“It was not me.” Cain’s voice was sharp and cold. His eyes looked right into his father’s. He hated this. It felt like after stepping into the palace, nothing right ever happened to him. It was not his will to be the prince. He was taken–separated from his family–by force. And now in this situation he could see how easy for his own father to discard him for his wife.

Why bother taking him if this is how he played the game? 

How unfair. He clenched his fist to the point his own nail dug deep into his palm, blood oozing from the wound.  

“I was with the prince the whole time.” Rigel stood up, patted some dust on his pants after kneeling. “I know the prince has no contact with your majesty the queen. Not only today but also weeks before. I can testify that the prince only meets his teachers, the princess, and Mister Phoenix occasionally.”

Not like he has a reason to–Rigel thought. Nobody in their right mind would get near the person who often abused themselves intentionally. Of course Cain has a grudge against her. But due to the trauma, Rigel could see that Cain was tamed to the point his only response to her abuse was flight or freeze. This was something he realized after being at the prince’s side for so long and the reason why Lumi seemed eager to protect him always. 

Cain was strong. He could defy Andromeda or even get her killed easily. But fear was already instilled in his mind since he was just a little kid and the wound hadn't healed fully. Contrary to what people think, years of abuse had made Andromeda have this invisible leash on her step son. 

“And you are on the prince’s side. Why should we trust you?” One of Andromeda’s maids asked. She was an old woman who disliked Rigel and Cain for no reason.

“Because I just saved her?” Rigel asked while rolling his eyes. “Tell me why the prince did not forbid me to lend a hand if he really was the culprit? Even though it was not deadly, the damage of the internal organs, especially the liver, still could happen if the antidote wasn’t ready so fast.”

People whispered to each other. Holden was confused because now his queen was crying pitifully in his embrace. The timing was just bad when the maid noticed who stood behind the prince, almost completely covered by his height. But she could never not notice the archenemy of her own master.

“Madam Amalthea?”

Selene seemed to want to vanish into the air when her surname was called. The most surprised was Holden. He turned his head fast to see behind his son.  

“She just came to see me.” Cain hid her mother behind himself. His eyes turned sharp, showing full defense. It was a rude thing to do toward his own father. Everyone could see that at that time Cain was like a tiger baring its fangs, ready to bite at the slightest provocation.

“I invite her.” Lumi stepped in, admitting that she was the one who brought Selene over  tonight. “I know this is Prince Cain’s moment. As his friend, I just want to give him a surprise. Madam Selene Amalthea had just arrived this morning in the capital. You could check with the staff who guard the capital gate.”

“But…” The maids who recognized Selene still try to corner Cain as the guilty party. “But! Madam Amalthea is–”

“Enough.”

A deep voice intervened the accusation. Corvus Phoenix walked into the scene as a mediator. He was tall and muscular, with a terrible scar on his face. Just his presence was enough to make the maid shiver in fear. “Nothing could be finished if we just continue this debate. Don’t you all realize we’re just wasting time? This debate is unsightly. More than that, the king is here. Do we all forget about manners now?!”

Nobody answered. Andromeda’s crying had turned into sobbing. Holden patted her back, trying to calm her. Seeing that, Corvus massaged his temple. What a joke for a queen to not even try to maintain some dignity. She was a target of murder. But now all had passed, she was supposed to behave accordingly.

“Let’s check what kind of poison the queen consumed. You…” Corvus pointed at Rigel. “Would you tell us what the poison was and how are you able to detect it so fast?”

“It was rosanigra poison. When I checked your majesty’s pulse, I kneeled quite close beside her when I smelled something on her. And rosanigra has its distinct fragrance. Hard for other people to tell it apart from the common rose, but the trained nose of an apothecary like me could.” 

“Rosa… nigra?” Alan repeated Rigel’s words as if they sounded foreign. “Black poisonous rose of northern region?”

“Rosanigra was poisonous indeed. But if processed accordingly, people could use its oil as ingredients to create perfume or to add aroma to cake and wine. Rosanigra is cultivated in Beckett, the village where I came from. So it was easy for me to tell.”

“It reminded me that Madam Amalthea was famous for her liking toward rose fragrance?” The maid replied so fast. Rudely, she pointed at Selene and said. “She had to be the culprit. Why else would she be here?”

Of course to celebrate Cain’s birthday.it it was not for her son, she’d definitely not come.  

Lumi was pissed. She stepped in front of the mass, trying to hide both Cain and Selene despite her petite build. “Why do you insist that Madam Selene do this when you have no evidence?”

“You heard him say the poison was from a rose!”

“But it doesn’t mean Madam Selene was the one who did it!”

“She has the motive!”

“And what is that?!” Lumi screamed at the top of her lungs. “Because she wanted to take the throne?! If that has to be a reason then why couldn't you be the culprit?”

