The Lycan King's Puppet-Chapter 75: Visit Andon

"From your secret admirer." Was written at the end of the parchment.

Claire sat upright and reread the letter. It didn’t look like the King’s careful scrawl, neither was it Zach’s - his handwriting was rather messy.

Who else could have possibly addressed such a note to her? Uncle Jarren? It

his usual illegible scribble. Lord Aldrich? She didn’t know what his handwriting looked like.

If it was him, was he so smitten with her?

Already?

She folded the parchment and buried it underneath her pillow.

After hours of scanning the hefty book line by line, she found out... absolutely nothing.

Maids had come to light candles but she barely paid them any heed.

His case had to be either unique or carefully undocumented.

Andon had almost said it... if only she could squeeze the truth out of him.

There was a knock on her door.

"Come in."

Candle light spilled through the little corridor that led to her bedchamber.

"Claire? Are you asleep?"

Claire glanced out the open window. The moon was glaring down at her, almost completely red.

The blood moon was so close...

Rory set her candle on the table and climbed the bed.

"Why are you not asleep?" Claire asked.

Rory just nestled close to her.

"I just finished my gift for Zach. I’ll give it to him when he visits again."

"Oh."

She ran a hand through her sister’s hair.

"You never told me how you got to see the King. Did the guards allow you inside?"

She flushed crimson.

"No... those men have something vicious against me."

Both of them chuckled.

Claire pulled the bed cover over both of them.

"Then, how did you see him?"

She sighed. "I entered through his window."

Rory scoffed

"We both know you’re terrified of heights and you won’t risk your life for someone you apparently despise."

Claire weighed her words. Why had she actually climbed the window?

"But, somehow I did. I just had to know, Rory. And now that I’ve seen him, I need to know what’s wrong with him."

"I’m glad you like him now. When you talk like that, I believe you."

"Like him?" She stiffened, repeating the words like they were more vile than vinegar.

"I serve him! It’s my duty to be concerned about his well-being.

"It is? Is it your duty to jump in through his window? I’ve never been to his tower, but I have seen it from below. How in heaven did you climb and where did you climb from?"

"The balcony - don’t cut my head off. I even broke his window."

"What if you fell!"

"I didn’t."

"And you keep saying you won’t leave me. You just tried to end your own life."

Claire blinked.

"But I’m still here with you, am I not?"

"Only because you didn’t fall." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"And because I became very skilled at walking on thin ledges overnight."

Despite her concern, Rory giggled.

"We should pay Lord Andon a visit."

Claire darted a glance at her delusional sister. "Now? He must be sleeping at this time." She said, even though she knew he would be doing anything but sleeping.

"I know it’s late, but people tend to babble when they’re sleepy."

"That only works with children. Lord Andon will chase us out with a sword, if he had to."

Rory lifted her head and looked at her. "That’s because you became very bothersome. But, what if your adorable sister joined you on your quest?"

Claire raised a brow. "I’m not sure that would make the situation any different, Rory."

"Don’t jump to conclusions when you haven’t tried. Put on your robe."

She narrowed her eyes at her sister. "Since when did you start giving me orders?"

Rory had the grace to flush. "Forgive me."

She snagged a dark blue robe from the dresser and shrugged it on.

Grabbing a candlestick, they left the room.

"Which wing does he stay in?"

"I don’t know."

They descended to the main floor and went down to the east wing. Very few servants were about, cleaning the hall and clearing out the dining.

She had almost forgotten that his family was still around. They were to leave after the blood moon - she had heard, but it was a pity that they saw so little of the King they came to visit.

A maid carrying table linens passed by.

The woman stopped as Claire gestured at her, but her face was anything but welcoming.

"How may I help you?"

Claire stood straighter. "We are looking for Lord Andon’s chambers. Do you know where it is, by any chance?"

The woman’s eyes darkened. Then, Claire repeated her words over in her head. How did it sound - requesting for the private chambers of the King’s first man after being rumoured to have had inappropriate dealings with the King.

Quietly, she pulled Aurora forward.

The woman’s eyes shifted to the little girl beside her. The expression in her eyes shifted from suspicion to confusion.

"He stays in the east wing. He has asked to not be disturbed for any reason." The maid gave them a small curtsey and left.

"I don’t like her. She’s rude." Rory said as soon as the woman was out of earshot.

"It no longer matters. All that matters is that we now know the way to his room."

"But he said he should not be disturbed."

"Think of it like we’re paying him a late visit to discuss important things."

Rory beamed. "That’s very far from it."

They reached the landing of the east wing. The stairs were not as tedious and endless as the ones that led to her and the King’s chambers.

She knocked on the door.

There was no response. She lifted her hand to knock again but the door opened.

"I told you I don’t want anymore... Claire?"

He was wearing no shirt, his eyes red and bulging.

He looked around her, spotting Aurora who hadretreated to the safety of her back.

"What in the world are you doing here?"