Having opened the door, unconsciously, Maxine walked to Duncan and sat by his side, a huge frown on her face. "Why do you ask such a silly question, Duncan?"
Duncan blinked before slowly replying, "It is written that Duke Sullivan was bitten by an unknown vampire and he turned into a vampire the next day." He sat down properly, leaning toward Maxine. He let out a small whisper, "The bite on his neck was very visible and it grew itchy. He became a vampire the next day, killing every human he sees on his—"
Before Duncan could complete his words, Maxine snapped her index finger at his forehead, causing a scowl to come upon Duncan's face. "Why did you do that, Maxine?"
Maxine breathed hard, very irritated by the conversation she was having with her brother. However, on discovering something she ought to have discovered earlier, she paused and looked at his neck properly. "Wait... doesn't that look like a bite from a maltaine ant?" On seeing Duncan's blank expression, she widened her eyes, "Wait...are you trying to ask me if you were bitten by a vampire?"
She stood up abruptly, exasperated that what she hated most was now happening. Her brother now believed in that book. "Why would you think of such a thing? I told you never to believe that. See the hell of a thing that has been bothering you!"
Duncan blinked before he questioned, "What is a maltaine ant?"
"Just keep that mouth of yours, shut!" She uttered, aggressively. Her eyes met the book that was on the table near the bed. She took it from the table. "I don't want to see this book with you anymore."
Duncan scratched his neck before he crawled out of the bed. He didn't understand why his elder sister was becoming rash all of a sudden and it saddened him. "I'm sorry, Maxine but it isn't my fault."
"Whose fault is it that you decide to believe nonsense from it?" She took in a gulp and her mind slowly drifted to the book.
She was not so young when she came across the book. It was Prince Maverick who lent her and when she read it, albeit the book seemed intriguing, she didn't enjoy the gore part. It gave her nightmares all through but then, she didn't understand why she kept reading it until she touched the very last page of the book.
But why did the royals seem very interested in the book?
The horrifying thing that happened to humans who turned into vampires was still fresh in her brain. Having her little brother joke about it was just something terrifying and annoying at the same time, and she wished she could tear the book into pieces but this book belonged to the palace.
"Please, do not be angry with me," Duncan pleaded. His brown eyes stared at Maxine. "Prince Grayson told me I was bitten by a vampire without me being aware."
"Prince Grayson?" Maxine's eyes widened while her loud voice betrayed annoyance, bewilderment and curiousness. "Prince Grayson?"
"He asked about what happened while I was in the carriage. I told him all that happened and he thought since I fell asleep, I might have been bitten by the strange creature."
Maxine's annoyance had not crept off her chest but she told herself not to act impetuously. But why would he poison a young boy's mind while leaving him in fear?
She calmed down and crouched so that she could be on the same eye level with the little boy, "Look here, you were bitten by a maltaine ant. That stupid thing rarely creeps on one's body but if it does, it stings deeply which causes incessant scratching."
Duncan looked relieved and he nodded at his sister's reassuring smile. "When would the scratching stop?"
"When you sleep, it disappears when you awake, it appears. The scratching might go on for three days or more—"
"What?"
"When I told you to quit playing with those children who make pots, you refused. The ant must have crept into your clothes without your awareness, see?"
Duncan looked down before he let out a deep sigh, "I feel hot too."
"Yes, a symptom. There is nothing to do if you are bitten, especially when it is not poisonous. I will bring something to stop the fever." Maxine tried telling her brother it wasn't poisonous but it was. It might make him go weak for weeks except she finds the flower which bears the antidote.
"I will be back okay? Sleep to relieve the pain. When I'm back, I will wake you up so you can take the medicine, yes?"
Duncan nodded before he went to sleep.
Maxine stood up, looking concerned but walked outside of his chamber as soon as possible. She knew the king would be annoyed that she was late, but her younger brother was more important than anyone.
When she got to the king, she saw him sitting in his chair with two guards by his side.
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
"Greetings," he shortly said.
The King's eyes lingered on the young woman as she took her seat some metres away from him. When she was fully seated, he said, "Your arrival to the palace took more time than expected. I heard you were taken away."
'This is the best opportunity to tell him about the strange men,' Maxine thought as she carefully looked at the old man in front of her. She said, "Yes, Your Majesty. I was taken by—"
The King raised his hand, motioning for her to stop talking. He said instead, "By the time the carriages reached the palace, the maids discovered that the pot where the queen's medicine was kept was empty."
Maxine whose gaze was about to linger away from the empty chair beside the king to the guard behind the king stopped. She instantly looked at the King, fear throbbing through her heart.
She knew what this meant.
She was doomed.
"Your Majesty, the pot contained two cups of Her Majesty's medicine. I ensured that it was covered to avoid any spillage and it was packed carefully."
The King got irritated by her words, he stood up abruptly and said, "How dare you, Lady Healer Haverston?!"
Maxine seeing that the conversation was escalated, abruptly stood up from the chair, "Your Majesty—"
"It would be better to keep that mouth of yours shut! The unmade herbs and other things were left untouched, with a few other pots for different purposes, however, you forgot to take along the queen's?!"
Maxine wanted to tell the King that she ensured it was on the carriage and it would be pointless for her to go all the way to her house because the pot of medicine wouldn't be situated there, however, it wasn't what was bothering her the most.
The fact that the ingredients she used in making the medicine were rare and that it would take about two weeks to make the two cups frightened her. Not only that, if the Queen did not take those two remaining cups today, she might end up dying.
"Your Majesty, I promise to make the remaining two cups of medicine meant for Her Majesty. I am greatly sorry, I will ensure she takes it at the right time."
The King walked towards her and she gulped at their proximity. She could feel rage oozing out of the King's body. "There would be no use of it when she is dead already."
Maxine's eyes widened, her ears suddenly went nunb as if she had not just heard the King.
"The royal healer states that she died as a result of poisoning from the medicines she has been taking." The King held Maxine by her arm, causing a rush of pain to fuel at the particular place he held, "After how much we cherished you, you ended up choosing the path which your mother chose?"
A tear dropped.
Not her mother.
Not again.
Not those horrible news about her that she tried hard to keep herself away from.
"I took you as a child, Maxine and this is how you repay me?!"