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Healer Rhea's POV

It had taken more than the entire night to manage a sort of broth, but it was the underestimated amount of leverage it took for Osmin to be able to get the broth into the communities meal.

With Rhea and Lillian's mass producing the poison meant to eliminate the threat of those following loyalty to the King. It was up to Osmin and the closest members of his makeshift pack to push through the rumor of Healer Rhea losing the pup.

Yet it made things simpler when Rhea's loyal men were given proper instruction when visiting the Healer's tent, that they were ordered to cry their hearts out up until the second hour of lunch.

That way, the scent would waft over through the camp at all angles, and act as the perfect exploit. Granted, stopping a number of wolves from eating was suspicious—And the only way to handle that is for Osmin to escort all his men to the loading docks. A fair distance away from the camp, but close enough for when all hell breaks loose for them to be able to return back without fault.

The nerves within the tent were at an all-time high, even when cooking with the tears, as Rhea suggested. It still gave either of them a small heartache to see a wolf enter with another injury. But thankfully, their pain in combination with the tears was enough for them to be on a different track than what two Healers could possibly be up to.

The only issue that Rhea couldn't predict was just how jittery Lillian had turned, which meant that she was careless at times when they couldn't afford it.
Not when this was the break-in opportunity.

So when noon started to roll around, and the first wave of meals started to be served—The marked humans that were involved with the plan held puffy eyes and salted red cheeks. Evidence that they too were in tears, and their response was simple.

"Rhea's pup died, sir." Not that any wolf would care for the state of the product serving them, it still was a boundless and empathetic cause. But it worked, more so to the fact that those had assumed that the pup was Osmin's, as he had claimed it to be.

Speaking of the former Queen, she was sitting on the tall stool, waiting for the time to slowly tick by. Prepared for the runner stationed just at the back of the tent in case Osmin and the rest needed to be called upon.

But it wasn't a patient coming in that interrupted Rhea's thoughts, though she seemed desperate to get her mind off of this mission with anything.

However, it hadn't been a patient, nor Lillian—Who she had forced to lay down after Rhea caught her shaking hands just the hour before—But the gasp that followed her lips was just as a pure shock.

"Blair? Goddess, what are you doing up?" Rhea had nearly fallen flat on her face at the utter disbelief that the woman she's been caretaking for was now up and about. As though nothing had changed.

"Oh, darling, you have been such good help. But you know what they say, the power of three—All it takes to form a coven." There was hardly a moment to think before Blair had gone towards the working station and coddled with the given bottles and bowls, as though she were figuring out the better part of their plan.

"Who's idea was it to use Aconitum...The Queen of poisons." Rhea flinched at the title, but Blair had only smiled more. "Hit a nerve?... Suppose I did. No matter, the secret is safe with me." Even with the given promise, it didn't offer much comfort, not when she was still debating about the entire situation. Yet that was hardly any use, surely not when the candlelight had started to flicker—Indicating that the first batch of food has been served, and surely, the wolves would come forward with the symptoms needed.

As if on cue, Rhea had managed to defuse the given few males that had started—Instating a few cramps but other immediate reactions of a wolf intaking said poison. "There isn't much I can do without diagnosing this, but I have on record that this can be a new wave of the silver sickness that I've informed the King about. Does he know so many of the males have been infected?" It was strange, that the males were starting to look back and forth as though they'd never had a soft touch.

Making Rhea wonder if this was truly the best route of action.

Seeing the young wolves being affected, she felt almost betrayed that Osmin hadn't kept his promise. That the youngest pups would be taken away from the strip, and when Lillian had emerged with a better mindset—She was just as furious.

"They've been corrupted, what is the point of all this if we're no better?" And Blair had only nicked her cane between both of their legs and grunted. "Guilt overpowers the will of the good in any heart. That is why, you can make one last choice. Any male that has passed a change in will, a drop in their tonic." She looked at the large keg of what was brewed in pretend, which was nothing more than a sort of bitter tea.

"One to quicken, one to cure. It's a choice that needs to be made." Yet Rhea had scoffed in the woman's direction in sheer disappointment. "How are we meant to make that choice?"

"How you have been so fair, Queen of Poisons. Take hold of their hand and take a reading, you've done it before. I've seen it." Lillian rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Please. Blair, we both know you're going blind."

"A bit, but no matter. My eyes would still be able to see raw magik starting to blossom." Rhea frowned and gave her a pointed look once more. Yet the voices of a young boy had sprung on her without warning.

"'You carry no blade or magik, you are weak on your own.'" Said a pup from Rhea's past that hadn't meant it as any offense, nor was he expecting that she did in-fact have protection, just not in a simple place where one could easily grasp.

That didn't mean that she was skilled, no, it only meant that she was prepared. One her mother would've supported had she been alive to tell her the finer parts of ruling a Kingdom.

That a target would always linger on her back, if not from her people then the build-up of enemies, yet here, she couldn't imagine sorting through them with a simple touch. It never occurred to her what her former mentor had done, instating a sort of will in blessing for her hard work—Granted, she always knew that the elder woman thought of her as her own daughter.

Though she never knew that enough dedication would earn her such a thing. And so, she went to touch Lillian's wrist, wondering just how it would feel to read someone in this sense.

However, Blair hadn't wasted a moment and hummed in approval. At least that was a sign of confidence, as Rhea truly hadn't managed to get anything other than the soft beating of Lilian's heart.

"How does it feel, warm or cold?"

"What, her heart?" Another nod had fallen into the conversation and she smiled. "Warm. Warm like sunlight." It must have made sense in some regard as Blair had nicked her head in order for Rhea to get started with those lingering on the main side of the tent.

After careful consideration, the two Healers managed a system. A small mark on their wrist would give Lillian the chance to give them the placebo. While the ones with the circle were saved with the cure.

Finally, the last batch of the community meal was finished. However, the aggravation of pain started to sore, and one thing Rhea had noted in her work in healing, is that males could not tolerate pain the same way females could.

No matter which species.

By the early evening, wolves were starting to fall—And with death in the air, it was easy to fake the tears—Leaving Rhea desperate to know where the King is.
Yet any time she questioned those ahead, they were pushing things off and saying it was above her entitlement to know.

Clearly, there was a portion of the wolves that did not eat from the serving trays. Lillian considered that either they have a better menu to take from or they simply didn't eat anything.

The tent was getting harder to breathe in, as wolfsbane did something rotten to the inside of a wolf's inners. And while scrambling for an answer, Blair had simply suggested without much trouble to start burning those that were dying.

Pressing the issue of making sure the disease would spread while also playing on a fear tactic, one that Rhea was slightly familiar with—Considering just a few months ago she was listening to the concerning mothers worried about their pup's catching the cold.

It was the same instance here, only this time, it was every male working for their own gain—Leaving the humans to flourish in the chaos. There was hardly a second glance when a human had pushed a wolf into the roaring fire, not with the weakened state the poison was doing to the wolf's system.

Yet Rhea's heart nearly stopped when she heard the roar of frustration. Leaving the women beside her to look at one another in regard to what happens next—However, that issue was directed at one in particular.

And she couldn't help but stiff her next breath following the King's urgent howl.

"FEMALE!" 

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Date: 05/20/23

Time: 7:08

Words: 1704

Author's Note:

I don't think the Rogue King is too happy, do you?
Guess we'll find out what happens next on Thursday😁

I was wondering if I should make a third update, but the next two chapters pair well together.
Besides, I'm going to bed!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend and I'll hopefully see you for tomorrow's update for LH: MR!