirella's voice was brimming with excitement.
"If you believe that place was where that great witch had confined Calpin, then the cave should be behind those rusty gates, right? So the cave was also created by magic?"
Abby found the whole thing very fascinating, if this was the case, to be able to wield such powerful magic, the great witch indeed lived up to her reputation, and Abby felt her admiration for her ancestor sky rocket.
"Those rusty gates and the invisible barrier before it seems to serve as some sort of layered constraining spell." Mirella revealed her findings and Abby couldn't believe her ears.
This was too weird to be coincidental, at the same time, incredibly fascinating.
"So, you believe your theory is flawless? And Calpin's prison was there?" Abby asked the witch.
"Yes, because, I felt the traces of dark energy suffused into the air around there suspiciously similar to Calpin's dark magic." Mirella was a hundred percent sure after realizing this part. "And don't you find something else is strange?"
"What?" Abby was still reeling with all this information. She didn't believe they would discover such a place just because she felt there was something off with that place.
"It's just five hours away from the Silver Moon pack." Mirella folded her arms across her chest.
"The pack where my mother used to live..." Abby immediately understood the witch's words. "Did she end up here to keep an eye out on that cave?"
"This only solidifies my conjecture."
Mirella knew the legend of the great witch and dark mage by heart, so it was only normal for the descendants of the great witch, who were now turned into guardians of that cave, to live nearby that cave. After discussing a few more things, Milessa retired to her guest bedroom, reminding Abby to convey her findings to the king.
"Okay, go and rest for now." Abby sent Alyssa to send off the witch. "On your way back, make a trip down to the healer and get my medicine."
Later that night, after they had their dinner, Micah stuffed a candied fruit into his mate's mouth, when he saw her grimacing really hard to swallow her medicine.
"Pregnancy is no joke," Abby muttered to herself, making the king chuckle. After the heavy conversation they had about that groove and the rogues' activities, it was pleasant to see him carefree like this. "But you are finally putting on a little weight," Micah remarked, wanting to remind her that it had some perks.
Abby couldn't help sigh, because her mate was correct. She was indeed too skinny, not at all suitable for carrying a baby. So she didn't dare to complain even in her heart, while taking her medicines diligently. She was going to give birth to the king's firstborn, so she was going to give her all in.
But then she pouted a little. Did he mean he didn't like her body before? But he did it with her, so he should like it, right?
"What are you thinking with that pretty little head of yours?"
"Oh nothing," Abby blushed a little, feeling embarrassed for thinking about the baby making process all of a sudden. It made her body a little hot.
However, her sudden arousal hit the king and he felt his mouth go dry. "Your scent betrayed your thoughts, little one."
While Abby was still struggling to push those thoughts to the back of her mind, she suddenly heard Micah's voice in her ear, and her face flushed crimson immediately.
She wanted to duck, but the king was swift when he snatched her around the waist and brought their bodies impossibly closer.
"Do you want it?" The king was teasing her now and the girl in his arms looked like she wanted to dig a hole to hide in.
Seeing her being so adorable, Micah couldn't resist her anymore as he crushed her lips with his. But Abby could feel how gentle he was being with her while they were entangled on the bed.