The Killer Queen (Noella Briony)

Seeing the twinkle in Palmer's eyes, Noella felt her own heart skip a beat in response. She averted her gaze, awkwardly touched her face, and then turned on her heel and strode away. © NôvelDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

"Let's head back," she suggested.

Palmer followed closely behind Noella, his eyes never straying from her form.

In the car, Horatio and Alkaid were having a stare-off.

"It's been years, and I can't just take your word for it that you're Alkaid. You'll have to prove it," Horatio declared.

Alkaid raised an eyebrow. "Go on, then."

Horatio cleared his throat and said solemnly, "Medusa turned a general's wife to stone, and the general exclaimed, 'How dare you petrify my dear wife!'"

Alkaid kept a straight face. "A bird of sorrow for lost love."

Horatio pressed on, "What did the gentleman say when Lady Medusa passed gas unexpectedly?"

Alkaid shrugged, "Didn't see that coming, you're a rattlesnake."

Increasing the difficulty, Horatio continued, "You're cursed out by Noella, but you still say, 'I'd face a thousand deaths before I'd resign!'"

With a confident smile, Alkaid responded, "Cursed a thousand times, I'd never quit."

High-fiving each other, Horatio confirmed, "That's you, alright. Let's roll."

Annie, who was driving, looked bewildered. "What kind of inside jokes are these? Have I been out of the loop for so long that the world's turned upside down?"

Noella explained, "Horatio's got a taste for this stuff. He's a monk; let him have his fun."

Despite his monk status, Horatio had a youthful spirit, enjoying a good corny joke now and then, a habit Noella had grown accustomed to.

Alkaid was one of the few who could keep up with Horatio's unique sense of humor.

Palmer chuckled. "Horatio's interests are certainly unique, quite fascinating. Was that Bowie trying to stop him earlier?"

Outside the VIP room, Palmer had bumped into some business partners and couldn't follow Noella inside. When Noella emerged, Palmer also noticed Bowie, who had been lingering behind Horatio.

Bowie had been called back to deal with some Richardson family affairs and naturally, didn't want to miss out on encountering Horatio.

Noella raised an eyebrow. "I guess he wanted the monk to solve his puzzles. Seems like he's been quite troubled lately."

Horatio waved dismissively. "I'm no detective; if you've got problems, go to the police, not me."

"What brings you down from the monastery this time?"

Horatio, satisfied with the sugar-free cola Alkaid had brought him, took a big gulp and let out a contented belch.

"Burp…I'm here to perform a ritual for my senior; she asked me to help her daughter-in-law find peace. That, I can do."

Annie looked surprised. "A monk with a senior who has a daughter-in-law?"

"Oh, my senior didn't take the vows. She just learned the craft from our master. Marriage and children were all part of her path."

The master who trained Horatio, a truly remarkable monk, was no ordinary person.

Noella nodded. "So, are you staying with the Schnabels, or would you prefer a hotel?"

After a moment of silence and some contemplation, Horatio's face brightened with a smile.

"I'll stay with you. Just find me a room with some sunshine. My senior lives nearby."

Noella knew Horatio preferred not to be a bother. Staying with the Schnabels would at least keep the unwanted visitors at bay.

Palmer's gaze sharpened a bit.

It wasn't that he disrespected Horatio, but Horatio didn't exactly fit the monk image, with his charming red-tinted eyes and a clean, handsome face. Considering Horatio and Noella's long acquaintance, Palmer couldn't help but feel wary.

"The Schnabel Manor is quite bustling. Why don't you stay at my place? It's more serene."

Annie wore a look of astonishment.

Good heavens, was the sun rising from the west? Her boss was notoriously private, hardly ever welcoming strangers to his home. Even her stays were work-related exceptions. Now, he was inviting Horatio to the Pollack Mansion?

Most likely, it was all for Ms. Noella's sake.

Noella, catching on to Palmer's intention, raised an eyebrow. "Monk, you choose."

Horatio, stroking his smooth chin, looked whimsically. "Do you have cola?"

"Plenty."

"How close is it to Noella's place?"

"Right across hers."

With that, Horatio happily decided to stay with Palmer at the Pollack Mansion!

Noella looked at Palmer with a playful glint in her eye.

A monk, really? Did Palmer need to be this cautious? She wasn't so desperate as to be interested in a bald monk!

Upon arriving at the Pollack Mansion, Elara was discussing matters concerning Lavinia with the family. When Horatio entered, Sexton immediately stood up, staring intently at him.

"Horatio, what brings you here?"

Jacob, too, was surprised to see the handsome monk accompanying Palmer, his mouth agape in shock.

Horatio was a figure of renown! And here he was, at the Pollack Mansion!

Helen looked on coldly, her lips curling disdainfully. "All flash, no substance. A monk draped in gold, how tacky."

Just as Jacob was about to chide his outspoken mother, Horatio stepped forward, closing the distance.

"My dear senior! I've missed you so!"

Helen rolled her eyes in response. "Your room's all set up. Don't bug me unless it's necessary. Let's plan a memorial service and then you can head back."

"Sure thing!"

Everyone was gobsmacked!

Helen was actually Horatio's senior disciple?

But the ages didn't seem to match at all!

With a guileless smile, Horatio explained, "My master took me under his wing in his later years. I was his last student before he passed away, so there's quite an age gap between me and my fellow disciples. Originally, my master didn't take female students. But he made an exception for her here because of her extraordinary talent."

Sexton was astonished. "How come you never mentioned this before, Helen?"

"Do I need to report everything to you? I invited Horatio to perform a memorial service for Kendra Fowler, a proper ceremony."

Kendra was the deceased daughter-in-law of the Pollack family and Palmer's mother.

Jacob was equally amazed!

"Mom, we had no idea about any of this! A memorial service for Kendra, and you invited Horatio?"

Helen replied indifferently, "She deserves it, and I'm willing. Any objections? It was supposed to include your wife too, but since Lavinia is still alive, let's allow Kendra some peace on the other side."

With that, she walked away, her figure appearing notably more weathered, as if she had aged significantly in just a few days.

Time spared no beauty, yet it left its cruel marks on them.

Elara coughed twice, nudging Horatio who was beside her. "So, master, what exactly did my grandma study?"

It was normal for her to be curious, especially since Helen's demeanor hardly seemed like that of a serene practitioner.

Horatio spread his hands, an innocent look on his handsome face. "Did she not tell you? Well, that really shows she doesn't think much of keeping you in the loop. She was trained in the art of tomb raiding, commonly known as grave robbing. Oh, she used to work with someone last named Richardson. I think they were partners."