Chapter 219: Caelan meets Willow

Miranda rose to her feet and exhaled.

"Impressive." Caelan muttered, examining his chest.

She did not answer him.

Her gaze had returned to Alistair.

"We need to... oh goddess." She pressed her fingers to her eyes. "You would need to get out there as him before you are discovered to be missing. Someone may have seen him walk in here and may come looking for him. This was not the plan at all."

"Miranda" Caelan caught her by the shoulders, turning her to face him. "Whatever the plan is, I can do it from out there."

He drew her a little closer and Miranda stiffened.

What was he doing?

Her gaze dropped to the hand resting on her shoulder before returning to his face.

"I have agreed to help you and that has not changed." He smiled reassuringly.

She stared at him without speaking, more concerned about why he thought he could touch her.

She stepped away from him

Miranda removed herself from his grasp and turned away from him.

He was right, she thought. There was no reason he could not carry out her plans while pretending to be Alistair.

In fact, it might make certain things easier.

She had been unable to send a letter to the Alpha Council because she could not risk getting caught but Caelan could help her do that.

As Alistair, he would have access to Emberfall’s resources and he could send letters without attracting suspicion which would have been impossible for her to do hiding in the cave.

Miranda slowly turned back to him.

There was only one problem.

Once Caelan took Alistair’s place, he would no longer be entirely dependent on her.

He would have guards, servants, influence and an entire territory at his disposal.

What if he decided he no longer needed her?What if he took everything she had given him and used it for himself?

She studied him carefully.

Caelan was looking toward the door, clearly impatient to leave.

He would not cut her out... she did not consider him that conniving.

"Fine," she said at last.

"But we need to move him first to the cave first." she pointed at the body. "We cannot leave him here in case another person decides to walk in."

"Very well."

"And after that, you will return here and change into something appropriate and you are to report to me everything that happens in this palace...I need to know what is happening."

"Of course."

"And you are not to make any important decisions without consulting me."

His smile faded slightly.

"Miranda..."

"Do you understand?"

He sighed. "Yes."

"Good and for the goddess’s sake, make sure Willow suspects nothing. She knows him better than anyone. She will notice if you behave strangely."

"Do not worry yourself," Caelan grinned. "She will not be thinking about anything by the time I am done with her."

Disgusting, Miranda thought.

"Just move the body," she muttered.

Caelan bent and hauled Alistair up over his shoulder.

The dead man was heavier than he looked and Caelan adjusted his grip, feeling the weight settle against his spine.

Caelan stepped into the darkness while Miranda walked ahead, carrying a small flame in her palm to illuminate their path.

After a while, they came out to the garden and headed to the cave.

Caelan looked around as they reached its mouth.

He remembered waking here, opening his eyes and seeing Miranda there and how confused he had felt.

"Put him there," Miranda instructed.

Caelan lowered Alistair in the exact spot Lucius’ body had been laying before he took over it.

Miranda looked down at Alistair before turning away from him.

When they returned to the chambers, Caelan changed into a clean shirt and dark trousers that Miranda had selected from the wardrobe.

She studied him carefully.

The resemblance to Alistair was not perfect.

Lucius and Alistair were twins, but there were differences in the way they carried themselves.

"Relax your shoulders." Miranda ordered. "And stop looking so irritated."

Caelan forced a smile on his face and Miranda grimaced.

"Miranda, if you intend to criticize every movement I make, we will be here until the next century."

She ignored him.

"Remember what I told you. You are Alistair Veyr. You rule Emberfall. Lucius was your twin brother, and he is dead."

"I am aware."

"You are mated to Willow."

"Yes, Willow Hale. Can I go now?"

Miranda nodded.

Caelan moved toward the door but Miranda’s voice stopped him.

Caelan?" she called.

He turned to look at her.

"Do not do anything stupid."

"I will not." he sighed.

He reached for the doorknob and turned, stepping into the corridor.

When the door closed behind him, he took a deep breath through his lungs.

The air felt different, fresher than it had been in the bedchamber.

He looked to his left then his right, the corridor stretched in both directions and its walls decorated with paintings and elaborate carvings.

Caelan took a step forward, looking around him in wonder.

The palace was beautiful... not as beautiful as Morgana’s palace had been, of course. Nothing could compare to that place but this was holding its own considerably.

There was a certain elegance to the architecture, and he could tell that the people who had built it had spared no expense.

"Alistair, are you all right?" A voice cut through his thoughts.

He turned and froze in his tracks.

A woman stood a short distance away and she was looking at him with a faint frown, her arms folded across her chest.

Drusilla? Caelan’s mind spun. It could not be.

The woman began walking toward him.

"Why are you standing here looking so lost when your Luna needs you"

His heart began to pound.

Drusilla had served as one of Morgana’s handmaids and he had been in love with her.

The woman stopped in front of him, pressing her palms into his chest as she peered up at his face so he was staring into her hazel eyes.

"I need you in our bed," the woman said, and turned away from him. "Now come along."

She turned away from him and began walking.

When she saw he was not following behind her, she turned around again, a pout on her mouth.

"Are you coming?" she said.

"Yes... yes, of course" he smiled.

So this was Willow.