Chapter 180 - Lambs

Lillian stormed out of the room with an intention to kill... to kill that impudent succubus who dared to trick her. But unfortunately, it was still daytime and the Palace was very lively for her to use the summoning spell. Everyone would see the dark mist that would appear above the Palace if she performed that spell now.

Lillian walked aimlessly while thinking about what to do next. And she stopped her feet when she saw two young maids walking gleefully. When those maids took notice of the Queen, they also stopped in their track and bowed to the Queen, "Good afternoon, Your Majesty."

"Hmm," Lillian glared at those maids as though they were some lambs.

The maids lowered their gaze and were about to excuse themselves. However, Lillian stepped right in front of them and stopped them from leaving. "Do you have any urgent work right now?"

"No, Your Majesty. We were going to rest," One of the maids replied.

Lillian took a step towards them and asked, "Who do you work for?"

Another maid replied, "We work for the first Prince, Your Majesty." She stole a quick glance of the scary-looking Queen and asked, "Is there anything that we can help you with, Your Majesty?"

A sinister smile curved on the Queen's lips. "As a matter of fact, yes, there is something that you two can help me with." She gave an evil smile to them and ordered, "Follow me!" And she turned on her heels and led those maids towards her son's quarter.

The maids quietly followed the Queen even though they were a little scared. Everyone inside the Palace knew that she was a witch. And they feared that the Queen was going to curse them because her son was not recovering, although it was not their fault. But they hoped that the Queen was not going to vent out her anger on them.

Lillian asked those maids to wait in the meeting room of the Prince until she returned back. And she headed towards her own quarter.

After a while, she returned back again and then asked one of the maids to follow her inside the Prince's private chamber.

That maid gave a scared glance to her friend before entering the Prince's chamber.

Lillian locked the door behind, and went and sat down on the bed where the Prince was lying down.

That maid was shocked when her gaze fell on Prince Edwin who looked like a skeleton. And she was sure that the Queen had brought them in just to vent out her anger because of the Prince's condition.

The Queen glanced at the maid and enjoyed the look on that maid's face. The fury that had bubbled up inside of her after knowing about that succubus's betrayal somewhat calmed down after seeing that scared maid. She was lowering her gaze and was sweating profusely. Though she was trying hard not to show it, her hands and legs were shivering.

Lillian cackled grimly while looking at that scared mouse and said, "Oh, don't be so scared. I am just going to ask you one question. And if your answer satisfies me, I am going to let you go. But if it doesn't then…"

The Queen glared at that maid with her big eyes and asked, "Why were you walking so happily when the Prince you serve is in this condition?"

The maid instantly fell on her knees and bowed her head touching the floor. And she apologized while crying, "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I am just a lower-level maid and I had no idea that the Prince was in this condition. We wouldn't have been smiling if we knew that His Highness was this sick, we wouldn't dare."

Prince Edwin was tired of hearing all that sobbing and he whispered, "Mother, what are you trying to prove by scaring that maid? I'm tired. Just leave me alone."

"Oh, I'm just having a pre-celebration." Lillian flashed a smile to her son.

Edwin had no idea what his mother was talking about. And he didn't have any energy to ask what she meant. So he just rolled his eyes and turned his head away.

Lillian clicked her tongue and then narrowed her eyes at that maid. "I like your answer, but still... I'm not quite satisfied. What do I do?"

The maid looked at the Queen pleadingly and rubbed her hands together, "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. If you ask me then I will never smile again for my whole life. But please forgive me for my earlier behavior."

Lillian gave a smile to that maid and said, "I like this answer better. If you promise that you will never smile again, then I promise that I will let you go."

"I promise you, Your Majesty. I will never smile in my life ever again," that maid instantly replied with a hint of relief lurking on her face.

Lillian held out her hand and gestured the maid to come to her, "Not good enough! Promise me by holding my hand."

The maid wondered if it was some kind of trick or not because no Queen would want to hold a maid's hand.

Seeing the reluctance in that maid's eyes, Lillian raised her voice, "Would you like to be punished instead? Don't test me because I will gladly do so."

"No, Your Majesty." And she quickly rose up on her feet and tip-toed towards the Queen while bowing her head. And then she carefully touched the Queen's palm with her cold and sweaty fingers, "I promise you, Your Majesty."

Lillian gripped that maid's hand and jerked her closer to where she was sitting. And almost instantly, she began to chant a spell, that very same forbidden spell which she had used to revive the stillborn Prince years ago.

Edwin was surprised when his mother began to chant the spell. "Mother, what are you-" he suddenly felt his mother's palm on his chest, and in another second, he felt something warm and powerful flowing inside his body. His hair slowly turned back to its original color. His cheeks became fuller and his eyes livelier.. And his body that looked like a skeleton slowly began to revert back to its original glory.