Irene spent a few more minutes with the Queen in the garden before leading her to the library, where she started teaching her how to read. She never judged the Queen or wondered why she couldn't read. Instead, she just thought the Queen must have lived a life where survival mattered more than education, and no one had ever given her a chance to learn. She simply thought the Queen's pack was too poor to pay for education.
This wasn't a shameful thing to Irene in any way. Instead, she thought it was magical. The mighty King and a beautiful girl from a struggling pack? It fitted her fantasy so well.
Meanwhile, inside the library, Elena actually caught on with the basics so fast, and in less than an hour, the duo decided to leave. Then, Irene escorted her back to the room, and she waited for her to fall asleep before bowing in respect and strolling away.
Irene walked down the long hallway on her way to the King's study, where she was sure he would be. She wanted to report the Queen's strange behavior to the King as soon as possible. She did not go too far when she saw warrior Ruko.
Of course, a bubbly Irene ran up to him instead then she started blabbing, "Hey! You said the Queen tripped. Are you sure about it? Because she doesn't remember? She's been very strange today and I don't like it. It's making me worried!"
Warrior Ruko wanted to ignore Irene at first because he hated how she always had something to say, but the words she was spewing at that moment were important, and he could not risk walking away. "What did you say?" He asked, managing a calm tone.
Irene heaved a deep sigh as she placed both hands on her hip. "Well, like I just said, the Queen doesn't recall almost falling and you catching her." She paused, stroking her chin. "She seems a bit out of the loop. And it's quite concerning. Don't you think so?"
"Okay?"
"Well, I'm going to report this to the King." She finished with a pout.
Upon hearing this, warrior Ruko's eyes widened in horror but he quickly masked it before Irene noticed it. He cleared his throat softly before asking, "You are going to report this to the King right now?"
"Yup." Irene nodded, then she turned around and started strolling away, ready to go to the King's study. She couldn't stop whistling, shaking her hips like a kid as she walked away.
Warrior Ruko's heart started racing as he began to panic. Irene was going away, he needed to stop her immediately. Her reporting Elena's situation to the King would equal him being dead and he did not want that. He had to think fast!
Warrior glanced around, checking to see if anyone was approaching so he could strike Irene with his sword, but when his eyes landed on the heavy iron candle holder mounted on the wall, he decided to go with that instead. If he used his sword, he could get caught and because he had a glove on, using the candle holder was safer.
Very swiftly, Warrior Ruko ripped out the candle holder and then he rushed towards Irene and slammed it on her head. She whimpered in pain and then dropped to the ground, blood oozing from her head.
Warrior Ruko dropped the weapon on the floor. He observed his surroundings, and when he was sure no one had seen him, he cursed at Irene and ran away.
However, just as warrior Ruko ran away, Elena stepped out of her room. She was still sleepy but when she woke up and saw that Irene was not by her side, she wanted to go find her. Elena did not even notice it, but ever since she left the dungeon, she sometimes found it hard to sleep alone.
"Irene?" Elena called in a sleepy voice as she walked deeper into the hallway. Her eyes were half closed and she couldn't stop yawning.
Iren—"
"Ouch." Elena whimpered when she suddenly kicked something on the floor. She slowly looked down and the moment she noticed what she had kicked, her face turned pale.
"Arrh!" She yelled in terror as she fell to the ground on her butt. Tears immediately rolled down her eyes as her body trembled in shock. "I-Irene." She called desperately, using her shaky fingers to shake Irene.
Almost immediately, King Killian ran into the scene. He had heard Elena's piercing scream and ran out of his study quickly. "What is going on here?" He asked as he leaned down beside Elena, his eyes narrowing the moment he saw Irene's limp body on the ground.
"I-i met her like this. I-I don't know what happened." Elena cried out, still shaking Irene desperately.
"Garreth, take her inside." King Killian ordered his Beta, who had just arrived, as the King had mindlinked him.
King Killian helped Elena up, and Beta Gareth wasted no time in taking the unconscious Irene to the nearest room, where he gently laid her on the bed. "She's bleeding too much from her head, I don't think she can heal." Beta Gareth voiced out.
"Yes, I can see that. I'm mind linking the doctor." King Killian said. He was still holding Elena's shoulder, trying to keep her calm. She'd stopped crying though, as she did not want to annoy the King, but she couldn't stop sniffling back snot.
Irene was the closest thing Elena had to a friend. She was the only female who wasn't rude to her and comfortable to be around. She liked Irene and she would not be able to bear losing her.
Elena used the back of her palm to wipe off the tears that rolled down her eyes. She tried to move forward, but King Killian's grip on her shoulder tightened. "I-i just want to sit next to her." She explained as she looked up at Killian.
King Killian's eyes narrowed, but he eventually let her go, and Elena walked over to Irene. She grabbed her hand and then gave it a soft squeeze. "You have to be alright, please. I can't lose you." She muttered, her heart aching so badly.
Elena remained that way, just staring at Irene's face hoping she would miraculously open her eyes. However, she noticed Irene's face getting paler and it made her worry.
At this point, the Beta and King were having a discussion about the incident through the link, but they kept their gazes on the duo. The doctor was already on her way.
Slowly, Elena leaned down, pressing her head softly on Irene's chest. A loud gasp left her mouth and tears rolled down her eyes when she didn't hear a sound. "Her heart is not beating! Why is it not beating?!"