Chapter 51: Chasing tails
"I want you out of La Rose Noire." Shera finally stated after a pause. "Leave right now. You will no longer have anything to do with La Rose Noire and we will have nothing to do with you. Don't you ever think of coming back."
Purple bit her lips and left Shera's room.
[You actually let her off? Is the sun rising from the West tomorrow?] Tazja was at it again.
"Don't make a huge deal out of mole hills, Tazja." Shera yawned.
…
Purple didn't know how she managed to get to her room without fainting. Her whole body was drained of strength. She dragged her feet into her room and flopped onto the bed. "That evil woman. How could she do this?"
Bitterness filled Purple's face. "She knows that the Qin family must be seeking my blood right now. Yet she decided not to kill me but to send me away instead—it's because she knows that the Qin family will kill me in a torturous way."
Not just the Qin family. La Rose Noire had many enemies and they had always been afraid of Shera. Once they found out that she had been banned from La Rose Noire, they would vent all their anger and frustration on her.
She balled her fists to stop herself from getting scared even though she was already on the verge of peeing her pants. Who didn't want to live? Who wasn't afraid of torture? Well, as a member of La Rose Noire, she had undergone torturous training and was no longer afraid of it. However, this was different. It was torturous death that was awaiting her, not training.
After calming down a little, she mocked herself in her heart repeatedly. Then she started packing her things. When she opened the last drawer, she took out a locket—the very locket she was wearing when she was abducted by Shera's henchmen.
She hugged it to her chest then brought it in front of her face and opened it. Inside the locket was a picture of two adorable young girls hugging. Purple caressed the face of the older girl as she mumbled. "She is so evil. I can't believe I even thought she was like you."
Purple smiled, a smile filled with pain and self-ridicule. "I'm so sorry. How can I even compare such a heartless devil to you?"
At the door, Shera turned and went back to her room.
[You hate to see her leave, don't you? After all she was the most competent assistant you ever had.
She did mess up in the end, but she was still the best you ever had, right? Besides, she did complete the task in the end.] Tazja appeared to question Shera as soon as she was back in her room.
"Don't be so nosy. Mind your own business." Shera snarled at it.
[But you are my business; and you do hate to see her leave. Besides, what she said just now wounded your ego.]
"What makes you think such meaningless words could wound anything of mine?" Shera quickly climbed onto her eerie bed and covered herself.
[You went to her room with the intention to stop her.]
At that, Shera snapped. "If you have nothing meaningful to say, just shut up." Like she would take back her words.
[You know what the irony is?] Tazja did not stop. [I'm in your mind—which means I'm reading your inner thoughts.]
Shera huffed and went to sleep. This stupid pet was becoming more stupid by the minute. What kind of nonsense was this?! She should finish the so-called missions quickly and get it off her mind.
—
Purple was right. Shera knew that the Qins and other enemies of La Rose Noire would seek Purple's life. However, neither Shera nor Purple knew just how soon it would happen…
_
Jade Mansion.
By the next morning, the Qins had invited a gazillion doctors over and had them check on Cedric. But no matter how skilled the doctor was, they couldn't ascertain the content of the poison Cedric had been injected with, hence they couldn't create an antidote.
In this case, creating random antidotes in the hope of finding the right one was not an option. It was highly likely that the poison could be more harmful if mixed with certain drugs or reagents.
The Qins had chased their tails all night. At dawn, they all had eyes swollen like walnuts.
Of course, there were exceptions—Leo and Cedric. It was understandable that Leo wanted nothing to do with his half-brother but Cedric being nonchalant was unexpected. He had actually slept the whole time that doctors drew his blood for tests. The man didn't care even when it was a matter of his own life and death.
Livian helplessly left his brother's room at dawn, heading straight for the kitchen. "He's actually still sleeping. I'm going to heap ice cubes on his face!"
"Oh no you don't." Helen grabbed his arm to stop him. "Your brother is already in this state. Do you want to freeze him to death?"
"He should freeze to death then!" Livian lost his cool. "Is his brain functioning—if he has one to begin with? Instead of simply blurting out that he has been poisoned and sleeping, he should tell us who poisoned him. That might be of help. Can't he be useful for a bit even when it's his own life on the line?"
Helen let go of Livian's hand and contemplated his words. "You're right. Perhaps the person simply wants money. If we give it to them, they will give us the antidote or tell us what the poison is made of."
"You guys aren't done chasing your tails yet?" A sleepy voice interrupted them. After saying his annoying words, Leo entered the kitchen and poured himself a glass of fruit juice.
"What do you mean by that?" Helen asked bitterly. Did her son not mind his words anymore?
Leo ignored them and hummed his way out of the kitchen, holding his glass of juice. This obviously had something to do with Shera but there was no use telling them. She couldn't give them the antidote, now could she?
The nervous trio would probably realize that when they calmed down a little.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Avalorian_
Avalorian_ Darlings, I'm so sorry for not updating sooner. I'm still outlining the next arc and trying to put my all in it so there are no plot holes and other issues that put off readers. That, and the fact that I have another ognoing book so my pace is kinda slow.
I hope you guys understand. I'll try to update the next chapter within 24 hours❤
Do show some love ❤❤
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