Transmigrated as the Crown Prince's Mate
Chapter 81: More Than Curiosity...

Chapter 81: More Than Curiosity...

"The morning report hasn’t come in yet, but I’ve already heard from one of the night guards. There have been fatalities. Five as of dawn."

Evelina’s hand froze halfway to her mouth, her appetite vanishing. "Five?" she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Damian nodded grimly. "The symptoms are progressing faster in some than in others. The healer believes the severity might depend on their exposure to the toxin."

Jasper, ever the one to break the tension, leaned back in his chair and sighed dramatically. "Fantastic. A murderous toxin that’s selectively efficient. Can’t this day get any better?"

Evelina shot him a look, but there was no real bite to it. She knew his humour was a defence mechanism, one she almost envied.

"We’ll figure it out," Damian said firmly, though the dark circles under his eyes betrayed his weariness. "But we need to work faster. Whatever’s left in that well needs to be dealt with immediately."

They quickly ate in a tense atmosphere filled with unspoken worries, then returned to the lab. Evelina’s determination was strong, but anxiety still lingered in her mind.

When they entered the lab, they were greeted by an unexpected sight.

Lord Luther stood by one of the tables, examining the equipment with a critical eye. His expression was unreadable, though his sharp gaze flicked to them as they entered.

"Well," he drawled, straightening to his full height. "I wasn’t expecting a full alchemical set up in the palace this morning. Care to tell me your findings so far, Lady Evelina?"

Damian’s expression darkened slightly, though he kept his tone respectful. "Lord Luther, what brings you here?"

Luther’s sharp gaze lingered on the array of vials and burners before him. "Is it so strange for me to take an interest in unusual activities within the palace, Your Highness?"

He folded his arms casually. "This little... unsanctioned experiment of yours—do we all agree the King should remain unaware of it?"

Evelina stiffened, and her stomach twisted, but she kept her expression calm and neutral. "Are you planning to tell him?" she asked directly, her tone laced with caution.

Luther chuckled softly, a sound that seemed both amused and condescending. "No, Lady Evelina. I have no intention of informing the King. For now, my curiosity outweighs my loyalty to protocol. I’d like to see what exactly you’re working on."

Damian folded his arms, his eyes narrowing slightly. "With all due respect, Lord Luther, I don’t think this is the best place for an observer. This work requires great attention to detail and, to be honest, it’s not particularly exciting."

"I promise to stay out of your way, Your Highness," Luther said with a slight smile. "I don’t plan to interrupt you. You won’t even notice I’m around. Besides," he continued, looking at the equipment with mild interest, "this kind of work is... interesting."

Evelina glanced at Damian, who gave a subtle nod, leaving the decision to her.

After a brief pause, she sighed. "Fine. But please, Lord Luther, if you’re going to stay, make good on your promise to stay out of the way. This isn’t a spectacle."

"Of course, Lady Evelina," Luther said with a slight incline of his head and a trace of mockery in his gesture. He leaned back against the wall, his posture relaxed but his sharp gaze taking in every detail of the room.

With that, the three returned to their work. Evelina’s focus quickly shifted back to the array of vials and samples spread out before her, though she couldn’t help but glance at Luther now and then.

He was standing quietly in the corner, his piercing gaze tracking every movement she made. It was unsettling, and Relia was quick to comment.

"He’s watching you like a hawk," Relia said with a growl in her mind. "I don’t trust him."

Evelina kept her face neutral, pretending to adjust the flame under a beaker. "Neither do I. He’s been all over our business."

"This is more than curiosity."

"He’s not just curious," Evelina thought to Relia. "He’s looking for something. But if he’s here, we may as well let him see we have nothing to hide."

"Or he’s here because he’s hiding something," Relia countered. "Don’t take your eyes off him for too long."

Evelina exhaled slowly, refocusing on her work. She carefully measured a reagent into a vial of the blood sample, her hands steady despite the tension coursing through her body.

The liquid fizzed slightly before settling into a pale green. She noted the reaction, wiping her forehead with her sleeve.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Luther watching her closely, his face showing no clear emotions. When she looked at him directly, he quickly turned his attention to the equipment, as though feigning disinterest.

Minutes turned into hours as they worked.

Damian and Jasper kept to one side, combing through texts and preparing additional samples, while Evelina remained focused on her task.

Luther’s voice interrupted her focus, sounding casual yet curious. "You’re really good at this, Lady Evelina. I didn’t expect you to have any training in alchemy."

Evelina didn’t look up. "I’ve had experience," she said simply, her hands moving as she set up another test. "Enough to know what I’m doing."

"Clearly," Luther remarked.

Every now and then, Eve would catch Luther’s gaze flicking to her, especially when she performed certain techniques.

It was subtle—the way he leaned forward slightly when she used a specific motion to strain a solution or how his eyes narrowed when she added a stabilising agent in a precise sequence.

His interest wasn’t idle curiosity; it was as though he recognised something in her methods.

"Why does he keep staring?" Relia muttered. "If he wants a lesson in alchemy, he should just ask."

Evelina ignored her wolf, though her own suspicions were growing.

She couldn’t shake the feeling that Luther wasn’t just watching for entertainment—he was studying her.

The way his eyes lingered when she adjusted the burners or wiped a bead of sweat from her brow suggested familiarity, as though he’d seen it all before.

Finally, Luther broke the silence. "Tell me, Evelina, where exactly did you learn such... refined techniques? They remind me of methods I’ve seen before, but surely that’s impossible."