Chapter 865

"You never ask me to pick you up," Jesse mutters, his wolf walking a jealous path back and forth in his soul as he comes to stand close to his mate and his friend.

"Yes, but you're significantly more delicate," Midnight says with a happy sigh, leaning forward to pat Jesse on the head. He scowls and shoves her hand away. "All right, time's wasting," Jackson says, nodding up to Midnight. "To the cages?"

"To the cages!" she says, delighted, reaching a hand out for Jesse. And when Jesse – still scowling - petulantly reaches out to take her hand, Midnight vanishes

them away.

"Okay, so," I say, clapping my hands together and then turning for Pippa. "I need your help especially right now, Pips."

Pippa looks at me with wide eyes. "What on earth am I going to do!?"

"You're going to get the antidote!"

The three continue to just stare at me as Gabriel wheezes at our feet. I sigh, starting to get frustrated, needing them all to just get over their shock and on board with my plan.

"How...how do you know what the antidote is?" Elias asks, stepping towards me, incredulous. "Also, where on earth did you get poison!?"

"Where I got poison is not...currently relevant," I say, waving a hand to dismiss the question. "And I learned about poisons at school!"

“I learned.....embroidery at school...” Pippa whispers, looking again down at Gabriel, clearly shocked.

"Ariel is a very competent chemist," Ben says in explanation, resting his fingertips against his temples in a probably-vain attempt to keep his sanity. "Especially in contexts such as this. If she poisoned Gabriel, she probably knows precisely what she poisoned him with, and how much, and how to reverse the effects. Yes, Ari?"

I nod eagerly, because all of that is very true. "Yup, I can fix him! But Pippa, I need you to go to the doctor and request a cyanide kit."

She just stares at me, still shocked, so I grab her hand and look meaningfully between Ben and Elias. "I'll be back...in a few minutes!"

And then I use my dark powers to tilt back to Atalaxia, Pippa firmly by my side.

When we get there I move for the door, already starting to tell my friend what to say to the doctor to request the kit. But Pippa pulls hard on my hand, tugging me back and making me fall silent when she looks into my face.

"Is Gabriel going to die?" she asks, her voice tight, My brows raise because...this is not a woman who is scared for her childhood friend asking me. Quickly, Pippa shakes her head, her mouth a thin line. "Elias is next in line to the throne behind him, Ariel," she snaps. "And I do not want to be a Queen."

I step close to Pippa, looking her seriously in the eye. "I gave Gabriel a very small dose of cyanide," I say, fast and low. "If he gets the antidote quickly, he'll revive fast, though it will take him some time to recover to full health. If he does not get that antidote, he will die. So, if you do not want to be Queen, you need to help me with this."

She nods once, her eyes moving towards the door, and then back to me. She raises her chin, her jaw clenched.

And my heart drops because...I know what's coming next.

"That man," she says, her voice tight. "That...Ben. Is he...my Alpha's mate?"

I put a hand on her shoulder and nod once. "Yes, Pippa. He is."

She swallows hard, her eyes flicking back and forth as she processes the news. "Is he a good man?"

"He's the best of men," I whisper. "And like a brother to me."noveldrama

Pippa exhales slowly and takes a moment to close her eyes, and bow her head, and tuck...whatever emotions she's having deep in her soul. Then, brisk and assured, Pippa nods once before she heads to the door. "I'll be back in this room in fifteen minutes. Please be here."

"I will," I promise her, watching as the proud woman moves to the door and deftly opens it, stepping out into a noisy hall that is - as Ben indicated - more chaotic than I've ever seen it.