Novel & Cerita Arthur's April Fool Book

I shared a humorous anecdote about a particularly obstinate teacher back in college and she told me about her new favorite book, a fantasy book about a courageous empress. It was comfortable, simple and just what I needed. The unrestrained laughter soothed the wounds from the previous few days. For a while the simple happy sound of a childs laughter and the sense of a renewed connection overshadowed the confusion of Sloan's secrets, the impending dangers and the staggering range of emotions. And then Sophia was saying mid-sentence recounting some elaborate plan she and Arthur had concocted to fix something “We decided the best approach would be to…” “It seems someone is feeling better.”

He was making the fact that I answered this person into something it wasn't. "Uh, oh. Lover's quarrel," the guy joked in a mocking tone, then laughed evilly. "Back off," Arthur warned. "You don't want to make the mistake of crossing me." "Oh, really?" the other man said. He picked up a cloth napkin nearby and pretended to be hiding behind it, peeking over like a scared child. Then he laughed mischievously and tossed the napkin at Arthur. Arthur easily snapped it out of the air, but his expression was one of angst.

Her competence was a silent reprimand. “Arthur left more than just the house,” she said later, her voice echoing in the vast, book-lined library. Dust motes danced in the slants of pale sunlight breaking through the clouds. She was running a finger along the spines of leather-bound books. “He left a puzzle. He told me once he would.” Liam, who had been staring out at the dripping garden, turned. “What kind of puzzle?” “The kind meant for us.” She pulled a volume from the shelf—a dense, philosophical text he remembered Arthur favoring. Tucked inside was a single, cream-colored key. “He believed people are their truest selves under pressure. In a game. He designed one for us.”

Alpha Aidan explained as Archer and I joined the group of people huddled around the desk, whilst Darren hurriedly flipped through. “Here it is! The Tale of The Flesh Eaters, written by Arthur Bartley. It is said that Arthur saw these creatures one day which inspired the book.” Darren explained with a smile standing back so we all could see the story he was very proud to find, I mean this was only further validating the claims he’s been making.

It was all there, every vulnerability, every planned move, laid bare for his enemy. At the bottom of one page, caught in the corner of the scanner, was the distinct, heavy crease from the leather-bound notebook Arthur Lowell always carried. The world tilted. It wasn’t the shock of the leak itself; he had grown accustomed to treachery. It was the source. Arthur. The avuncular presence, the voice of reason, the man who had spoken so convincingly about shoring up their defenses while he was already dismantling them from the inside.

“That’s how Richard kept me quiet. He sent money through fake companies. He hoped I’d go away. But I found one last page of David’s journal, hidden in a book.” Arthur’s face turned pale. “It mentions a meeting. Not with Richard but with someone else. A partner. Someone even worse.” Leah leaned in. “Who was it? Who?” Before Arthur could answer, a loud banging came from the front door. It wasn’t a normal knock, it was strong and angry. Arthur’s face filled with fear. “They found me,” he whispered. “I shouldn’t have called you.” Leah pulled out her hidden gun. “Who are they?”

“A terrible misunderstanding. But… I’m back now.” From the doorway, a low, slow clap echoed through the room. Arthur strolled in, leaning casually against the doorframe. His sharp eyes dragged over my disheveled state—lingering on the ripped fabric of my dress that Dante had torn in the van—before rising to meet my gaze. A slow, knowing smirk spread across his lips. Arthur wasn’t fooled for a second. He knew exactly what had happened. “What a beautiful, miraculous return,” Arthur drawled, his voice dripping with heavy sarcasm. “You really must be careful about taking spontaneous vacations, Isabella. The world is so dangerous. It’s a good thing my brother is such an exceptional… hunter.”

“He’s Mr. Brooke’s personal assistant—used to be a mercenary. You got caught impersonating the real Duncan. You’d better get on your knees and beg for mercy!” If I hadn’t trained under Morgan, that sudden blow might have genuinely caught me off guard. I turned, stood tall, and without hesitation, flipped Nathan over my shoulder in a clean takedown. Before he could scramble back to his feet, Morgan, unable to restrain himself, smashed a fist into Nathan’s nose with a sickening crunch. I pulled back and offered a resigned smile. “We’re in Azura. Try to keep it classy.” Nathan wailed in panic. “Mr. Morgan, you hit the wrong person! He’s the one pretending to be Mr. Brooke! I’ve got nothing to d

Naomi broke the silence. “What happens if she reads it?” Nobody answered immediately. Because nobody knew. The Pillars had gone silent. The Threshold was waiting. The Council remained trapped outside the doorway. Everything had led to this moment. And beyond it— nothing was certain. Arthur folded his arms tightly. “Maybe she shouldn't.” The words shocked everyone. Including Arthur himself. Gabriel stared. “You've spent half the story trying to solve this.” “I know.” Arthur looked toward the book. “And now I'm wondering why she built an entire reality to avoid reading one page.”

As I kept thinking why he did that, the butler began serving me breakfast, I tried my best to concentrate on my food but my mind kept wondering why he just left like that and somehow it has hurt me, I don't understand why I was feeling hurt. After having breakfast, I woke April up and helped her get fresh before taking her to the dining table. Day went on, Coop told me that the appointment with Mr. Thomas was the day after tomorrow at 10 Am. Mr. Thomas was one of Arthur's friends, Coop told me that Arthur asked Mr. Thomas to help me in April's case. He's actions sometimes really surprises me, he hates kids and was still helping April, it was such a sweet gesture. A smile appeared on my face