“Your hands work like magic. I haven't had a massage this good in years,” Styles confessed, moaning softly as her fingers worked on his shoulders. “Do not flatter me, your highness. I can only try. I am sure I am not even half as good as your wife,” Heli said coyly.“Who? Ivory? I doubt she beats your expertise. I haven't even had a massage from her before now,” Styles answered honestly.“Oh,” Heli moved to his back. “I suppose you're not on good terms? I felt the tension in the room, right from the moment I walked in.”Styles didn't respond and Heli rolled her eyes. There was still some resistance to her magic. This meant she needed more blood. “It's okay if you don't want to share. It is really not my business. I know I'm an outsider and I shouldn't even be here…” she paused, waiting for her manipulative words to take effect.“Do not refer to yourself as an outsider. You are soon going to be an Empress in this great kingdom,” Styles told her.Heli smiled, “Does that mean you will
“What brings you to my abode, Cedric?” The voice would have been scary to anyone else but Cedric had known this man long enough to tell that he wasn't half as scary as his voice was. “I brought a proposal I'm sure you would be interested in,” Cedric responded, staring at the curtain separating him and the man with a relaxed expression.There was no response for almost a minute.“Hope you don't mind asking your maids to entertain me while you contemplate on my words,” Cedric said, signaling one of the maids over. “I'll like some meat and strong wine,” he ordered and she nodded before leaving. “Does this offer have to do with taking a life?” The man asked. “Does it matter?” Cedric retorted. “It does. I told you I do not walk that path anymore. I am trying to give back to my people what nature has blessed…”“Cut it out, Rim. You didn’t recite a speech when we were eliminating the Emperor,” Cedric interrupted.“No, because then it seemed like nothing It is one of the acts I am asham
“Klein, I have a job for you.”The latter was not so excited when he heard it. His sister already narrated her ordeal with the princess to them and he had a hunch that Cedric was going to use him next. If only he was wrong. “Does this have anything to do with the Yung Princess?” Klein asked and Cedric winked. “I see you caught on quickly. You're a smart man and I love smart people.” “Do you?” Cedric snorted, “You don't sound very excited. I mean this is the first time I'm asking something of you, I expected you'd be eager to show how useful you can be.”Klein’s expression remained stoic. He wasn't going to buy into such cheap manipulation. Not with a sorceress involved. “You want to be regarded as royalty yet you can't even do something so small,” Cedric scoffed. “If it was so small, you would do it yourself but you can't. Because just like the rest of us, you are terrified,” Klein stated and Cedric’s smile vanished. “You have no right to speak to me in that manner. Have you f
“What has gotten into you?! We were here to have a peace talk and you went ahead to injure her!” Ragi sounded exasperated but Ivory was raging mad too.“Don't you dare blame me for my actions, Ragi! You saw what happened there. She provoked me! Was I supposed to fold my arms and smile at her?” Ivory fumed.Ragi ruffled his hair, glancing at the swarm of doctors surrounding the bleeding Princess. Ivory had gone all out on the attack and surprisingly, the princess didn't even make a single attempt to fight back. Ragi was smart enough to know that it wasn't because she was powerless. A woman with ulterior motives wouldn't mind getting beaten to a pulp to execute her manipulation.“I understand you, perfectly but you should know that you are a queen. You shouldn't let your anger get the best of you. At all times, you should try to be diplomatic. The Emperor will not take this lightly,” Ragi tries to explain calmly.“To hell with the Emperor! If he had just stuck to the vows he made to me
Klein followed Cedric to see Rim but the sorcerer didn't seem excited to see them. He looked like he wanted them anywhere but his home. “Why are you here?” Rim asked Cedric. “I don't understand. We already discussed this, didn't we? I told you I would bring someone for the fortification process and you agreed on it. Why the sudden change of attitude now?” Cedric asked. He didn't the vibe he was getting from Rim. From the look on his face alone, it felt like the man had already withdrawn from the course. “Okay, here's the thing, whatever we agreed on doesn't stand anymore. I can not help you with this. If you have any other problems, feel free to bring them to me but this? Count me out,” Rim said.Klein was relieved to hear it. He already knew this was a bad idea. Thankfully, even the sorcerer saw it that way. “What do you mean by that? Did something happen?” Cedric asked suspiciously and Rim shook his head almost immediately.“Nothing happened. Why would you even think that?” Rim
“I do not wish to remain married to you.”Her words still echoed in his mind hours after he left her cell. He had been too stunned to give any response then so he simply left the cell.He wanted to dismiss her words as a mere bluff but his heart wasn't buying it. Somewhere in his guts, he felt that it wasn't just an empty threat.He sat on his bed, thinking about the recent happenings. In the last few days, he felt lost. Like everything happening around him was beyond his control.Sometimes, it felt like he had no control over his actions either. His mind would agree on something and he would end up doing another.Styles lay on his bed. Whether he was overthinking or not, he knew one thing for sure. He would never let Ivory go. He would never forgive himself if he did.Meanwhile, the eunuch entered while Heli was having her lunch. He heard what happened to her earlier, but since the Emperor was with her, he couldn't come in. Now she was alone, they could talk freely. “My Princess…”
Cedric signaled Klein to enter the opening first. The journey to the mountains took almost a day and now they found an entrance to the mountain cave, Cedric was too cowardly to go in the first time though the whole thing was his idea. “Why do I have to go in first? What if there are monsters in there?” Klein asked.“So what if there are monsters in there? If they devour you, I still have the chance to complete the quest and elevate your family but if I get caught, both you and your family are doomed. Now get in there and stop asking questions!” He said. Klein swallowed his pride and entered the cave. He took careful sluggish steps, scanning the environment and listening closely for any sound or thing that suggested that there was a monster inhabiting the cave. On sighting nothing, he proceeded further into the cave and Cedric followed closely. “Hello?” Klein called and Cedric slapped his shoulder. “What?”“Have you lost your mind? Don't you know yelling will alert whatever is lyin
Are you in or not?Klein and Cedric stared at each other for more than a minute then took a good look at her. “I'm sorry but do you have any other conditions? Maybe monetary or… anything else, we would be more than willing to oblige,” Cedric hoped to reason with her.His little attempt went sideways and Darell picked offense.“Are you trying to insult me? I know I am not the prettiest woman alive but you don't get to threaten me like I am the ugliest being you have come across," she growled at them. They exchanged helpless glances. She was indeed the ugliest creature they've set eyes on.“We didn't mean to offend you but we really need your help and your condition is a tad bit ridiculous. I am married and I cannot see myself laying with another woman other than my wife. I love her that much," Cedric said, shocking Klein. Darell’s attention shifted to Klein. “I am engaged and my fiance… “"Enough of the insult! If I were a strikingly beautiful woman, would you remember that you ha