Lumi didn’t care about appearance much, that Cain and Rigel knew. But seeing her cursing so openly is still new. 

“You are a woman too. You are the queen’s companion who is also close to the king?! Why should we believe that you were not the home wrecker that wanted to steal the queen’s position?! I know you think you are a hero for the queen right now. But what right do  a fucking bitch like you have to judge someone want to be the queen just because you want to?! For all I care you could be the one who want to be a fucking bitchy mistress?! You must be eager to climb the social ladder either as the queen’s heroic companion or the king’s new woman!”

Lumi poured her anger just like a dragon spewing fireballs when they were angry. Her words were rude, unfiltered yet it amused Rigel so much. It also amazed him how far this girl would go to protect Cain and Selene. Cain is powerful, there’s no denying about that. But Lumi has this fiery temperament inside her. 

“Okay, Missy. We could stop.” Rigel sneaked from behind her, and closed her mouth with his palm. The angry sound was reduced into incoherent mumbles. She was almost jumping from her place, still wanting to continue her fight with the maid. Physically this time. Rigel had to hold her waist, lift her then turn her to Selene and Cain. Selene comforted her as best as she could. Cain sighed. 

It must be embarrassing for him that his childhood friend had to step up in the game and defend both him and his mother.

“I am not the culprit.” Cain said firmly, this time he had his composure back. “And my mom, despite her title as poison master, also was not the culprit. I don’t mind if your majesty the king didn’t believe us. My request is just for your majesty to banish us back to the countryside. Fair enough, right? You can not lock us in the dungeon since as Miss Callisto said, no evidence about us being the culprit.”

“Cain…” Holden could only call his son weakly. He didn’t want to banish his only son of course. As if he was not a bad father figure already.

“I do not mind.” Cain repeated his affirmation. Selene hugged his son’s shoulder. 

It was hurting for both her and Cain. Holden was not someone they could hate easily. If he was, then things would be simpler and easier. 

After all, feelings do make everything more complicated. 

“I mind.” Holden said in desperation. Trained ears could hear a slight tremble in his voice. “Asking to be banished from the palace? You are a crown prince, Cain.”

Nobody paid attention, but Rigel noticed that Andromeda stopped her sobbing when Holden said that phrase; crown prince. 

That phrase must be taboo for her. 

“Let’s focus on what happened now.” Corvus intervened once again. The old war hero turned to Rigel. He stared right into Rigel’s green eyes. 

“Any note we should take, doc?”

“I smelled Madam Amalthea’s perfume when I greeted her. I can say the aroma belongs to normal roses.” 

“And you’re so sure?”

“Pick another 10 people whose expertise were in poison. We all would say the same.” Rigel smirked. He thought he was not someone who likes to brag about his skill. But for once, implicitly treating the nobles like they are imbeciles was actually fun. He could get addicted to this feeling.

“The smell was similar. But rosanigra has this tinge of sweetness like vanilla and cinnamon. On Madam Selene, I smell jasmine and herbs. There’s no way rosanigra could not cover those as its original scent is so dominating.” 

 “Let’s call another expert then.” Corvus said. He gave an unspoken order to his subordinate with his hand. Rigel guessed that he asked for at least four experts to come. “It should be right now. So we could deduce if what this man said is true or not.”

Rigel shrugged. His olfactory nerve is more sensitive than common people. He’s confident he did not make a mistake in his judgment.

“Madam Amalthea, would you please wait in the waiting room? This might be uncomfortable for you. But we have to investigate more.”

Cain stubbornly refused to leave without his mother. Practically it made Lumi and Rigel follow Selene too to the waiting room. Another four experts, from their respective clan, were chosen. Alan introduced them to Selene. Ruben Draco, Tara Lynx, Edmund Deimos, and Lobelia Danica. Four of them were noble who attended the banquet and were famous for their knowledge in medicine.    

Cain watched carefully as the four of them waited for their turn to sit beside Selene and to sniff her wrist, testing if what Rigel said was true. Cain of course believed his mother was innocent. But he also knew this kind of investigation method was risky when Andromeda’s people were among the investigators. Ruben Draco was eyeing the throne while the house of Danica was known as an opportunist who took side with the stronger and could give them more benefits. 

“I am sure this is not rosanigra.” Edmund Deimos was the first to testify, He politely asked for Selene’s hand and sniffed the aroma on her wrist at a comfortable distance. “Too light. And there was also the smell of vetiver? I could be wrong about the vetiver though.” 

“I know this smell.” The second, Tara Lynx, could even guess the name of the perfume Selene wore. 

Cain sighed in relief. At least now, no matter what the other two said,, three experts including his bodyguard had guaranteed that his mom was not the one using rosanigra poison. 

Draco and Danica also followed their steps, validating Rigel’s opinion on this matter. Cain could not explain his relief in words. His worst nightmare that Andromeda would torture Selene did not happen.