Claimed by the vampire prince

Chapter 155: Chapter 155

After the initial shock from the king’s words wore off, it was quickly followed by a wave of discontent that swept across the throne room. It came from the queen’s supporters and those openly vying for her favor. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

But everyone there knew the type of man King Zeriel was and that he was not one to tolerate public opposition. It was for that reason only that they held their tongues.

Even the queen had yet to say a single word regarding what the king had declared, though Ragnar was certain she would have more than enough vitriol to unleash once the opportunity presented itself.

He caught Hairan’s gaze across the hall. The look that passed between them lasted only a second, but it told Ragnar everything he needed to know.

Hairan was livid. So was Laheir, though the latter’s fury was far more restrained, concealed beneath a mask of measured calm.

Laheir was too experienced in the game of courtly politics to lose his cool so easily.

"Loyalty like the one you have continued to show deserves to be rewarded," the king said.

Ragnar returned his focus to his father and bowed his head respectfully.

"I took an oath to serve the court. I will give my life for this kingdom," Ragnar said, head still bowed low.

King Zeriel patted Ragnar’s shoulder again, and for a fleeting moment, the gesture felt more like that of a father and son than king and subject.

Then the king’s attention shifted. His gaze fell upon the kneeling rebel, Gerard Morren, and the guards standing beside him. One corner of his mouth curled, and his earlier smile twisted into a sneer.

"Have he and his accomplices tossed into the dungeons," the king ordered.

That was another thing about his father. He could have arranged a swift trial for the rebels so they would know their fate, how and when they would meet their end. But Zeriel preferred to let his enemies rot in the dark, trapped between fear and uncertainty. He wanted them to suffer for as long as he deemed fit.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Ragnar lifted his head and motioned for the guards to drag Gerard away.

When the king finally adjourned the meeting, Hairan stormed out of the throne room, his fury barely contained. One by one, the courtiers dispersed, whispering among themselves. The echoes of the king’s words still hung heavy in the air, impossible to ignore.

Later that day, the queen’s private chambers erupted with chaos. The heavy oak doors slammed shut behind her, and almost immediately, the sound of shattering glass filled the air.

Queen Nheera swept her arm across a nearby table, sending a vase crashing to the floor where it shattered into glittering shards. She was no longer able to control the torrent of anger that had been building inside her since the throne room.

"How dare he do this to me!" she growled, her voice trembling with fury. "How could he! After all I have done for him!"

Her jeweled hairpins had loosened, and long strands of ebony hair tumbled around her face. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

Another crash followed as she hurled a jeweled candelabra against the wall. Porcelain, glass, and gold splintered across the marble floor.

Her rage echoed through the chamber, spilling out into the corridor beyond. It was loud enough to draw attention and it did.

Moments later, the door opened again.

Azul entered, the faintest crease forming between his brows as he took in the wreckage. His boots crunched softly against shattered porcelain as he stepped inside. He heard the sound of the destruction before he actually saw it for himself.

He paused, his eyes sweeping over the wreckage scattered across the floor before settling on his mother. Nheera stood in the center of the chaos, chest heaving, her hair disheveled and her eyes blazing.

It wasn’t the first time he had watched Nheera throw a fit, his mother’s rage was nothing short of being legendary.

"Mother?" Azul said softly, his tone carefully measured, as though approaching a wild feral animal.

Nheera’s head snapped toward him, her gaze searing with molten fury.

"No! I will not allow it!" she nearly shrieked. "I will die first before I let that bastard sit on Marzen’s throne! It belongs to Hairan by right, not to the son of a demon whore!"

Her voice cracked under the weight of her fury. Strands of her hair had come loose, falling messily around her face, a perfect reflection of her unraveling composure and of how she was slowly fraying at the edges.

"It’s not set in stone," Azul said calmly, stepping closer. "Nothing has been finalized yet."

"Just the fact that he implied it—" Nheera broke off, seething. "Zeriel must be doing this to get back at me. That ungrateful fool!"

Azul didn’t interrupt. He simply watched her.

He had slipped earlier and let his anger show back in the throne room because he was taken by surprise by the king but right now his expression was the very picture of composure.

Rage was such a volatile emotion. It created room for errors and made people do things they otherwise never would. Azul, however, had learned that he functioned best when he was deadly calm and in complete control.

He had been waiting for this, waiting for her fury to boil over so he could shape it to his advantage.

Hairan might have known about the wager, but the queen did not.

Now was his chance.

"A while ago, Jayran and I had a conversation," Azul began evenly, "and he told me that Hairan wasn’t fit to be king."

Nheera’s face contorted with outrage, exactly the reaction he had been hoping for.

"We made a wager," Azul continued. "A wager about who would be our next king. You already know where my loyalties lie, Mother. But Jayran chose a different path. He swore his loyalty to none other than Ragnar. And we have all seen the result of that today."

The queen seemed to stand taller at his words, her fury sharpening into something colder. She knew that Azul and Jayran had been trying to best each other for years, sometimes she even encouraged it. A little competition was good to keep them sharp.

But it was clear that she had been oblivious of this current attempt.

"You think he had something to do with this?" she asked, her tone dangerously low. Azul could see the thoughts racing behind her eyes.

"I would be more surprised if he didn’t," Azul said. "I’m just not sure how he managed to do it."