Louisa's POV
I looked up and saw Zackery walking into the tent with a tiny bottle in his hands.
"I saw Jafar standing outside and he gave this to me. It's time to take your meds, brother." He said and handed the bottle to Zabel.
Zabel took the bottle and sighed.
He screwed the cap of the bottle and raised it.
"To the Red Queen," he toasted.
Then, he lifted his head and drank it up.
I saw sparkling tears running down his cheeks.
He put the empty bottle on the table, turned away, and left.
"Zabel..."
I frowned and stretched out my hands towards his back, but my hands were held by Zackery.
"He gets emotional and talkative if he doesn't take his meds. I hope he didn't disturb your rest, little girl," Zackery said.
"Zackery, what exactly happened to him? He doesn't look sick to me... I mean..."
Zackery said, "That's because we've got the best physician and the best medicine. That pop on the table is worth fifteen grand. And he has to take five pops per day, so you do the maths."
"He was talking about the Red Queen..."
"It's a fascinating story, isn't it? Questions just keep popping up. He shouldn't have mentioned that to you, for every family is allowed to have their secrets." Zackery winked at me and said.
"What was the Red Queen about to do to you?" I asked.
Zackery held me up in his arms and let me lean against his chest as a cushion.
"She wanted to ask the druids to change Zabel into a woman. And she wants me to make him pregnant and give birth to the heir of the throne," Zackery said.
He didn't look particularly emotional when he was talking about this experience. He looked as relaxed as ever.
But on the contrary, I was too shocked to say anything.
Zackery looked down at me and smiled gently.
"It's OK, little girl. It's all past," he said.
"But how could that be possible?! Zabel isn't a woman! He's a man!" I said.
"The druids promised to use the Star Amber from the Underground City to make it happen. It's complete nonsense, but the Red Queen was mad enough to believe them. That was why she was busy helping the druids to look for the passageway to the Underground City," Zackery said.
I was terrified. My body was shivering all over.
Zackery lowered his head to peck my forehead with his lips, and said, "She was a horrible woman and she was mad, little girl, but she's dead now. Dead people don't come back and haunt us, so we're safe now."
"But... The warlock named Derek... Do you know anything about him?" I frowned and asked.
"Why would I know anything about him?" Zackery frowned and asked.
"What happened to him later?" I asked. "He's Darren's brother. Darren said he was severely tortured and killed by Lucas. But Lucas said he didn't do anything like that."
"So one of them must be lying. I wonder who he is," Zackery said. Then, he smiled again at me and said, "I don't want to see your eyebrows twisting like this, little girl. Zabel was born sad and that's why sometimes he dragged other people down with him. I, on the other hand, don't like negative energy. I would like to put some positive thoughts in your mind. For example, I have already found out who had put wolfsbane in your tea."
"Who did it?" I asked.
"What do you think?" he asked. It seemed that he would like to make things deliberately mysterious.
"I drank from the kettle when Mana and Mata took the tray of breakfast to me this morning, and I was fine. I didn't leave the tent until Josephine was making a scene outside. So the window of someone putting poison in my tea was very short. Nobody hated me more than Josephine in this camp, but she was arguing with me outside the tent, so..."
"She was making her own alibi. She deliberately shouted and drew everyone's attention before her maid sneaked into your tent and put poison in your tea," Zackery said.
"But I didn't have proof," I said.
At that time, I heard some noise outside.
I recognized Fokka's voice.
"We have to see Miss Louisa. It's very urgent."
"Sorry, it's His Excellency's order that you can't get inside," a soldier said.
"But she said we need to report to her as soon as possible."
"Let them in. He's my personal guard. I asked him to spy on Josephine and report to me when he finds something," I said to Zackery.
"You're getting good at this, aren't you?" Zackery smiled and walked towards the entrance of the tent.
A moment later, I saw Fokka's face in my sight.
"Oh, mine. Miss Louisa. You look as pale as a piece of paper," Fokka wiped the sweat on his face and said.
"Don't worry about me, Fokka. What's so urgent?" I asked.
"We've found a maid. Josephine asked someone to execute her, but we saved her. She told us what Josephine had done and it was outrageous, Miss Louisa," Fokka said.
"Where's the maid?" I asked.
"She's with Chaser in the stable now. Do you need me to bring her here?" he asked.
"No. I will go to the stable. Help me out," I said, trying to get up from bed.
Fokka stopped me and said, "Miss Louisa, please stay in bed. I can't see any color on your lips. You look really unwell."
"I need to talk to the maid. She's the witness and Josephine will want to kill her. Take Mick and Lynel to the stable right now and stay with her. You have to protect her," I said.
"Yes, Miss Louisa," Fokka said.
Then, all of a sudden, a ray of silver moonlight poured into the tent through the window. I looked up and saw a full moon slowly cruising out of the clouds.
Fokka's body started to tremble.
"Oh, no... It's a full moon's night... I'm going to shift... Miss Louisa! I can't... control myself after I change... I have to... go back to the... stable..."
Before he could finish his words, his body started to arch and thick brown hair started to appear on his arms.
He struggled out of the tent, rolling and crawling on the floor. Then, he took a leap into the darkness.
At that time, Will rushed into the tent and said, "Louisa! There are wolves everywhere and they are attacking each other! They are out of control!"