Chapter 231 It Could Destroy Your Relationship

“What did you find?” Elara asked again, taking a step closer.

Naomi lowered her head. “My Queen Luna didn’t tell me to share it with anyone.”

Elara pressed her lips together. Her fingers curled into fists at her sides.

“We brought you into Queen Emma’s chamber. We gave you this assignment.” Her voice rose. “You’re not leaving this estate until you tell me what you found.”

Naomi gave a small bow. “I’m sorry, Moon Princess. My Queen Luna told me to return the moment I found anything. She never told me to report it to anyone else.”

“Call Queen Emma,” Bernard said.

Elara snatched the device from his hand and dialed Emma’s number. She tapped her foot while it rang.

“Bernard?” Emma answered.

“It’s me, Emma,” Elara cut in.

“Elara?” Emma’s voice softened. “I hope everything is okay. Is there a problem?”

“We have a problem. Naomi found something, but she won’t tell me. Talk to her.”

There was a brief silence.

“Send her back to the estate,” Emma said.

Elara frowned and pressed the device closer to her ear. “Emma… I thought you’d tell her to spill it.”

“I’ll handle this myself,” Emma interrupted. “Send Naomi to me. Now.”

“Fine! I’m coming with her!” Elara shouted as she pushed herself to her feet.

Emma let out a small breath. “Elara, I know that voice. You’ve already decided you’re coming, haven’t you?”

There was a pause before she added, “Fine. But you’re staying with me and letting me handle the conversation.”

Elara let out a small laugh as she grabbed her cloak. “Of course I already decided. You know I wouldn’t be Elara if I just sat back and waited.”

There was a brief pause before she added, “Besides, you know I’m better at getting answers out of people than you are.”

Emma let out a quiet sigh, a small smile tugging at her lips despite herself.

“That confidence of yours is exactly why I know arguing with you won’t work,” she said. “Fine. Come with Naomi, but promise me you won’t jump to conclusions before hearing everything.”

Elara smiled. “I won’t promise something before I know the truth.”

A brief silence followed.

“But I’ll listen first. That’s the best you’ll get from me.”

“Alright, I’m waiting,” Emma said.

Maelis was walking toward the garden with a tray holding two glasses of juice. She stopped when Elara brushed past her without a word.

Elara had never hated Maelis, and she couldn’t imagine ever hating her. But the thought that Maelis had kept something from her sat heavily in her chest. She had trusted Maelis with some of their biggest secrets. She had expected that trust to go both ways.

After a few more steps, Elara slowed. She stopped, then turned around.

Maelis was still standing there, quietly watching her.

Elara walked back, picked up one of the glasses from the tray, and drained it in one gulp before placing the empty glass back.

“I’m going to the Nightclaw Estate,” she said.

“Tonight?” Maelis asked.

“Yes. It can’t wait.”

Maelis looked down at her wristwatch. “Honey, it’s six-thirty. It’s almost time for dinner.”

“I know.”

“Can I come with you?” she asked.

“Yes, you can.”

A smile spread across Maelis’s face. She handed the remaining glass to Bernard.

“I’ll be right back.”

She hurried into the house to change.

As soon as she disappeared inside, Elara turned to Bernard.

“What do you think about taking her with us?”

“I think you should,” Bernard said. “Ask her questions based on whatever Naomi saw or heard. Watch how she answers.”

“Alright.” Elara looked at Naomi. “Come with me.”

She headed toward the main building, and Naomi followed a step behind her.

“Please, Naomi. Can you at least give me a hint?” Elara asked.

Naomi lowered her head. “I’m sorry, Moon Princess. I can’t.”

Elara let out a slow breath. “Fine. Wait here. I’ll be back in five minutes.”

She walked into the house and told her guards and drivers to get the cars ready. Then she hurried upstairs and changed into something nicer.

She had just buttoned the last button on her shirt and stepped out of her chamber when she found Maelis waiting by the door, already dressed.

“Are you ready?” Elara asked.

Maelis nodded, but her eyes settled on Elara’s shirt.

“You missed a button.”

She stepped closer and unfastened two buttons before doing them up again, one by one. When she finished, she smoothed the front of Elara’s shirt with both hands.

Then she reached for Elara’s hair, loosened the knot, and gently ran her fingers through it before arranging it neatly around her shoulders.

She leaned back and smiled.

“There. You look perfect.”

A faint smile tugged at Elara’s lips. She gave a small nod, and together they headed downstairs.

As they walked, Elara kept stealing glances at Maelis. Every time she looked at her, the same thought crept back into her mind.

Please don’t let whatever Naomi found make me hate her.

Outside, the guards and drivers were already waiting.

Elara and Maelis settled into separate vehicles as the convoy prepared to leave. Around 6:40 p.m., the cars pulled away from Silverville Estate and headed toward their destination.

Inside the armored SUV, Elara shifted impatiently in her seat. She touched the intercom button beside her armrest.

“Can we go any faster?”

The driver’s voice came through the intercom.

“I’m pushing as much as I can, Princess,” he said. “We’ll be there soon. Please stay seated.”

The drive from Silverville Estate to Nightclaw Estate usually took forty minutes. That moonfall, however, the armored SUV made the journey in barely twenty-five. Princess Elara’s urgency had the driver moving as quickly as he safely could.

