Forensic Imperial Concubine by Erika Black

When Nancy returned, she saw that the spell doll was still on the table. Nancy was a little worried.

"Your Majesty, we need to be

careful with this spell doll. We don't know where it came from but it's obviously a voodoo doll. It could

get us in big trouble if

someone else finds us with it. You know how His Majesty detests the use of voodoo curses."

The empress nodded and put the spell doll away quickly. "Take care of all the other people who saw

the spell doll. I can't afford

the risk of being accused of practicing voodoo curses."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Nancy knew exactly what the empress meant. Anyone who knew about the spell doll must be silenced.

And nobody kept a

secret better than the dead. There were so many people in the palace, and if any of them leaked the

information, the empress

would be imperiled. Felix was still held in confinement and the emperor was trying to support Francis.

So they had to take extra

care at this critical juncture.

"Nanny Nancy." As soon as Nancy emerged from the Sleek Palace, she met Francis. Her face

hardened a little and she greeted

him promptly and formally.

"Your Highness."

"I wish to visit Mother. Is she inside?"

"Her Majesty is not feeling well, and she went to bed after breakfast. I'm afraid she is unavailable at this

moment."

"Mother is not feeling well? Have you summoned the imperial physician yet?"

"Yes. The imperial physician said Her Majesty needed more rest," Nancy answered meekly. "If Her

Majesty knew that you came

here to visit her, she would be delighted. But she needs some more rest to get better."

"Well, I will come to see Mother some other day." After that, Francis turned his heels and went away.

His movements were slow and graceful. He had been an invalid for many years, so even now he had a

long way to go until full recovery. His face was still pale, as if he hadn't been in the sun for years.

Nancy's eyes followed Francis' retreating back. She always felt that despite the seeming gentleness

and harmlessness of the prince, he had a natural elegance about him. Besides, Francis had

demonstrated his keen intellect since he was a child, and

gained a reputation as a prodigy at the age of five. But since then, he had spent most of his time lying

in his sickbed in a long struggle with his illness. "Your Highness, will you pay a visit to Lady Sherry

today?" Owen asked. "No, let's get out of the Imperial Palace now." Francis frowned and covered his

mouth with a handkerchief as he coughed. Seeing this, Owen wrapped a cloak around his master's

shoulders and tied it for him. "It's getting warmer now, but it's still a little cold. Your Highness, you're still

recovering and you should be more careful to avoid a cold." "Do you think I am so weak?" Francis

asked, with an ironic smile. "Your Highness, you are weak and reckless. You got yourself drenched in

the rain not long ago, remember? Finally, you've begun to recover, but now you're walking around and

tiring yourself out. If you don't take care of yourself and get well soon, Lady

Sherry will be fretting over you." Pressing his lips tightly, Owen tried to make a stern face. "And Lady

Harper..."

The smile on Francis' face faded at the mention of Harper. Seeing this, Owen broke off immediately.

The word had already

spread through the whole palace that Matthew had broken into the Imperial Academy of Medicine in

the evening for his wife.

Everyone had heard the news that Harper was pregnant. Even the emperor had sent some gifts to her

as a reward, though

nobody knew his real feelings.

"Now that Aunt Harper is pregnant, I should prepare her a gift," Francis said abruptly. "Can you give me

some suggestions for

the present?"

"I have no idea, Your Highness." Owen was caught off guard by this question. "What does she like?" "I

have no idea, Your Highness." "What sort of gifts do pregnant women want to receive?" "I really have

no idea, Your Highness." Owen felt quite useless. He had never served Harper or any pregnant woman

before, so he didn't have a clue about their likes and dislikes.

"You know nothing at all! Tell me, why should I keep you if you can't be of any use to me?" Francis

tapped Owen's forehead and

teased him. "What a waste of food!"

"Your Highness, I don't eat much..." Owen muttered, feeling aggrieved. "As long as you don't drive me

away, I could eat less in

the future."

Francis smiled, "Are you suggesting that I don't have enough money to keep an idler? Don't worry, eat

as much as you like. I can

afford it."

Hearing this, Owen breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at Francis mournfully and said, "Your Highness,

you always like to tease

me."

"Teasing you is the only entertainment I have left. Can you imagine how boring and dreadful my life

would be, if you deprived me

of that little joy?" Francis said slowly. "Speaking of which, I haven't really enjoyed viewing the Imperial

Palace before. Even

though I lived here for twenty years, I haven't been able to take a walk since my illness began at the

age of five."

"Do you want me to accompany you as you walk around the Imperial Palace?" Owen asked

thoughtfully.

Francis shook his head. Come to think of it, he didn't care about the Imperial Palace now. Its views

didn't interest him anymore.

The places he truly wanted to visit were the temples, the shops, the streets. He wanted to be

accompanied and to feel that he

was not alone in this world. He remembered how she took him out and bought him snacks. Those

memories seemed like a

luxury for him now, and he feared that he would never have such experiences again.

"Let's get out of here. Felix's confinement will end in just a few days," Francis said with his eternally

gentle voice and his

characteristically sunny smile. But the light in his eyes was as sharp as a cold sword waiting to strike at

any

moment.