The Cursed Alpha’s Unwanted And Powerless Luna

The Test

Chapter 13: The Trial

It was the elders of the kingdom who were at the door, and they had come as promised to test Annabelle.

Updated by the new development, the king ordered Annabelle to be confined in her chambers until he was clear about the situation.

The king and the elders all went to the boardroom to discuss the matter. "Who brought up this idea of the queen being tested?"

No one uttered a word. Everyone was afraid to speak. They could all see the anger of the king and dared not be its scapegoat.

Then Cassandra walked into the boardroom after overhearing the conversation from the door. "I brought up the idea, son."

"On what grounds do you think you can command a test conducted on my queen?" Cassandra could perceive the cold and bitter aura exuding from him.

"Your Majesty, this test was brought up for the sake of the kingdom and for you too."

Jason shot her a glance of ice-cold terror that caused her to unknowingly straighten up her posture.

"No test will be done. And if anyone has a problem with my wife, they're more than welcome to leave my kingdom."

No one dared to speak, and the meeting was dissolved. Cassandra stood alone in the middle of the boardroom, confused as to what just happened.

One moment he punished her, and the next, he protected her fiercely like a mother wolf protects her pup.

The palace was in complete chaos. And somewhere in the dark, Clara realized that framing Annabelle was just the beginning.

She had to do something that would solidify her banishment and carefully thought of her new plan.

Annabelle, still in shock over the heirloom, was in her chambers gently caressing Ember in her arms, replaying the entire scene in her mind.

The king had slept in his study that night, and something happened to him. That side of him that Annabelle had managed to calm returned—but now even more fiercely. He ordered his guards to guard the door and not to let him out.

A loud growl was heard from his study, followed by the sound of shattering glass and several bangs on the sealed door.

Annabelle had managed to calm that side of him because he thought he loved her—at least that was what he thought. But due to the current situation, he could no longer explain how he felt, leading to this side of him returning.

Due to the absence of the king, Cassandra took this opportunity to finally banish Annabelle.

Annabelle was summoned to the boardroom, still in her nightwear, having not slept throughout the night.

She looked across the room in search of Jason, but she couldn't find him. "Don't bother searching for him. He's not coming," Cassandra said.

The elders asked Annabelle to step forward. "You are going to be tested in two different ways—first by the sacred relic, second by the chalice of truth. And you shall plead guilty if you fail."

Annabelle, still lost in thought as to why Jason wasn't present, didn't register anything the elders said.

She was asked to take the oath of honesty on the sacred relic. "I, Annabelle, swear that I did not steal the heirloom. I do not plead guilty."

Then she was ordered to drink from the silver chalice—water from the temple which, if it turned bitter in her mouth, meant she was guilty.

She drank the water but couldn't hide her facial expression, as it was bitter. Not because she was guilty, but because Clara had earlier paid a maid to add a bitter concoction to the water.

Annabelle knew deep down in her heart that she didn't steal the heirloom, but she had no evidence to prove her innocence.

With tears in her eyes as she was about to carry out the last part of the test by acknowledging that she stole the heirloom, a maid suddenly rushed down with a crumpled letter—one that spoke about Annabelle selling the kingdom's secrets to their enemies.

This was all Clara's doing, and she was so pleased with herself. She had planted this letter in Annabelle's room and sent a maid to go get it.

But to keep her plan in motion, she feigned shock. "Sister, how could you do such a disgraceful thing? I defended you all the way, and in the end, I'm the one betrayed. I should have known better."

Annabelle knew Clara was the one behind everything, but she couldn't save herself, as she had no evidence.

Out of frustration, Annabelle screamed, "She did this! She planned it all! This is all her doing!"

But no one listened to her. They all thought she was making baseless accusations. Then the elders looked at her with disgust and something else.

Then they passed their verdict. "Due to the absence of the king, we sentence you to be banished from this kingdom to the northern convent."

The guards immediately came in to drag her out. As they did, Clara grabbed her wrist—not to stop her from leaving, but to dig her fingernails into her flesh. "You should have left quietly the first time. But this time, you will rot."

As she said this, Annabelle stared at her—not with sorrow and frustration, but with a dare, a death stare that sent chills down her spine.

As Annabelle left, Clara continued with her show by sobbing pitifully and heavily. She also kicked Ember out to go be with his mother.

That night, she had dinner at the palace and didn't return home. She even had the nerve to wear one of Annabelle's royal attire to dinner.

Meanwhile, at the dinner table, Cassandra and Seraphina just stared at her and thought of their next move.

Clara had dinner with so much joy for the first time in a while. But little did she know that what she just did would ruin her entire life.