By 7:05 p.m., they were pulling through the gates of the Nightclaw Estate.

Queen Luna Emma and Alpha Brandon were having dinner in their private dining chamber. The chamber held only two chairs, one for the Alpha and the other for his Luna, so Elara remained standing near the entrance.

“Silverheart,” Brandon called with a smile. “How are the royal mating preparations coming along?”

“Everything is ready.”

He set down his fork. “And you? Are you ready?”

“I’m ready.” She looked at Emma. “We’re just waiting for you.”

Emma dabbed her lips with a napkin.

“Did Maelis come with you?”

“Yes.”

“Have you had dinner?” She asked.

Elara shook her head.

“Dinner is the last thing on my mind right now.”

She turned to Naomi.

“Naomi, let Mr. Richard know Elara is here. After that, have the cook prepare something for you and Maelis to eat.”

“Yes, my Queen Luna.”

As soon as Naomi left, Emma stepped closer to Elara.

“You’re eating first.” Her tone left no room for argument. “My mate and I have a few things to discuss. When you’re done, wait for me in my chamber.” she said. “I don’t want Maelis—or anyone else—listening at the door. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“I’m interested too,” Brandon said.

Emma shot him a playful look. “You’re welcome to join us.”

“Please don’t keep me waiting,” Elara said.

Emma rolled her eyes. “Are you going somewhere else today?”

“I’ll head back to the estate this moonfall. I came with Maelis, remember?”

Emma shook her head. “You’re sleeping here today. The guest chambers are empty, so Maelis can take one.”

“I wasn’t planning to stay…”

“I know.” Emma cut her off. “We still need to talk about the royal mating… and the conspiracy in the kingdom.”

Elara looked at her for a moment, then gave a small nod.

“Alright.”

A few minutes later, Mr. Richard brought Elara’s dinner and set it on the table.

By then, the cook had just finished serving the dinner. Naomi and Maelis walked to the banquet hall and joined the other servants for dinner.

Naomi spotted Paige and walked straight over to her. The two shared a quick hug before sitting down together. Maelis joined them with her tray.

“Hi, I’m Maelis.”

“Paige,” Paige said with a grin. “But you can call me ’Paige the Pretty.’”

The three of them burst into laughter.

“So, what did I miss?” Naomi asked, tearing off a piece of bread.

Paige leaned closer. “Where do I even start? The estate was so quiet without you… for exactly two days.”

Naomi laughed. “Then what happened?”

“Cook Martha nearly chased one of the new cook assistants out with a soup ladle. He grabbed the wrong spices for Queen Emma’s breakfast.”

“No way.”

“He spent the rest of the day apologizing.”

They both laughed.

“What else?” Naomi asked.

“Alpha Brandon came home from the company early almost every day this week.”

“That’s unusual.”

“I know. Every servant started guessing why. Then we found out he was just trying to steal a few quiet minutes with Queen Emma.”

Naomi covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.

“I’m so jealous of Queen Emma,” she said with a dramatic sigh. “I wish Alpha Brandon were my mate… no, I mean, I wish I had a mate like Alpha Brandon.”

Paige placed a hand on her chest. “Me too. A mate who treats me like the pretty queen I am.”

Naomi and Maelis looked at her.

“The pretty queen?” Naomi teased.

Paige tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Obviously.”

The three of them burst into laughter.

After the laughter died down, Naomi looked at Paige.

“And Ryan? What’s he been up to?”

Paige rolled her eyes. “Still as serious as ever. One of the guards smiled while on duty, and Ryan made him run laps around the training ground.”

Maelis chuckled. “Sounds strict.”

“Very.”

Paige lowered her voice. “Oh… and everyone has been talking about the royal mating. The decorators have been measuring every hall in the mansion. They won’t tell us much, but whatever they’re planning must be huge.”

Naomi nodded. “I figured as much.”

Paige nudged Naomi’s shoulder. “Enough about us. Tell me about Moon Princess Elara’s estate. Is it really as peaceful as everyone says?”

Naomi grinned. “Peaceful? It is… until mealtime.”

Paige raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

Maelis laughed. “Because if you don’t get to the dining table on time, you’ll think everyone disappeared. They finish eating so fast, and the place goes quiet again.”

Naomi nodded. “I almost thought they were avoiding me on my first day.”

The three of them burst into laughter.

Meanwhile, Elara finished her dinner and looked up at Mr. Richard.

“Please tell Naomi to come see me when she’s done eating.”

“Yes, Moon Princess.”

Mr. Richard gave a slight bow, then hurried down the hallway.

He found Naomi chatting with Paige and Maelis. After passing along Elara’s message, Naomi pushed back her chair, excused herself, and headed to the family dining chamber.

Elara turned toward the stairs. Naomi, who had been waiting nearby, fell into step behind her.

Inside Emma’s chamber, Elara switched on the vision hearth. The screen flickered to life, but she barely noticed. She stood in front of it with her arms folded, her foot tapping against the floor.

The silence stretched.

“Naomi, what you found—is it good or bad news?” Elara asked, her voice tightening.

“To me… it’s very bad news. It can affect your relationship with Bernard,” Naomi said, and her heart skipped. She did not want anything that would stop her royal mating.

“Bad how…?”

The door opened.

Emma and Brandon stepped in.

Both froze.

Because Elara’s face said everything had already gone wrong.