The Alpha: Claiming His Enemy's Daughter
Chapter 318: EXCITEMENT IN HER INNOCENT EYES

Chapter 318: EXCITEMENT IN HER INNOCENT EYES

"Why do you make poison that looks like candy? What if someone else ate it?" Iris frowned. She wouldn’t eat it, but someone like Ethan and Redmond, who tended to put anything into their mouths, would surely be tempted.

Yet, Haco only shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Just to pass the time. I am so bored here."

The frown on Iris’ forehead only deepened. Who would make poison in their free time? But then, this man had his own antics.

"What if I ate that?" Somehow, Iris was curious. For her, magic was fascinating, but poison was something she was not familiar with, thus it piqued her curiosity.

"What? Do you want to poison someone? Poison is a better suit for women," Haco teased, but his expression looked so eerie. "You will be sneezing nonstop if you ate it."

"Is that even poisonous?" From what little information Iris knew about poison, wouldn’t the end result be fatal?

"One will sneeze and cough up blood until they die."

Iris grimaced, this sorcerer indeed knew how to keep the best for the last. "Are these poisoned too?" Iris waved her hand on top of the table and watched Haco nod proudly.

"My latest hobby," he said, as if he was talking about his proud child.

Iris glanced at the few weird things on the table, there were, at least, fifty items there. In less than three months, he managed to create that many poisonous things.

She couldn’t fathom what other weird things he would do if he was left to his own devices.

"Hey, don’t you want to know more about magic?" Haco asked Iris excitedly.

Meanwhile, Cane listened to their conversation from the side. His bottomless black eyes seemed deep in thought, as he stared at his mate.

"I am not a magic user."

"Who knows?" Haco shrugged his shoulders.

For his question, Iris gave him an indefinite answer, as Cane let her decide on her own what she wanted to do with the offer.

They didn’t stay for long in the lodge and when Cane was done with his business there, he took Iris back to the orphanage, but before that, he made sure Prince Kellan was not around and Iris was fine with it.

It was not the orphanage itself that she feared. Actually, she quite enjoyed her time playing with small children there. They would ask her politely to touch her hair and she would happily oblige.

"Your hair is so soft!" A little girl around the age of eight squealed in delight when she touched Iris’ hair. She was fascinated, as she touched her own hair, which was very disappointing, because hers was so rough and was not at all fluffy. "The color looks like the sky before sunset!"

The other three children chimed in, complimenting Iris’ hair, while Hanna stood by her missy’s side, but from her expression, it was very clear that something was bothering her. She was smiling, but it didn’t reach her eyes and she was less enthusiastic.

On the other hand, Cane was talking to Avid, he was in charge of all the warriors he put here, as the warrior gave him a thorough report, but occasionally, his eyes would drift to his mate, as she looked so radiant, smiling at the children and talking to them with passion.

It had been a while since the last time he saw her smiling that happily and it was a refreshing sight to see.

"I will go to the palace next month!" Joyce said happily. "Can you please tell me how big the palace is? My sister said the palace is veeeerrry biiiig!" She spread her arms out to show how big she thought it was. She had a round face with freckles on her nose, which looked so cute.

Meanwhile, the other three children urged Iris to answer them. They became so comfortable with her so fast, as they didn’t shy away from her and one of the little girls at the age of three even climbed on top of Iris’ lap and sat down, while playing with her hair.

Right now, they were sitting on a bench, while the grass started to sprout on the ground since the snow had melted, though the wind was still a little bit chilly.

"Yes, the palace is so big and beautiful," Iris said, smiling. "Who will take you to the palace?"

"Prince Kellan!" Joyce said, her eyes lit up with excitement when she talked about him. "He is my favorite person!"

Reading what she said, Iris felt like she was having a heart attack. All of a sudden, she was having a hard time breathing, while Joyce continued to talk, unaware of what was wrong with her.

"My sister already went to the palace two years ago when she turned eight and Prince Kellan said, he will take me to stay in his palace too with my big sis once I turn eight!" Joyce couldn’t stop grinning, while tapping her legs, showing her enthusiasm. "I am so happy to be with my big sis and Prince Kellan is so nice! He said I can eat whatever I want and I can also dress prettily!"

Iris stopped reading what Joyce was talking about, as she had a flashback. She shuddered and the toddler on her lap squirmed and frowned because Iris held her tightly without her realizing it.

"Pain..." the baby said, as she tugged Iris’ hair to get her attention. "You are hurting me... "

It was Hanna, who stood behind Iris, that finally realized what happened, as she shook Iris’ shoulder. "Miss, are you okay?"

It took a while for Hanna to get Iris snap out of whatever dark thoughts she was thinking at that moment.

"Take her..." Iris said breathlessly, she clutched at her chest, indicating for Hanna to take the baby on her lap, while the other three children looked at her in confusion.

"Are you okay?" Joyce asked, she was smart for a kid her age, as she sensed something was wrong with Iris. "Did I say something wrong?"

Iris shook her head, she stared at her, wanting to say something, but there was no word that came out of her lips. She opened her mouth, but there was no voice, her mind was reeling, but she kept shaking her head.

Don’t go!

That was what she wanted to say, but she couldn’t tell her why she shouldn’t go. She was so little and she looked up to Prince Kellan so much, she was very excited to finally have a chance to wear nice things and eat delicious meals.

The elation in her innocent eyes and how she talked passionately, telling how nice and great a person she thought Prince Kellan was, crushed Iris’ heart.

Everything was a haze, as she kept shaking her head, until Cane tapped her shoulder.

"Go and play somewhere," Cane said to the other children, he ruffled the three year old baby’s hair in Hanna’s arms and told them to leave with her.

"Cane..." Iris whimpered when it was only the two of them. She couldn’t cry, but she was having a hard time breathing, her body turned so cold.

"Breathe, Iris. Breathe." Cane held her hands and looked her in the eyes.