Chapter 55

"Have you seen it?"

"Yeah, it's kind of hard to miss." One of the women giggled. "How romantic. Who knew the king was so possessive?"

Tina frowned, turning her head and straining to hear the rest of the conversation.

"It makes you wonder how much is true and how much Tina made up just to seem important," the other one said. "I mean, Maria has been here since before Tina and she said that Luna Olivia was never marked."

Tina gasped, covering her mouth. It was impossible! There was no way that tramp had been marked by Adolph. Her mistress had languished about Adolph's unwillingness to mark her, bemoaning tradition and his sense of propriety.

*He says it's about tradition, but I know better. She'd said. He just doesn't want to mar my perfect skin. He loves me so much. He's so gentle*

Tina had had her doubts about it then, but Olivia had been so in love and Adolph was obviously in love with her as well, so she hadn't thought about it too much. Tina had never been marked either, but she knew one thing was for sure: the urge to mark your mate was the true mark of your wolf's desire and love. No werewolf had found their mate could ever resist the urge to mark someone.

Especially not a werewolf warrior who was notoriously close to his wolf.

It was impossible!

"Well, if a servant reflects their master, I don't think we can believe much of anything about Luna Olivia," one of them said. "Tina's such a cruel person. I can only imagine how much worse her mistress was."

Tina flushed and turned. She'd deal with whoever they were later. Right now, she had to verify it for herself. There was no way that little wench could ever take her mistress' place. They were wrong. She asked a few maids where she would find Laurel and was pointed to the ballroom.

Tina burst through the doors of the ballroom full of fury. Laurel turned towards her and Tina froze, gasping in horror at the red mark on Laurel's neck, peeking from the neckline of her dress. She couldn't believe it. It had to be a mistake or someone else's mark!

"You-" Tina gasped faintly. "You-You! My mistress-You can't!"

Laurel frowned at her, "What are you trying to say?"

"It's not right!" Tina screamed. "You did something, you little whore! There's no way His Majesty would mark you!"

There was no explanation for it. Adolph loved her mistress. It was why he never married after her death. Everyone knew how much they loved each other. She knew how much her mistress had loved Adolph, pining after him day after day while he was on the front line before and after they were married.

Laurel narrowed her eyes at her, "Tina, I don't care what you think."

"Just admit it!" Tina shrieked. "Some other werewolf has marked you! That man you left the castle with probably! The idea that a whore like you-"

Lynn growled, stepping between Laurel and Tina, "Watch your mouth when addressing Miss Laurel."

Tina growled at him, sneering up at him, "Let me guess, you marked her!"

Lily glared at her as Lynn stepped forward.

"Stop," Laurel said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay."

Basil came in through the door with Delia. Delia turned bright red as Basil's jaw dropped open, staring at Laurel's shoulder.

Tina let out a horrified shriek at the glint of gold on Laurel's hand. She recognized that ruby and the golden filigree from the painting in the hall of rulers. She remembered her mistress sighing at the portrait with longing, gazing at the lovely ring.

If her mistress couldn't have that ring, not even in death, there was no way this wench could have it in life. Tina ran at her, grabbing her hand.

"You thieving wench!"

"Get off of me!" Laurel cried, closing her fist as Tina grabbed her hand and tried to pull the ring off her hand.

"Release her!"

"Take it off, you wench!"

Laurel cried out as Tina bit her hand. She didn't open her hand but shoved her off, cradling her hand and rubbing it.

"What is wrong with you?" Laurel asked as Tina scrambled to her feet, about to run at her again. "You've lost your mind!"

"How did you get that ring, you thief!"

"What are you doing?" Adolph's voice rang out from the doorway.

Tina whirled, "Your Majesty! This girl has been spreading vicious rumors about you marking her! She's stolen from you!"

Adolph walked in calmly with Chasel just behind him. He crossed the room to Laurel and took her hand, checking the bite mark on Laurel's hand.

"Are you okay, love?"

Tina drew in a sharp breath.

Laurel nodded, "I'm fine."

Adolph nodded and looked at Tina, glaring at her.

"I've been meaning to speak to you, Tina," Adolph said coldly. Tina flinched away from him. His handsome features had turned dark and insidious in a flash. "Telling Laurel and anyone else who would listen all sorts of things you know aren't true."

