The Lycan King's Defiant Surrogate
Defiant Surrogate 55

Chapter 55 1060%,

Madeline, Molly, and I all watch the growing hole on the floor until it finally stops hissing. As I place the now-empty teacup back on the table. I'm positively fuming, Molly looks pissed too, but I'm sure for different reasons. She likely wanted me dead. Madeline seems

utterly indifferent to the whole ordeal now.

"Well," she says, "It was a longshot. But you can't blame a girl for trying"

I could blame her. I absolutely could blame her! The bitch just tried to poison me! And she doesn't even seem embarrassed at the plan having failed!

Something snaps within me. "Do you have any idea the lengths Ive gone to keep you safe from Caleb's wraith? At any point, I could have told him that you were the one responsible for my cut, or my missing wardrobe, or any of the other bullying tactics you've tried to spring upon me. He was furious enough to want to harm you. He even threatened the whole harem.

neet"

The more I talk, the more Madeline does seem to finally react. Yet, instead of the guilt or realization I might have hoped for. she just seems more and more angry.

"You think I need anything from you? I am the favorite consort she says, her eyes like icicles, her voice cold as a blizzard.

The King could have come to me with your accusations and I would have set him straight. He would have believed me, not

you."

Maybe that's true. Maybe it isn't.

From what I've seen, Caleb prefers action first, investigation later.

I don't want to believe myself powerful enough that he would have listened to my guidance blindly, but Madeline wasn't there when these conversations occurred. She didn't see how mad with rage he was.

She also might be inflating her own value. The King has no loyalty to any of us. I doubt he would spare me either if the rumors say I committed some terrible act.

The King is plagued with paranoia. He sees dangers in shadows when there aren't even shadows.

You are out of your mind if you really believe that," I tell her.

Madeline's lips twist into a frown. "This is why you don't belong among us, Harlot. You dream above your station. You think yourself worthy of the King's ear. But you need to wait your turn. I have been patient for a very long time. It's my turn now." She glances at something behind me. I start to turn, but it's too late.

Something hard comes down on the back of my head and I instantly black out.

I wake up again with a headache and a creak in my neck. I think 'm lying down. That can't be right.

I try to move, to correct my uncomfortable posture, but my hands are bound. Are my ankles tied together as well?

Blinking open my eyes, I replace myself in a very enclosed space, wooden planks above me.

Oh, gods, is this a coffin? I want to panic, but I force my breathing to slow, reminding myself of the breathing exercises Bethany taught me earlier.

No, I'm not in a coffin. I can tell because there is light coming in through the slats of the wooden planks. Looking up through the slat, I see the underside of a table. The cushions on the chairs are purple and teal.

This is Madeline's room. A 1. under the floor?

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Chapter 55

There doesn't seem to be anyone in the room right now. Everything is quiet.

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Struggling against my bonds, I try to scream, but there's something in my mouth, keeping me from making any more noise than a smothered muille. The bindings at my wrists and ankles are tight.

Madeline and Molly didn't kill me. I can't see that as a blessing when I have no idea what they plan to do with me next. Why hide me away like this? Unless she wants to make me aware of my slow and painful demise. Does she expect me to cower? Maybe she'll eventually free me to see if I've learned my lesson.

I can only hope, because inside, I am shaking, terrified that I'm going to die forgotten in the dark.

Bethany knows the last place I went. That's a comfort. But no one is likely to listen to her.

Caleb

ate that my heart cries for him now. He's a murderous, blood-thirsty monster. He won't want to rescue me. If anything. he'll probably be relieved that I'm gone.

Caleb stands under the spray of the shower, as the hot water droplets beat down on his tired skin. Beneath him, the water runs red where it circles around and around the drain.

Eventually, after enough time, the water finally clears.

Caleb continues to take his time, however, careful to thoroughly wash and scrub every inch of himself.

The blood upset Harper. Scoffing, he reminds himself that it would likely upset anyone he encounters. He needs to be clean to more easily calm any who would talk to him.

None of this has anything to do with Harper.

Satisfied that he's clean enough, he leaves his shower and allows his attendants to dry him with fluffy towels and then dress

him.

As he leaves his chambers, he thinks of heading to Harper's room for a massage. He does have a headache coming on.

But then he decides against him. He doesn't need Harper. He's never needed Harper. He was fine before she arrived and he'd be fine with her hiding from him.

Let her be afraid. Everyone else is.

Caleb walks down the hallway and enters his Hall instead. Tristan is there, meeting with one of the heads of the kitchen staff. He nods at Caleb as he enters. Caleb keeps walking and steps up onto the stage. There, he plops himself down on his throne. His headache pulses, pounding violently against the front of his kull. He rubs at his forehead with his hand, but it does little to quell the pain.

"Forgive me!" says a sudden female voice at the entrance to the hull.

Caleb glances but it is just a handmaiden. He ignores her as he is prone to do. These slaves do not deserve their own voices. Anything they have to say can be said through their mistresses. "Forgive my intrusion," the woman says as she comes closer.

Caleb signals, and one of the guards moves in, roughly grabbing the slave by the arm,

She's persistent though, and tries to tight against him.

"King Caleb, please! It's about my mistress! Harpert"

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Caleb continues to ignore her. He doesn't want to hear anything about Harper right now.

"She's missing?" the woman shouts.

That claims Caleb's attention. Tristan's too. They both look at the girl now.

Caleb signals to the guard, who allows her to come closer now.

Looking at her, yes, Caleb does recognize her as the woman assigned as Harper's handmaiden.

"What do you mean she's missing?" Caleb demands. "Did she attempt to flee?"

"No, sir," the woman says quickly. Then hesitates. "I don't think so. She was afraid of you for a moment, my King. But then no! Madeline came and invited her to tea. Harper went and never came back." growl starts in the back of Caleb's throat.

He's known about Harper's bullying for some time. He just needed a name. Now, he has one.

Madeline.

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