CHAPTER 33. You have a clue who did it.>>>>>

After a long walk to Brevin's chambers, they finally arrived, and then Brevin guard quietly opened the door for both Brevin and Akira, who was looking around the entire northern palace.

Everything about it was glamorous. She had been to different parts of the palace and had never crossed paths with Brevin quarters.

At first, after visiting Prince Dominus's quarters and Rex’s, she had thought that was all there was to the place, but it seemed she was wrong. She never thought Brevin would have such fantastic quarters to himself.

As she walked through the doors, her eyes darted from the floor to the bed and then to the jars of wine on his table.

Brevin seemed to be more of a drunkard,well, that's the only thing that keeps him company and busy, away from the harsh comments not just from his family, but also from workers, slaves, and pack members who whisper behind his back about his dwarfism when he passes.

She looked around, struck by the lavishness that surrounded her.

Her feet felt warm against the plush rug that muffled her footsteps, and her eyes darted back to the bed, surprised to find it was a four-poster bed.

Quite too much of a bed for a dwarf, she thought to herself, daring not to say it aloud.

Her gaze swept further to the oak table, filled with various jars of wine……some half-empty and some half-sealed. A few goblets also lay scattered about the table and floor. There was also a mini bookshelf to match his height, filled with books and old scrolls, some stacked haphazardly and others carefully organized.

As she turned to Brevin, she noticed the weariness etched across his features. His expression was unreadable. He reached for the wine and poured himself a full goblet, sipping it carefully as his gaze narrowed out the window. Akira stared at him as he drank, not knowing what to do,whether to sit or perhaps stand until he told her to sit down. He might be her friend, but he was still a royal,she had to pay her respects properly and not take his likeness for granted.

Next, the door creaked open, and a man walked into the room. It was Brevin's guard, the one she had just met outside, who opened the door for her. With the help of the table, Brevin propped himself forward, settling into the chair. He then leaned back, without a word, one of his stubby hands wrapped lazily around the goblet. He sipped slowly, the dark red wine sliding down the edge of his mouth before he lazily swiped it away with the back of his hand.

Brevin drained half of the goblet in a single tilt, then set it down with a hollow clink before refilling it without hesitation. Brevin's guard–Drew, made a sudden noise in his throat, trying to grab the attention of his master, but Brevin didn’t turn.

Akira narrowed her gaze at Drew, whose presence made her uncomfortable. She looked at his face and swallowed hard. His was the sort of face one would never forget. The first thing she noticed was his left ear—or rather, what was left of it. Only the base remained, the rest had been carved away, ending in a smooth pale ridge of scar tissue that disappeared into the thin line of his jaw. The damage pulled his skin taut, making that side of his face look almost skeletal.

From the side of his temple down to his jawline, she squinted, staring closely. Another fine ridge of a scar ran there, this one was drawn with a blade tip. It traced so close to his eye that the lashes on that side were forever shortened, yet his eyes burned with a wicked sort of amusement as he watched Akira check him out.

It was a normal routine for him; anytime anyone saw him, they stared for a long time, trying to figure out how he had gotten all of his scars. There was just something about his untidiness that didn’t sit well with Akira.

With that, he ignored Akira and walked up to Brevin with a small smile. He didn’t utter a word but simply reached for the goblet and filled it with wine.

Akira watched in awe as he was so free with his supposed master, drinking from his jar, and Brevin didn’t complain—unlike Rex, who would kill a man for drinking his leftover wine.

“You didn’t tell me you had company,” Drew drawled, slamming the goblet onto the table. “Pretty company, if I must commend.” His gaze flicked briefly to Akira before returning to Brevin.

Brevin didn’t answer. He only sipped again, one brow lifting as if daring Drew to speak further.

Drew shrugged, that half-grin never leaving his face.

Akira glanced between them, feeling the tense. It seemed Brevin didn’t believe her,since he came in, he hadn’t spoken a word to her.