He stepped forward and she fell to the ground, shielding her head and crying, "Your Majesty, I'm only-"

"Quiet, you vicious old woman!" Adolph snarled. "Apologize to my fiancée."

Tina drew up short, hiccupping, "But, Your Majesty-"

"You are only getting leniency because you are my son's childhood caretaker. Apologize before I change my mind!"

"I'm sorry!" Tina wailed, sobbing. Basil came over, kneeling and taking Tina into his arms.

"Father, aren't you being a bit harsh?" Basil looked up at his father and shivered at the dark aura around him, looming over them like a grim reaper's scythe.

"Let a nanny bite your wife and see if I am being lenient."

Basil stammered, "That's different, father! You're not even married yet and Tina-"

"I remember reassigning her to the kitchen as you had no sense of your place," Adolph hissed.

"Tina's too old to work in the kitchen," Basil said. "I've made her Delia's maid."

Adolph scoffed, "Such leniency ends. You'll be working in the kitchen from here on."

"But father-"

"Shut your mouth!" Adolph hissed and Basil flinched, closing his mouth and staring up at his father. "You have a choice, Tina, and this is your last warning. Remain working in the kitchen until you no longer can, or pack your things and return to the Mirabelle estate."

Basil gasped as Tina let out another sob.

"If you ever speak another word regarding Basil's mother to anyone in this castle, I will have you thrown out. Am I understood?" Tina sobbed but nodded tearfully before he looked at Basil. "And if you ever undermine my orders again, you will regret it."

Basil ducked his head, admonished before Adolph turned to Lily. She held still, keeping her pleasant smile intact. Adolph's expression eased, the darkness of his aura receded a bit as his fury cooled.

"Lily, see to it that Tina is given a full day's worth of work every day to make sure she doesn't have the time to gossip."

"O-Of course, Your Majesty."

Adolph turned to Laurel and offered her his hand, "A moment of your time, love?"

Laurel looked between Tina and Adolph before nodding, taking his hand and allowing him to lead her out.

Lily led Tina away from the ballroom to the kitchens and delivered the king's message to the heads of the kitchen staff. Tina seemed even angrier than before, but Lily wasn't clear about what sort of history she had with the heads of the kitchen staff.

One of the women smirked, "Of course. She can start with the dishes."

Lily looked at the tower of dishes before leaving with a shake of her head. From what she'd heard of Adolph, Tina had gotten off lightly.

After Adolph and Laurel left, Sarah left with Lynn to tend to something else, leaving Delia and Basil alone in the ballroom.

"How could he treat her like that?" Basil asked. "Tina's been here for me my entire life. She doesn't deserve to work in the kitchen."

"I know," Delia said, refraining from rolling her eyes. Tina was a spiteful woman. It was pure karma that she was under the people she treated the worst. "And the way he embarrassed you It's as if he doesn't care that you've been running the kingdom in his stead all these years."

Basil flushed as she expected he would.

"You're right, Delia! My orders are just a valid as his."

Delia nodded while laughing inside. She couldn't believe he believed that. It was true that a man's ego knew no bounds. Basil was little more than a pampered prince compared to Adolph, but using his self-importance to drive a wedge between Basil and Adolph was likely the best route she could take.

"And what does he care about Tina anyway? He doesn't care about me or my mother if he's going to marry some random seventeen-year-old girl!"

Basil ranted for at least half an hour before leaving her parlor. When he left, she felt a bit triumphant. A knock sounded on the door a little while later and the door opened.

She held her breath as Eden entered and closed the door behind him. She looked at him and before she could speak, he crossed the room. Her heart sped up as he took her hand and placed something small and cold in her hand. His eyes aren't a calm or cold as usual. There was a fire and anger there, burning bright and hot that made her tremble.

"The plans have changed," Eden said. "Advance."

Delia's eyes widened as he left without with the soft click of her door behind him. She swallowed, shaking before looking down at the little thing he'd placed in her hand. It was still cold, almost painfully cold in her hand. She looked down at the dark bottle and watched the liquid move around inside it.

Her heart stuttered in her chest as she gasped. She knew he would figure something out, but she hadn't ever thought that this would be it.

She smirked, closing her fist over the vial. If she did it right, she'd get rid of Adolph and Laurel with one move.