CHAPTER 189: SORCERER

Lumina sat alone in her chamber, waiting for Ashen to return.

He had been gone since morning, and despite how long she had waited, he still wasn’t back.

Frustration burned inside her and when she was not able to take it again she called for Stella, and she rushed in at once. Even though she isn’t well fit she wasn’t going to slack around knowing how important her lady is to her.

"Are you sure he is still in the palace? And you can’t find him anywhere, not even in his office," Lumina asked impatiently.

"Yes, my lady," Stella replied softly. "I was told he has been in the palace all morning. The Queen isn’t getting any better, so he has been there with the king and his sibling."

Lumina sighed deeply, then stood from her bed. "Take me to the palace."

"My lady," Stella protested, "you are not supposed to leave your room. You should be resting, not moving around now."

"Call Aria," Lumina said firmly. "You know I don’t have enough strength to argue with you. Just call her. You are the one who told me yesterday that she’s always close by. Let her come get me."

Stella hesitated. "My lady... but..."

"Enough," Lumina interrupted, raising her hand slightly. "Do as I say."

Before Stella could move, the chamber door creaked open and Aria stepped inside. Stella froze in shock, staring at Aria wondering how she was aware that they needed her.

"How long have you been standing there?" Stella demanded, her voice harsh.

"Long enough to hear everything," Aria replied calmly. Lumina snickered at this.

"That explains why you always have information before anyone else," she said with a faint smile, recalling how Ashen always knew her whereabouts.

"I only do what my master asks me to do," Aria replied smoothly. "I hope you won’t hate me for that."

Lumina didn’t answer but gestured for her to help her up. Once she stood, she turned toward Stella. "Go rest in your room. I will go to the palace with Aria."

By the time they arrived, the grand hall was filled with tension. The King sat at the head of the chamber with Adam, Aurelia, and Ashen standing nearby. All of them looked so worried telling that the queen wasn’t getting any better.

"Finally," Aurelia snapped the moment she saw Lumina. "For what exactly?" Lumina fired back at her.

"Don’t you think it’s disrespectful to arrive this late? You have gone about all your needs all morning ignoring the fact that the queen is sick"

"Sister," Adam warned, "you should watch your please..."

"Well, the last time I checked, The Queen has every single great physician by her side, so I see no reason why you should be mad that I wasn’t here in the first place." Lumina let out, of course, she wasn’t going to let Aurelia have the last word.

"You brat!" Aurelia fired but before Lumina could respond, Ashen stepped forward and pulled her close. "What are you doing here? You should be resting in your chambers," he whispered so close to her ears.

She placed her head lightly on his chest. "You don’t want me crying in front of everyone, do you? Then stop scolding me."

Ashen exhaled sharply and glared at Aria giving her the look that says Why bring her here. "Fine. I am sorry. Just go greet the King." He asserted, aware that he wouldn’t win this argument with his wife.

Lumina gave him a small smile and then moved forward, bowing before King Aden. Adam and Aurelia exchanged bitter looks as they watched her.

"Lumina," the King called out slowly, "even though the Queen has not been kind to you, I did not expect you to ignore her when she is ill."

She smiled faintly. "Your Highness, I am blind... I didn’t see myself coming."

Aurelia shot up in anger. "You witch! Are you pretending now because the King favors you?"

"Aurelia!" King Aden thundered. "If you continue this behavior, I won’t hesitate to send you back to your punishment."

"Father!" Aurelia gasped, her voice trembling.

"You heard me," the King repeated. Aurelia huffed and sat back down, folding her arms in rage.

Meanwhile, Adam couldn’t take his eyes off Lumina. She could feel his gaze, but she didn’t turn toward him.

"Lumina," King Aden said again, "since you are here, perhaps you should go in and check on her condition."

Lumina tilted her head slightly, realizing at once that Serena had a hand in this. "My teacher, Lord Drex, is already inside," she said. "I trust his process."

The King sighed. "Very well."

Moments later, the door to the Queen’s chamber opened, and Lord Drex walked out, bowing low before the King. His face was pale and laced with worry.

KingAden asked at once, "How is she?"

Lord Drex hesitated, his eyes flicking from the King to everyone present in the room.

"Your Highness..." he began slowly, his tone cautious, respectful. "The Queen has inhaled a highly toxic substance... a poison that has attacked her heart directly. Even with all my knowledge and skill, I fear the damage is far too deep. The poison has already spread."

King Aden’s expression darkened. "You mean there is no cure?"

Lord Drex lowered his head. "No treatment known to physicians can save her, Your Highness. This... this is beyond Herbs. The only way to cleanse her is by summoning a sorcerer."

A heavy silence fell over the room. Everyone froze at his words.

King Aden clenched his fist in anger, "You know what you are saying, Lord Drex," he questioned in a low voice. "We do not deal with sorcery in this realm. It’s forbidden."

"I know, Your Highness," Lord Drex replied quietly. "But this poison is not of an ordinary nature. It is cursed... crafted with a dark hand. Only a sorcerer can break it."

A murmur swept through the hall. Adam’s eyes darted toward Ashen, while Aurelia covered her mouth in disbelief.

Lumina, standing quietly beside her husband, clenched her fists at her sides. The moment she had heard the word "sorcerer," her heart began to race. "No this can’t be happening." she thought.