The Lycan King's Puppet-Chapter 100: Deep Thinking

She could only return to the window and wonder about her sister. If she didn’t follow the woman’s instructions, what exactly would happen to her sister?

Uncle Jarren.

Why wouldn’t he just leave them alone? He had no use for her? Why did a man old enough to father her have such an obsession over her? He was her father’s half brother for heaven’s sake! Blood had to matter, it just had to.

If someone could talk sense into him...

Someone familiar started approaching the beach, holding towels in his hand.

It couldn’t be who she thought it was - servants would have been flocking around him. What King carried his own bathing towels?

But Yeren didn’t strike her as such a King. If not, she would have been treated as one in her station ought to be treated, regardless of whether he had a fancy for her or not. But for some reason, it wasn’t so. She felt like a peer of the realm assigned to serve wine.

Sun caught on the person’s long, silky black hair.

Setting the towels down on a nearby rock, he removed his robe and slid into the water.

The person disappeared underneath the surface for a few minutes before resurfacing. His hands smoothed his hair back, exposing his face to her view.

He was facing her direction.

Her gut had been right from the very beginning.

It was him. He liked to swim? The urge to go slower to see him in full view rather than from a high tower window that made him look a lot smaller than he was, was nagging at her. Yet Claire remained rooted to the spot, waiting to glance at her by mistake.

And he did. He actually did, she couldn’t be mistaken. Her stomach swirled as their eyes met through the distance. She wished she could see the expression on his face - and she hoped to the heavens that he wasn’t frowning.

She hated it when he was frowning. And the very fact surprised her.

Then he dipped back into the water and vanished from her view.

A tired sigh escaped her. Rory had just complained about her over-thinking habits, but how was she to grow out of it when their lives were constantly being threatened.

She would have loved nothing more than to tell the King and have him rescue her sister - but the woman had warned against that. Besides, what even made her think that he had her best interests at heart. After all, he was the one who put her in the very position she was standing in.

If her father were still alive...

The only option she had was to give herself up to protect her sister. But Aurora would worry the moment she’d realize that she didn’t return with the King’s party.

And she’d think that she abandoned her.

It was better than watching her sister get harmed because of her refusal to comply, wasn’t it?

She watched the water for a while before going to climb her best. A tear dropped from her eyes, soaking the linen of the pillow.

She hadn’t realized she’d been crying?

"I cry a lot these days - and it never fixes my problems."

What if she put a sword through Uncle Darren’s stony heart? Would that end it all?

But the answer stared mockingly at her. Another Maelstrom of chaos would begin, starting with her imprisonment and beheading - if the society would be merciful enough to give her a quick and less torturous death.

She’d once read that wolf-less women were flayed for their crimes. Claire cringed at the thought.

She turned away from the darkening sky, placing her back to the window - she didn’t want to be constantly reminded that midnight hovered ever so closely.

Her thoughts ran through possible things that could happen. What if they still harmed Aurora even when she followed obediently? Didn’t Rory have a guard? How did they even plan to infiltrate the palace guards?

Except... they had accomplices within the castle. People like Maria. If Aldrich could have a spy in the castle, that meant none of the servants could be trusted.

She needed to tell Yeren somehow. But how would she do that without implicating herself? How would he look at her when she’d tell him about her mission as Aldrich’s spy?

Those were thoughts for another day, she told herself.

The room darkened until she could no longer make out the solid form of the door. The candles were unlit, emitting a fragrant scent as they sat on their sticks, waiting to be lit.

She turned away from them, staring up at the ceiling. What was the point? The darkness suited her just fine. She always kept the light on in case Aurora came to her room, but there was no Aurora here. She was alone for the first time in her nineteen years of existence.

Completely and utterly alone.

The grandfather clock chimed twice.

The chime couldn’t only mean one thing - midnight.

How fast was time flying? She thought it was just nigh into the middle of the night.

Claire rose from the bed and ran to the window. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Everywhere was quiet. She could see no one below. The heap of towels were still there, though.

Perhaps they had been forgotten, she said inwardly.

No one knocked to serve her dinner. She received no call to attend any dinner. Had she been completely forgotten?

Claire sat at the foot of the bed to put on her boots. It would be a long night.

As she sat there, she remembered the way she had sent Andon away. The intention had never been to be harsh - but she didn’t want him to see how terribly shaken she was at the time.

Even now, her hands were still trembling. It didn’t stop, even when she tried to hold it still.

There was no time to bother about that.

She slipped out of the room, surprised that no one stood guard outside her door. Since Terrence left, she felt unguarded.

The hallway was lit with fire torches hung high up in the sconces on the wall.

Anybody passing would see her. And what would be her explanation? She was touring the house at night? She wanted to watch the waves?