The Princess and the Pauper (Arabella) novel Chapter 1918

"I still can't believe she was the ringleader of some secret society," Lucas exclaimed, clearly shocked. "This whole situation feels like it runs deeper. But with Martha gone, there's some truth to the saying 'what goes around comes around'!"

Alma was stunned that Arabella had gone through so much and yet, there she was, sitting pretty as a picture, not a hair out of place.

Alma thought, "Was she even human? Her luck was just too unbelievable! I mean, we're talking about a kidnapping and a ticking time bomb. And she made it out alive. It's just mind-boggling!"

"So, that leaves just Erik still breathing," Lucas mused, then added with resolve, "This man, we can't let him off easy! We have to grill him, find out if he intentionally switched the kids to give his daughter a better life."

"I'll get to the bottom of it once he wakes up."

Louisa hadn't shared with them that there was more to the old fire incident, that a puppet master was still lurking in the shadows.

Lucas and Beverly assumed that it was all Erik and Martha’s selfish scheme to switch two kids.

"Wake him up?" Lucas was confused by her words. "What's he doing sleeping at a time like this? Why don't you shake him awake and give him a piece of your mind?"

"He's not sleeping, he's in a coma. It's a long story, but you know Bella's got healing hands. Luckily she stepped in, and now Erik's out cold until we can question him about what really happened back then."

Lucas and Beverly's eyes shifted back to Arabella.

"Absolutely, Bella's skills are legendary," Lucas couldn't help praising Arabella's medical prowess, especially since she had saved his own parents.