Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 18 Is It Really Warren?

I tried my best not to let my irritation show on my face as I digested the name the redheaded girl had just divulged.

She was under the impression that my brother might be the one person on the planet who could save the life of the woman I was meant to have a child with.

I needed to concentrate on the fact that the blood within the girl was the most vital part of the equation to me. I had no reason to want to see any harm befall Ciana. She was nice enough, I supposed, but to me, her true value lay in the blood coursing through her veins.

“Shall I send for Prince Warren, Your Highness?” Dottie asked me respectfully.

“No,” I said immediately, my voice stern enough that everyone in the room flinched. I took a deep breath to steel myself. “I will fetch him myself.”

The moment I walked into the hallway, my head cleared a bit, and I felt like I could pull a full breath of oxygen into my lungs. Something about being in that room with all of those concerned people had been like a weight on my shoulders. But now… my thoughts were sharper. I could sense reason.

Winding my way to the other side of the palace where my brother’s rooms were, I took my time.

He only needed to give it a try so we could see if it worked, but there was no need for him to know that Ciana was fond of

him….

Two guards stood here, neither saying anything to me but making a sign of respect. Unlike me, Warren was constantly surrounded by people. They knocked and opened the door for me.

My brother was clutching a book in his hand. “Oh, Theo,” he said, setting the book aside. Obviously, he was enjoying a leisurely evening. “What in the world brings you here?”

“I have a bit of an issue, and I was hoping you could help.” I tried to keep my tone as relaxed as possible.

Immediately, my overly helpful brother snapped to attention. “Of course. What is it?”

“One of the girls who is here as part of Father’s task was unconscious. Dottie thinks it may be a sleeping spell… a curse of some sort. There’s a possibility that you might be the one to wake her.”

“That sounds just awful!” he said, resting his palm against his heart. “The poor girl! Why does Dottie think I can be of

assistance?”

“I’m not exactly sure,” I lied. “I guess… perhaps… you know the girl… well?”

“Who is it?” he asked, leaning toward me slightly as he shook his head. “I haven’t spent much time with any of the girls. They are here for you, after all.”

Why did I feel relieved? Whether he knew Ciana well or not had nothing to do with me!

With a sharp nod, I tried to forget all of the times I had seen him with her myself. “She’s called… Ciana, I believe,” I said, forcing nonchalance into each word

“Ciana?” he repeated, his eyes widening. “Oh! Oh, no!”

dripping from the question even though

few times. Such a

she?” I asked, folding my arms. “I guess you know

attendant now?” Warren

they all sort

I’d be happy to try and do what I can,” he said, putting on a jacket. “Although, I

realized that he

me… I wondered how much of our conversation

hardly spared her a glance and simply walked past her, signaling to

“Your Highness! Please!”

We both stopped.

she here for me or you?”

over at

is one of the eighty girls father got for you, right? I thought she

withheld the food

Warren, Sir,” she said, dipping her head. Then, she

evening, Miss-?”

studying sleeping sicknesses like this one for many years, and I don’t believe one exists

our conversation?” Warren

“Sir, I believe it’ s a curse that’s been cast on her, and if you are to touch her, you could also become a

inconsequential as her!”

right time. I was about to step forward and pull Warren away when I heard him say, “Miss Chambers!” His tone was sharp. “I will decide for myself

keep speaking about your peer that way! You made fun of her for feeding the animals and made demands of her while she was

glistened in the girl’s eyes as she looked up at

turned around, a more determined look on his face

that he had put the other girl in her place and was resolved to help Ciana, but I didn’t particularly like that he was

arrived at my chambers, Brook was still there, sitting on a settee across the

For a moment, I let myself imagine she was resting, dreaming, and I wasn’t able to peel my eyes away from her. But then I forced those thoughts from

face as he studied her. He picked up her delicate hand in his and stroked it gently.

him to touch her hand, had I? I pulled her hand out from

couple hours,”

“Poor girl,” he sighed.

fingers to her forehead, if you are truly the one she wants

quite told him all of that, and I could see he was surprised. “But why would she -” He stopped talking, his shock

sentence.

Brook said from her seat across the room. “She

at Brook, and the two of them smiled at one another for a moment before he returned his attention

Ciana.

It must have been because I was so worried about not being able to