Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 224

CAS SANDRA

I knew my statement was blint and honestly, quite bold to blurt out, but I couldn't
stop myself. I still had no idea if Rona could be trusted, but I supposed I had no
other choice. I needed someone on my side who could curb Kaleb’s power, and
Ronald appeared to be my only option. As a sorcerer, the king's cousin was
immensely talented. He could be the key I needed to make it out of this intact.

I opted not to tell Ronald what Kaleb had mentioned about the milisman. I didn’t
quite believe what the king of Yurene had said because it sounded far crazier
than anything I could accept, but on the other hand, something in my gut told me
not to bring it up. If Kaleb was correct and the talisman had something to do with
me, being utterly frank with Ronald could be dangerous

Ronald stared at me for a moment with an expression that was both full of awe
and concern. He raised a dark eyebrow at me and remained silent for what felt
like an eternity, but finally, he cleared his throat and raised his chin slightly.

“I suppose I should keep my promise and tell you the story you desire to hear,”
he remarked, his tone airy and borderline lofty. “But it will take quite a while for
me to explain, so I will tell you over the course of a week.”

While I wasn't thrilled by this, I agreed to the plan. We would meet every so often
over the next week, but only in short increments. I couldn't stay too long in the
tower, or else I would mass suspicion.

We began the next day, and by the end of our first meeting. I realized I hadn't
been as prepared as I thought to hear these

stories.

I had always known that Yurene was built on war and the bloodshed of smaller
Packs, but I didn’t know how it was ruled. Our history lessons in Wegalla were
limited when it came to the Northern regions, and I felt completely out of my
element as I listened to Ronald's recounting. These were all things that the
citizens of my country deserved to know. If I was lucky enough to make it back to
Anemond, I would tell Asher that we needed to adjust curriculums to include this
information about our Northern neighbors. It was crucial for us to be more
knowledgeable.

With each story Ronald told me, I kept being shocked by the savageness. He told
me of cruel tortures that I thought only existed in ancient tomes: burning at the
stake, tearing and severing limbs, waterboarding.

I was even more horrified to learn that these methods of torture were still being
actively utilized. Ronald told me that if 1 wanted to see it with my own eyes to
confirm that he wasn’t exaggerating the facts, he could take me to the grounds
where the executions took place. He mentioned that the amount of torture had
been reduced these days, but in the past, they occurred daily.

I left every encounter with Ronald sick to my stomach, and on numerous
occasions, my insides were so upset that by the time I returned to my chambers,
I sprinted to the bathroom and retched until I ached.

Erika would wait outside the door with a glass of water, and after accepted it
gratefully, she would sit me down on the bed and rub my back. She would remain
silent until Finnick was asleep, and once we were certain he couldn't overhear
us, I would share what Ronald had told me.

My dear maid was even more shocked than I was, but she managed to hold her
disgust inside and simply shook her head in

disbelief once I finished.

“This country is so savage,” she would whisper. “More than we could have
known. You must be careful, Ca ss andra. Promise me you'll be careful.”

1 assured her daily that I would tread lightly to avoid these savage tortures
myself, but with every passing interaction with Ronald, my fear grew more
intense

I hadn't believed Kaleb to be so dangerous when I was in Anemond, but now that
I was here in his homeland, I knew he

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Chapter 224

wasn’t what he seemed-Under the cool exterior was a brutal, potentially violent
man, whose savagery knew no b

On what Ronald told me would be the final day of storytelling, he presented me
with the most brutal tale yet. It w more sickening than the ones prior, and I hadn't
been remotely prepared to handle it all.

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“You mentioned to me a bit ago that you only survived because you were a
sorcerer,” I said once we sat down. “What did you mean by that? Were there any
disasters here in Viokwell? What did you survive?”

“Disasters?” Ronald repeated back, and he seemed amused by the idea. “Well, I
guess you could say that what happened here was indeed a disaster. A tragedy,
one that happens every few decades.”

“Go on.” prompted him as my curiosity swelled.

There was a brief pause, and then he continued.

“I suppose that in Wegalla, when the old king is about to die, his heir would be
his eldest son or daughter?” Ronald remarked, and when I nodded, his
expression grew somber. “It doesn’t quite work like that in Yurene. According to
the tradition here, the king's firstborn child doesn’t necessarily become the
rightful heir to the throne. If multiple offspring exist, they must compete for the
crown.”

My lips parted in surprise. “Compete?”

Had I heard him correctly?

Ronald continued. “Yes. They must take part in a tournament. All eligible heirs
are locked in the dungeon of the castle, and once the doors are closed, they
must fight and slaughter their opponents. The one who survives to the end of the
tournament rings a bell. The ringing of the bell is the only way to get out of the
dungeon. During the tournament, no food or drink is provided. It usually takes a
couple of days for the bell to be rung

His solemn look grew even more serious.

“If more than two are found on the other side of the door, the dungeon gets
locked again and fighting continues until only one remains. Whoever lives takes
the throne.”

Achill ran down my spine and I shook my head slowly.

Death or the crown.

There was no third choice.

Such savagery was incomprehensible.

“My father died competing with Kaleb’s father, Ronald revealed quietly.
“According to our country’s tradition, my mother and I were supposed to be
executed. I was just a babe then, but my life was meant to be forfeit to avoid
future vengeance. But Kaleb's father didn’t carry our sentence out because my
mother was a sorceress. She was too precious to waste.

His soft blue eyes grew distant and welled up slightly.

“Kaleb’s father locked her in the prison tower and made use of her when
needed.” he lamented. “After I was born. I too became a pawn”

I'm so sorry, Ronald,” I whispered.

He simply nodded and then cleared his throat and rolled his shoulders back
“You asked about Kaleb, he stated, and then his eyes locked on mine with great
intensity. “You should know, Cas sandra, that the tournament of tradition didn’t
happen among Kaleb, his two brothers, and sister. He killed them all before the
tournament could even be scheduled”

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Chapter 224

I gasped sharply and my eyes widened.

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“They were all killed in their sleep by Anubis, a well-trained killer, and a nasty
opportunist,” Ronald said with a slight snarl. “I suspect that Anubis was meant to
take my life as well, but he didn’t go through with it because I'd already come into
my magical powers and had gained alliances in Yurene. Kaleb probably realized
he couldn't kill everyone just on a whim, so he allowed me to stay alive.”

Even though I wanted to, I didn’t say a word. I could never imagine how it felt to
kill a sibling. I didn’t even want to imagine. Ector meant the world to me. I could
never kill my own brother to gain power.

“I suppose this is the final part of the story,” Ronald mused, and then he folded
his hands in his lap. “I've considered your proposal Ca ssandra, and I see the
potential of our alliance. We share some of the same good values and wills. You
want to stop Kaleb and return to your country, while I want to change Yurene and
stop its traditions of savagery. But... I have one condition before I can agree to
this.”

“What is it?” I asked cautiously with a raised eyebrow.

Ronald leaned closer to me. “You need to agree to marry Kaleb. It's the only way
you can get close to him and find out what he's planning.”

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