214: Had?

Had?

At this point, Susan wasn't sure what was making her heart race so much as she approached the hallway of Harold's chamber while looking all around to make sure no one was paying attention to her.2

Was it because she was scared? Apprehensive? Or perhaps it was because she wasn't sure what to expect from meeting Alvin? 

However, when she got closer, the first thing she noticed was that things were different this time. Three guards were standing right outside the door. And judging from their dress, she knew they were high-ranking guards who worked only for the king. Even their appearance looked scary. 

She had a feeling that Alvin was still inside, so she approached the door despite their presence and was met with 3 pairs of vicious eyes staring right at her.

None of them moved out of her way and just stood there, watching her as she approached.

"I... am h-here to meet... Alvin." She said in a shaky voice while nervously wiping her sweaty palm on her dress. 

"Let her in." 

Alvin said from inside, and after a scrutinising look at her by the three of them, they stepped aside and one of them opened the door. 

She shakily went inside and as soon as the door closed behind her, her legs almost gave way under her, but she held on and leaned against the wall as she let out a breath of relief. 

Her eyes went to the bed where Alvin was seated beside Harold's unconscious body, feeding him medicine, but Alvin didn't bother to spare her a glance and just kept looking at Harold. 

It was strange for her to see Harold looking so sick, weak, and vulnerable. He was always majestic, cold, and scary. Not sick like this. And the sight brought her sadness. 

If she was this sad, she could understand a bit of how Alvin felt seeing him this way as she couldn't say she completely understood, considering how attached Alvin was to him.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Alvin asked and turned to look at her. 

He looked even worse than he looked last night. She guessed he still had not eaten nor drank anything. She doubted he had even left Harold's side to take a bath.

"The guards are already outside. Why didn't you go and freshen up? You don't look too... good." 

"What are you here for?" He asked coldly, not giving her any chance for small talk. 

She pursed her lips and went closer to him, but seeing how he was glaring at her, she stopped approaching. It seemed like it was going to take a really long time for her to truly earn his trust. 

"We had a suspect."

"Had?" He asked. 

"Yes. But we no longer think he might be responsible for it."

"We?" Alvin asked with a slightly raised brow, and she gave him a nod. 

"That's a long story. But know that I am not working alone. There are others who believe that she might be innocent." She explained quickly. 

"Is anyone else working with you apart from your brother?" Alvin asked, wanting to be sure he wasn't getting involved with people that would create more trouble than solve it. The last thing he wanted was for Princess Amber's life to be endangered more than it already was.

He raised an eyebrow when Susan looked away.

 "Answer my question."

Susan knew that, like Williams, Alvin would doubt the intentions of Luciana and Harvey, and she didn't want to waste the little time she had trying to convince him that those two could be trusted.

Seeing how she was being reluctant to answer the question, Alvin tried to think of any other person who could possibly be on Princess Amber's side. He thought of all the people within the palace whom he was aware she had related with in one way or the other, and his brow arched when one name came to mind.

"Is Sir Harvey working with you?" Alvin asked after a moment, and Susan's eyes widened in surprise.

How did he know?

Seeing the startled expression on her face, Alvin could tell that he was right. Harvey was the only person he could think of who would be helping her. 

Although he didn't know or understand what their relationship was, he believed he could trust Harvey since Harold did not kill him for sneaking into his wife's chamber through the window, and Harold and his wife had even shared tea with him and had some private conversation. 

"I can assure you that he can be trusted. He is not helping me just because he wants to marry me," Susan rushed to explain, thinking that Alvin had come to that conclusion because he had heard of the possible arranged marriage between her and Harvey. 

"Who did you say was the suspect?" Alvin asked, making it clear he had no desire to speak further on the Harvey issue. 

"Lance. The suspect was Lance. But after interrogating him, it seemed like he wasn't."

"What made you suspicious of him?" Alvin asked.

Seeing how he was finally interested in what she was saying, she was happy to tell him all she knew. 

"But then he kept complaining about a headache and fading memory. Those were the same symptoms Princess Amber complained about. We were able to link it to the biscuit they both ate. So I wanted to know if you knew about any biscuits she ate. Or maybe if you are aware she made some?" 

"Biscuits?" Alvin asked in confusion before standing up from where he was seated. "Princess Amber didn't make any that day. And I cannot remember Prince Harold asking me to ask the kitchen maids for any," Alvin said with a frown.

"Do you think there is someone in the kitchen who must have served it to her? Maybe you didn't know about it?" Susan asked curiously.

"Are you sure Lance's words are to be trusted? And he is not trying to deceive you?" Alvin asked her before something else occurred to him and his frown deepened.

"He couldn't have been pretending. Everyone is aware that he has been taking medicine for his head," Susan explained, but Alvin's thoughts have moved from there. 

"Who is the maid that stayed back with Princess Tyra?" 

"You mean the witness who is missing?" Susan asked him.

"There is a missing witness?" Alvin asked in confusion, almost making her jaw drop. 

"I know you are loyal to your master, but can you please focus on other things? Did you really plan to ignore Princess Amber the entire time?" 

Alvin frowned and gave her an unpleasant look. "Are you... scolding me right now?" He asked in a quiet voice. 

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