43. The Slow Unraveling

[Xavier]

He followed Erica as she rushed down the stairs. "She is in the study," he said a little loudly. Erica, who had by now become well-acquainted with their house, turned right. He was getting worried about her. She was not herself at the moment and he worried that she might take a wrong decision. Erica was quite shaken by what she must have seen. He only hoped that his aunt had a proper solution.

His aunt was waiting for them, looking tense. "Queen Jade, you have to do something," Erica cried out the moment they entered. "Erica, calm down and tell me everything," the older woman replied. Xavier could see how tired his aunt looked and that increased his respect for her even more. After he knew what she might have faced, how oblivious she still was of his mother's real identity, he couldn't help but hope that she wouldn't feel resentment towards her own sister.

"They have been poisoned....all of them, but they are still alive or that's what the letter says and Elias is missing a