Drew’s grin widened, the scar on his cheek pulling slightly as he leaned forward in his chair, elbows on his knees. “Has she learned how to serve wine yet? I’m surprised the old lady didn’t kill her after she crashed the tray in the royal hall.”

Akira blinked, shame burning into her skin as she darted her eyes away at once.

“She’s the new murderer in the pack,” Brevin finally exhaled through his nose,half a laugh, half an irritated sigh.

“I’m not!” Akira bit back immediately. “I didn’t kill her, I didn’t know she was dead to start with.”

“Oooh, oh. She’s feisty,” Drew exclaimed, his eyes wide followed by a small chuckle.

Brevin's mouth twitched. “I know you didn’t do it, Nia, which is why I stood up for you outside. But then you’re not entirely innocent.” He paused, tilting his head to meet her gaze.

A chill ran down Akira's spine at his words, and she swallowed hard, her hands gripping her dress nervously.

Brevin leaned in carefully. “Vicious little thing,” he murmured, and Akira furrowed her brows.

“What is that supposed to mean, my lord?”

“I mean the person who pushed her down from here has to be one vicious bastard!” he pointed out, and Akira swallowed hard, an innocent confusion blurring her vision.

“My lord, you said she got tired and fell off when she couldn’t walk again. How come you say someone pushed her down?” she asked curiously.

As if a whistle had been blown, both Brevin and Drew burst out laughing at her naivety.

“Don’t tell me you really believed what I said out there?” Brevin paused his laughter, staring at her. “I was just trying to turn the tides in your favor. I know the slave was pushed down from that cliff.”

“I swear I didn’t push her,” Akira exclaimed. “You need to believe me–I didn’t touch Thalia.”

“I didn’t say you did, Nia. I know you didn’t touch her, nor did you know she was dead, but you know who did it.” Akira froze, her fists curling into balls as Brevin continued.

“You knew who did it. You know who pushed her down that cliff.”

Akira's heart pounded in her chest. She swallowed hard, her eyes fixed on the floor. All she could think of right now was Beth. All fingers pointed to her, but she was nowhere to be found.

The last thing she remembered was Beth’s assurance that Thalia agreed to keep her lips shut, and now all she came back to see was Thalia’s lifeless body.

Her first prime suspect was her friend Beth. She couldn’t wait to be out of this place so she could go find Beth. Silently, she prayed Brevin was done with his questions so she could quickly dash out of the room and go find her. She certainly had a lot of questions for her.

“Come on, Nia,” Brevin urged. “It’s fine; come on, that’s in the past now. Come have a drink. This is one of the finest in the northern palace.”

Akira forced a smile. “It’s fine, my lord. I really appreciate it, but I don’t have the appetite for a drink right now.”

“Oh, come on! So you’re going to miss out on tasting one of the best wines just because someone you don’t like died?” Brevin shot her a stare. “Shouldn’t that call for celebration?”

Akira swallowed hard, her jaw tightening. Thalia might have been her enemy, but she still saw her as someone’s sister, daughter, and friend. She’d never wished death on her, no matter what happened.

Brevin tilted his head, studying Akira for a minute. He understood her predicament of being wrongly accused; after all, he had been in her shoes before. His lips pressed together, but before he could voice his thoughts, the door swung open.

“I’m sorry, my lord,” the man who barged in apologized at once.

“Prince Dominus asked that I bring the slave to his quarters at once,” the man said.

Brevin's eyes darted from the man to Akira and then back to his goblet of wine. He usually enjoyed her company, and right now he didn’t want to let her go, but it was his brother, so he nodded.

“Fine. She can go with you.” Akira’s shoulders sagged in defeat. Just when she thought she’d leave Brevin’s presence to go find Beth—whom she hadn’t seen since morning—she felt bothered and curious at the same time.

And now Dominus wanted to see her? As she left with the man, she wondered what he wanted to see her for.