“What was his name?”
“I don’t know! She said he died of an illness or whatever months ago!”
Cassandra sighed. She wouldn’t learn any more from this man. She even doubted if half of what he said was even true. She shook her head when Kairen sent her a questioning gaze, meaning she was done with him.
“Scram,” said Shareen.
“W…what?”
“I said beat it before I put my sword up your ass! You’re lucky we have a pregnant woman here!”
The man spat blood in Cassandra’s way.
“Your wretched sister better pay me back my money, or I’ll find her and…”
His head rolled before he finished his sentence. Cassandra turned away, disgusted. Even Shareen sighed.
“Really, brother? I have to pick up the trash after you now. You couldn’t have waited for him to go and die outside...Seriously?!”
Cassandra took deep breaths, closing her eyes and focusing on the soothing smell around her. Dahlia gently rubbed her back and helped her relax a bit.
“Does this make you feel better?” asked Kairen, standing off to the side.
She nodded.
With Dahlia’s help, Cassandra had concocted a solution of lemon and verbena, and was now inhaling it from a little basin. The vapors were helping to greatly reduce her nausea. She had vomited again after the beheading, it was too much for her eyes and stomach to handle. A group of servants were cleaning the area, while Cassandra had been accompanied back to her herbal garden, where she could bask in some fresh air.
“Damn, I really don’t ever want to have children,” sighed Shareen, who was watching reluctantly next to her brother. “Shall I call Mother?”
“I’m fine,” said Cassandra. “I already feel a lot better.”
She may have to keep more of that solution close by from now on. She didn’t imagine it would be so effective.
“I will go and buy more lemons later,” said Dahlia.
Cassandra nodded, grateful. She could always grow more verbena here, even a whole lemon tree.
“Let’s skip the banquet,” said Kairen.
“Again? Brother, Father will really throw a fit. And it’s the last evening before the New Year Celebrations.”
“I don’t care.”
Shareen didn’t add anything as her brother already had his usual glare on. Cassandra also wished the Celebrations were over already, so they could finally leave the Palace. However, she still hadn’t forgotten the matter of the snake. She glanced at her fingers, which were mostly clear of any blue tint now.
“No, we should go,” she said with determination. “I want to find out who was behind that snake.”
“You think you’ll know tonight already?” Asked Shareen, interested.
Cassandra nodded and stood up, walking back to Kairen.
“Can we take a bath before we go?”
Of course he quickly agreed, and Shareen decided she would need one too, in her own apartments of course. Dahlia, who had naturally taken the lead of the servants preparing the bath, also made sure to include verbena and a bit of lemon for the water, which helped Cassandra relax even more efficiently. For once, Kairen let her bathe alone, staying by her side once he had dismissed everyone with an efficient glare.
“Those make you feel better?” he asked, looking at the plant of verbena Cassandra had brought from the garden.
She nodded.
