Chapter 286

"Is there anything that you might know?" I asked Alex, hoping that he would have some insight into all of this.

We stood in Grandma Jo's living room, and the weight of our collective worry hung heavy in the air.

Prince Alexander's gaze flickered with guilt and determination. "I may have overheard some conversations between my father and Dr. Mills, but I didn't think it had anything to do with you."

My heart sank at his words, the implications of his revelation chilling me to the core. "What were these conversations?"

"They spoke of experiments, of harnessing the power of those without magic to create an unstoppable force," Alex continued.

I swallowed, realizing what this meant. The King's ambitions were far darker and more insidious than I had ever imagined.

"What kind of experiments?" Lucas pressed, his voice edged with urgency.

"I didn't hear all the details, but it seemed that my father was seeking to enhance the abilities of those without magic, to turn them into weapons," Prince Alexander explained, his jaw clenched with anger.

Professor Black's expression darkened, his brows furrowing in concern. "This confirms my suspicions. The injection you received, Shana, was likely part of their twisted experiments."

I swallowed hard, the realization sinking in like a heavy stone in the pit of my stomach.

The King had seen me as nothing more than a pawn in his quest for power, a means to an end in his ruthless pursuit of domination.

It almost reminded me of someone I knew. I turned to look at Lucas, and it appeared he shared the same sentiment. Kendrick and the King might've had more in common than I thought.

I was just so confused... the King had shown me a side of him that I thought could be trusted, but in my gut, something had always told me to be wary of him.

I should've listened to that part of myself more.

"Do you think he's running experiments on more people?" I asked.

"I had heard whispers, rumors, but I never imagined..." Prince Alexander's voice trailed off, his expression haunted by the weight of his father's actions.

"What do you mean, Alex?" Lucas pressed, his tone edged with urgency. "What was the King planning?"

Prince Alexander's jaw clenched as he struggled to find the words. "My father... he believed that the wolfless, those without magic, were inferior. He saw them as nothing more than pawns in his grand scheme for domination."

My heart sank as the truth of his words settled over me like a dark cloud.

The King's ruthless ambition knew no bounds. It appeared that he was determined to get what he wanted, no matter what the cost was. Even if that meant harming me.

I had unwittingly become entangled in his twisted game.

"So, I was just a pawn to him?" I whispered, the bitterness of the realization bitter on my tongue.

Prince Alexander's expression softened with sympathy. "I don't think he ever saw you as just a pawn, Shana. But he saw your potential, your strength, and he wanted to use it for his own gain."

"That's alarming," Professor Black spoke. "Are you certain that there's no other wolfless you can think of that the King has as a prisoner in the palace?"

Prince Alex frowned. "I'm not sure. I never visit our dungeons..."

"We need to find out," Lucas interjected, his voice tinged with urgency. "If there are others like Shana who have been subjected to these experiments, we have to help them."

Prince Alexander nodded in agreement. "I'll do some digging. I might be able to find out more about what my father's been up to, and if there are any other wolfless being used in his schemes."

"That means there are likely others like me out there," I realized, a sense of dread creeping over me. "Children who were experimented on, manipulated, all in the name of power."

Professor Black's expression darkened with understanding. "It's a pattern we've seen before. The King's obsession with control is to be expected. He sees himself as a savior, but in reality, he's nothing more than a tyrant."

Professor Black realized his words and looked at Prince Alex. He flinched. "I'm sorry, Your Highness. I mean no disrespect to your father."

"No, you're right." Alex nodded firmly, his face utterly serious. "What my father is doing... whatever he's planning... it's wrong. I want no part of this, and I'll do anything I can to stop him."

Professor Black nodded in acknowledgment of Prince Alex's words. "Your Highness, your willingness to stand against your father's tyranny speaks volumes of your character. We need allies like you in this fight."

Prince Alexander offered a solemn nod in return. "I'll do whatever it takes to make things right, to undo the harm my father has caused. And please, call me Alex."

"Here we go with this again," I muttered under my breath to Lucas, but Alex heard me anyway.

Alex chuckled. "I hate the title. It's easier this way. No need for all the formalities."

Lucas grinned. "You're sure you don't prefer for us to call you Princess?"

Alex shook his head. "Absolutely not. I'll leave that title to someone else."

"Fair enough," Lucas said, nodding.

"As amusing as this banter is," Professor Black interjected, "we still need to focus on our next steps. We must stop the King before he unleashes further chaos."

"Agreed," I said, feeling a surge of determination.

"First, we need to focus on neutralizing the effects of that serum," Professor Black added. "We can't afford to waste any time. Shana's health is at risk."

"We'll need to figure out what exactly was injected into Shana," Lucas added, his brow furrowed in thought. "And then find a way to counteract its effects."

Professor Black nodded in agreement. "We must act swiftly, but cautiously. The King is not to be underestimated."

"Then let's get to work," I said, feeling a sense of urgency coursing through me. "We can't let him get away with this."

"While you guys do that, I'll try to figure out what I can at the palace," Alex said. "I'm sure I can capture some sort of evidence against him."

"You think there's evidence of this?" I asked, realizing how detrimental that could be to our cause.

"It's possible. My father usually covers all his tracks, but maybe there's something that slipped through the cracks. The palace is full of secrets."

"Be careful, Alex," I said, concern coloring my tone. "We don't know what lengths the King might go to in order to protect his plans."

Alex nodded, his expression serious. "I'll keep my guard up. But we can't afford to delay. Every moment counts. And out of all of us, my father trusts me. He would never assume that I could betray him. I'll use that to my advantage."

"Don't worry about us. We'll figure out how to get whatever was injected into Shana, out," Lucas said, tightening his grip on my hand. "We won't let him get away with this. We have to stop him before he can hurt anyone else."

Prince Alexander sighed, putting his hands on his hips. As he looked around the room, a smile formed on his lips. "Well then. We can't waste any time. Lives are at stake. Let's get to work."