𝐄𝐗𝐈𝐋𝐄 ♕ 𝐉𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐎𝐎𝐊

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘆-𝘀𝗶𝘅

Half of the Dowager Queen's council was wiped out during the customary lunch with the King of Daeho. The King and the Crown Prince suffered minor side effects, but Wook had hidden his smug smirk behind his coughs of blood while being carried off to Sejukwon.

Everyone suspected the food in the beginning, but it made no sense. The silver cutlery had barely changed a shade. The food testers were all safe, as well. The pantry and kitchen were inspected, and the chefs, servers, and servants were tested.

Gaeun had been busy investigating, forced by the Dowager, a series of disappearances in the bordering villages of the fortress when Fangs had flown to her, screeching and hooting about Wook being on the verge of death. She had dropped everything at once, leaving behind Yifan and Fox, and rushed back. The fortress was in chaos—the leaders from the Unanimous Council were running about, trying to find answers, while the entire working population of the Royal Palace was being interrogated.

The room Wook had been given was sparsely guarded. Kim Dojoo, red-faced and puffy-eyed, was crying outside it. "I don't understand," she wept, clasping Gaeun's hands in desperation. "Why would this happen? Who would dare do such a thing? My Lady, they said the Young Master nearly died again."

But Gaeun knew this was all Wook's doing. He had somehow managed to orchestrate the largest successful assassination known in the history of Yeol without attracting the slightest attention. "Is he awake?" She asked, heart in her throat.

"He—he woke up for a little while and went back to—"

She didn't stop to listen anymore. She suggested, though it felt more like a command, that Madam Kim return home and turn away any Yeol mages who came knocking at their gates, and locked the door behind her.

Wook was lying on his back, fiddling with a stray twig he had plucked off from the medicinal plants that doubled for decor in the room. His tunic lay open, and he was pale, with patches of darkened skin scattering around his throat and chest—damaged by poison, no doubt. Two physicians, the most Sejukwon could spare, were going over their notes in one corner. They bowed hastily upon Gaeun's arrival.

Wook sat up the moment he saw her walk in and exclaimed with delight, "You're here! What took you so long—" He yelped, narrowly dodging the fist she had aimed for his head, startling the physicians. "Hey! You can't attack an injured man! I was poisoned. I almost died."

"Yes. You almost died so many times." She spared little thought to the attendants, glowering down furiously at him. Gaeun clenched her fists, and Wook began to sweat as the temperature rose with her temper. "Do you think this is a joke? Toying around with your life so carelessly over and over again?"

He glanced coolly at the audience, who remained with their heads bowed. "I don't know what you're talking about," Wook answered with his usual melodramatics. "I was invited to the luncheon because I'm the Prince Consort, and I got poisoned in return. I had blood on my teeth!"

Gaeun glanced at the physicians briefly, "Both of you, get out."

"But, Your Grace, we need to—"

"Out!"

They shuddered visibly at her volume, ducked their heads, and scurried out without another word.

Wook rolled his eyes and tied up his tunic, carrying his legs off the bed. "I don't think we should do something this private in a place that's easy to eavesdrop in, wife," he eyed her, readying himself for a stern talking-to as she ran a frustrated hand over her head.

"Merely a few hours ago, there was an attack on Daeho, and my cousin—"

Wook scoffed at this, "Oh, here we go."