A friend or a Foe?

Crickets…yes the screeching and grating sounds of crickets, many of them too numerous to count. Those were all she heard in the large room.

Who would have known such tiny things existed within the revered walls of Castle rock palace…or maybe she was hearing it to distract herself from the two pairs of eyes that was cast on her.

They both wanted an explanation and there was no lie possible that would be reasonable enough not to make her look like a crazy woman.

The man's face contorted in a slight frown that she couldn't miss and when the silence stretched further a low rumble came from deep within the King's chest, warning both of them.

"Farah…"

"Farah, are you there…?"

She was exerting force on the varleh link and stretching it further to reach the older serpent who was stood a distance away from the dining room along with the rest of her appointed maids. But something was cutting off the link, as if refusing to let it pass through.

Verona swallowed a lump of saliva, then another and another until something smashed on the wall right above her head leaving a scratch on her left cheek. A scream left her mouth and she put her hands over her head, as if it would shield her from his rage.

Razhal was up on his feet and she could see through a peek between her hands that his entire muscle was tensed under his skin. He towered over her by several inches and suddenly the large room became too small for him.

"Who are you?" he asked quietly.

She could not answer, in fact she dared not answer…especially when she knows it would come out a lie. But she also doesn't know her decision to remain mute was fanning the embers of his already burning rage.

"I am sure you understand me Melima…if that is even your name, but I will only ask you one last time and by the goddess you must give me an answer. Who the hell are you?"

She stared at the table desperately, like it could manifest an answer she would give the Lycan. The redhead dug her fingernails harder into the palms of her hands. Her body tremble, like the flicker of a dying candle.

And when she couldn't bear the ache anymore she opened her mouth to speak. "Well I am…"

"She is my niece Lara. The only surviving child to my late brother Vorah who died fighting for his people"

the Alpha who had been quietly watching the scene spoke up and had the unnatural couple turning towards him.

Not waiting to be asked to explain himself Gorah Braheri rushed to the king and fell on his knees with his forehead pressed tightly onto the polished floor.

"Please forgive me your highness. I have indeed committed the sin of deception and I know what punishment awaits me. It was my foolish goodwill that came in the way. Melima is deathly sick and may very well be on her way to the great beyond. How could I give such a faulty woman to you as Queen of the realm…? So I did it, I sent my niece instead since she was also a Braheri I didn't see anything wrong…it would have been a shame upon my family if the pact fell through. War was not to our favor and neither was the strife we've endured all these years…please show me your mercy my King!"

As the man was pleading, Verona watched him with her mouth wide open. She couldn't understand the words coming from the man's mouth. Was he covering for her by lying to the king?

She could swear she had never met the fellow in all her life, not even when she lived as an Omega.

She was sure he was no ordinary man, his life story was etched onto his entire body like a man running away from ghosts while still pursuing the reason the very ghost appeared in the first place. He was merely acting out a play and while watching his body vibrate as he sobbed she knew this to be so.

The reason for the ghost must be none other than Razhal and he must now see her as an accomplice in whatever strategy he had concocted against the King.

Verona had deciphered him, broken his purpose down to pieces…at least the basics. The man was still very much a mystery to her.

The Queen looked up towards the tall Lycan and found him staring down at the man in what she would describe as an uninterested gaze. He wasn't buying the fake act, but all the same he wouldn't do anything about it…at least not immediately. The Alpha would only have bought her a lifeline extension. Maybe tomorrow or next it may expire but at the moment she was alive.

King Razhal burst out in laughter. He laughed so hard his body trembled, and when it finally died down, the Lycan grabbed the jug of wine and drowned the entire content before roughly slamming it back on the table.

"So she is your niece?" He pointed towards the woman.

"Yes your Grace." the man answered right back.

"And her father is dead…?"

"Yes your Grace."

"So how long were you hoping this lie would last Gorah. A year, two years or even a decade?"

The man was silent for only a few seconds before answering. "I am sorry your highness, but I was never prepared for this lie to be revealed. Think of the risk that would be, to have the entire realm know that the Queen was an impostor sent by me was sure to only lead to my death and that of the rest of my family. I would have let it die with me rather than let another ear hear of it. Please forgive my Niece. She was only acting upon my wishes"

"hmm…they did say you are quite a…unique man, but hearing you speak was sure a revealing experience. Such heavy secret you were prepared to bear…should I call you patriotic, cunny or just foolish?"

"Any term you deem fit your highness"

He nodded once at the reply from the man and without any other words, the King matched out of the room without sparing a glance towards the Queen who still sat unmoving.

Once he was out she stepped out of her chair and walked to the man who hadn't yet raised his head from the floor.

"Why did you do this…why cover for me when you know I am a fraud?"

Her question seemed to have set off something in the man's head because he was instantly on his feet and his hand cupped the Queen's neck. He squeezed her neck as if trying to snuff life out of her.

"I should be the one asking all the questions here. What have you done to my daughter? Where the hell is Melima!"