THE Knight's Hidden Princess
Chapter 145: Not Survive It

Chapter 145: Not Survive It

REAGAN POV

Killian’s visit wasn’t something that was expected. He had made no mention that he would be coming or even sent any letters. I wasn’t angry to see him just a little bit surprised to see him here. It would appear that my mother had not been aware of visit either because she would have thrown a fuss about being aware so she would have prepared. Though another thing that bothered me was the fact that Killian was here without any notice which meant one thing, something wasn’t right.

It was quite unusual for Killian to show up unexpected without any notice about his arrival. I stared at him as he inspected my study. Regal in his attire, Killian wore a perfectly made black coat with silver bordering. Every detail was infuriatingly perfect, but there was just something about his demeanor that created an unsettling impression because his shoulders tenses with a firm jaw and a troubling expression in his eyes.

The purpose definitely extended beyond normal social etiquette.

"Killian," I called him quietly as I went to take a seat while Nikolai chose to lean against the wall.

Killian turned to look at me with raised brows. "So Dahlia is going to Mount Callum?"

There was that issue too! I thought to myself with a sigh, "It will appear so. Didn’t know that it was still a tradition."

"Of course it is, Marina isn’t one to dismiss traditions like that, you know how your mother can be." Killian said, "And based on the glares she shot your way, I’m assuming you didn’t tell her about it!"

"He definitely didn’t!" Nikolai said while shooting me a glare.

I rolled my eyes at the both of them, "Will you quit being dramatic? I just didn’t tell her because I thought it would be different this time around. I don’t want her to go and I’ll talk to my mother about it."

Nikolai snorted loudly, "Yeah, good luck changing her mind!" He said and all I could do was juts stare at him.

"But it is tradition, I’m just more concerned that it is a long journey and can she really make it that far with her present condition?" Killian asked me, "I mean the baby shouldn’t be far behind now."

A tension formed inside of me at Killian words, he wasn’t wrong. My heart trickled with fear because the baby’s birth was actually near and though I despised how Killian expressed it but I also couldn’t understand why my mother couldn’t have chosen better timing for her to go through mount Callum or at least spoken with me about it first?"

Damn Hawthorne woman!

I leaned back in my seat, "She’s stronger than you give her credit for." I said maybe a little more defensively than I would have liked, "And it’s not your decision to make Killian, so why don’t you tell me exactly why you are here?"

"Guess if I told you I wanted to see how my favorite cousin is doing, you wouldn’t believe me?" Killian asked me and Nikolai and I leveled him with a look.

Sighing, Killian crossed the room and went to rest against the hearth, his fingers gently tracing the patterns of the carvings on the mantle. The fires crackled softly, casting jumping shadows on his face but it did not to soften the coldness in his tone when he finally spoke.

"Have you heard of Ember dust?" Killian asked turning to look at me.

Nikolai and I turned to share a look at the question Killian asked us. I looked up only to find Killian staring at both Nikolai and I with a frown on his face.

"Based on the reaction or lack of it thereof, I’m guessing you two know what it is." Killian stated.

"Eye of the tiger!" Nikolai responded as he straightened up from where he was leaning on the wall, "A fight enhancing drug. A golden dust which is illegal, rare and also highly addictive." Nikolai explained.

Killian nodded his head as he turned to look at us fully, "Yes, yes, that is it. A drug like no other, it can make you strong but can also drive you crazy, even cause you to hallucinate enough to make you kill yourself!" Killian said before he began pacing the room, "The ember dust is a drug common among the barbarians and I thought it got banned a long time ago but unfortunately, it has started resurfacing only just of recent and that isn’t even the craziest thing." Killian paused as he turned to look at Nikolai and me, "It’s starting to turn up inside the courts."

Nikolai and I shared another look but didn’t say anything we just waited, listening to see what exactly Killian knew before we shared bits of our own information.

"Few of the lords are taking a bit but the strangest thing is they are not using it," Killian continued meeting my gaze, "They are giving it out to the peasants and to those who are in need and they are also guiding it like a kingdom in its own right!"

Nikolai and I shared another and it also didn’t go past Killian who turned to look at us narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

"I also noticed that the more that I’ve been talking, you both don’t seem surprised at all. It’s almost like you all know about what’s going on and more than what I just found out." Killian said leveling us with a pointed look.

I turned to look at the door making sure that it was locked, not that anyone was stupid enough to try to enter but still I made sure. Satisfied that, it was locked, I nodded my head at Nikolai to continue.

Sighing heavily, Nikolai decided to speak. "Well, everything you said is true. We already know about the eye of the tiger circulation."

Killian turned to look at me, "And you didn’t think to inform me about this?"

"Well, you haven’t even heard the worst of it all!" I told him, "The king is the one supplying it!"

"King Sigurd?" Killian’s gaze widened in disbelief as if the thought of it sounded ridiculous even to his own ears but when he saw that I was looking at him with a serious look on my face, he stared at me in shock. "Are you certain about this cousin?"

"Very!" I nodded with a grim expression on my face, "I mean we’ve tracked three separate shipments and they all have the crest on it. Royal waxed sealed and he is distributing it among the people, arming the peasants with power and letting them believe he is their savior. This is what has been going on the past few months. He trades the eye of the tiger from the outer regions, buying their loyalty by giving them free reins to do whatever they want whenever they visit Iravia!"

"No!" Killian breathed out as if he still found that out to believe.

Nikolai snorted as he crossed his arms across his chest. "That is not even the worst of it."

"What? There is more?" Killian asked staring at me.

Nikolai and I shared a look before deciding to tell him exactly what had happened and what we had gathered. We told him about the incident that led to us investigating Evie’s matter and what Sigurd had been doing to the sisters. I watched Killian’s face go from shock, to confusion then back to anger!

"That evil bastard!" He growled out clenching his fist and releasing them again.

Smirking, Nikolai nodded his head in agreement. "That was exactly what I said."

Killian let out a humorless breath. "And have you told Dahlia about this?"

"No." I responded, "And we won’t?"

"Why?" Killian looked flagger basted with my response, "She does have a right to know!"

I glared at my cousin, "And what exactly do you propose I tell her? That her father has been dealing with drugs within the kingdom or that her sister is now an addict?"

Clenching his jaw, Killian lowered himself down to the seat right in front of me. "Alright when you put it that way, I suppose it is isn’t a good idea." He said before he running a hand down is face, "Gods above this is a fucking disaster!"

"Nope!" Nikolai commented dryly, "This is a kingdom that’s falling apart, already on the verge of destruction. Disaster we can handle, this...this is something else entirely!"

Killian shook his head, eyes locked on the fire that was burning in the hearth. The lights danced over him in shadows and gold, causing his brown eyes to look like that of honey. The weight of the conversation settled deep around us in the silence.

"Well." Killian’s voice broke the silence, "It’s a good thing that she is traveling, that way I don’t have to lie to her because I hate lying to her."

"She’s been through a lot these past few months." I said with a soft tone, "Dahlia scarcely recovered from her last breakdown. If she knows what her father and her sister have been doing, especially the fact that she’s been caught up in the filth Sigurd is dealing with, I’m afraid...I’m afraid she won’t survive it!"