Free Web NovelChapter 27: Chapter 27
The queen followed after the group of palace guards who helped carry away an unconscious prince Hairan. More guards spilled into the arena, tending to the other challengers that were unconscious or groaning on the ground, inspecting the severity of their injuries before carrying them out as well. Even Casilo was offered aid.
Circe didn’t move, she wasn’t even sure she was allowed to. Never in her life had she ever been this uncertain. Her gaze bounced from the patches of blood staining the arena to the prone motionless bodies. Ragnar was one of them. The guards were still yet to tend to Ragnar despite the fact that his injuries were more life-threatening than the other four challengers. No one had even done as much as approached his body. Ragnar looked like he was teetering over the threshold of death’s door and yet it was like they didn’t care whether he lived or died.
With no more fights to witness and the queen gone, the crowd of nobles began slowly dispersing, exiting back through where they came. Only one woman stayed. Circe didn’t know her but her jewelry and clothes spoke of immense wealth. She left the stands and ran straight for the arena and dropped to her knees beside Ragnar when it became obvious that he was deliberately being ignored.
Circe watched the woman press her ear to Ragnar’s chest then pressed two fingers to the side of his neck to check for a pulse.
" He’s alive! Come quick. Help me lift him so we can take him to the physician." The woman spoke frantically
The guards didn’t move. They exchanged a strange look.
" Why are you all still standing there? Can’t you see the state he’s in? Help him!" At her words, three of the guards sprung into action, rushing towards where Ragnar lay. They hoisted him up as gently as they could. When they carried him out, the woman followed as well.
Circe was now the only one left in the stands. She slowly stood and walked towards the east tunnel. Two of the challengers remained in the arena along with a few other guards. Casilo was one of them. His face was littered with cuts and darkening bruises. He looked away when she walked past.
She didn’t know where else to go so she opted to return to the room she slept in. There were guards stationed in each hall she passed, even in the one leading to Ragnar’s chambers. The royals had tightened the security around the palace in preparation for the day’s events.
She entered her bedroom and quickly slammed the locks into place before letting out a heavy sigh. There was a throbbing in her skull, a buzzing in her eyes. Circe couldn’t bring herself to sit still. If she did she would be forced to recall the violence, the blood. So much blood. She fiddled nervously with the necklace around her neck, the only material possession she was able to take out of Westeria. She never took it off, not even while she slept. Rowen and the necklace were the only piece of home she had left.
In truth, none of what she witnessed today should have surprised her in the least. The vampires were a vicious race, their history and entire civilization crafted from bloodshed and cruelty. Her father had been right about them. Barbaric, that was what they were, their laws forged from brutality. They not just tolerated it, they reveled in it as well. They saw it as a game.
She recalled her encounter with Prince Hairan in the tunnel, the wicked glint in his eyes and his thinly veiled threats. It wasn’t just her life that was in danger, Rowen’s too. Hairan’s words weren’t just threatening, they were a warning to put as much distance between them as possible. An attempt had already been made on her life once, what was stopping them from trying again?
She needed to get Rowen far away from the vampires. The sooner the better. She wouldn’t let the nobles use her brother as a source of entertainment. She would rather endure the queen’s twisted attentions alone, than let Rowen know the true extent of the horrors these people were capable of.
But nowhere in Lamora was safe, not even Ragnar’s Manor.
Circe had to think of something and she had to do it fast.
****
The queen maintained a steady gait as she followed behind the guards carrying her son. They were headed in the direction of the physician’s quarters. Her face was a blank slate, devoid of emotions as she kept her gaze on Hairan’s almost lifeless body but anyone who knew her well would be able to see the tightness in the corner of her eyes, the strain in her posture.
She didn’t have to jog to keep pace with the guards, her long legs quickly eating up the distance.
Nheera shoved open the doors to the physician’s quarters and the guards dragged Hairan inside. The Royal physician came running out from an adjoining room at the sound of someone pushing open the main doors, pausing when he caught sight of Hairan’s battered body.
" Quick, bring him here." The physician paused when he spotted the queen standing frozen by the doorway.
" Your majesty!" The physician exclaimed, bowing deeply.
The queen hardly paid him any attention. Her gaze was on the guards as they carefully lowered Hairan down on one of the operating tables. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
" He won’t die." The queen said, her voice sounding distant to her own ears. " You will keep him alive."
It was a command and a plea wrapped up in one.
The physician dipped his head. " I will do my best, your majesty."
" Keep him alive." She turned to look at the physician fully. " Fail and your body will hang from the king’s tower."
Before she left, she took her time staring at Hairan’s face, mapping every curve and divot and committing it to memory, bruises and all. She knew it might be the last time she got to see him alive.
It was just after sunset when she decided to pay the king a visit, heading straight to where she suspected she would find him. She pushed open the door to his private study without knocking. When she entered, three sets of eyes settled on her. fгeewebnovёl.com
The king sat behind his desk and in front of him stood two of his newly appointed generals. In unison, the two generals bowed their heads in greeting but Nheera wasn’t in the mood to exchange pleasantries.
" Leave!" One word. Neither of them would like what Nheera was going to do if she had to repeat herself.
They glanced briefly at the king but he only waved a hand for them to leave.
The generals made a hasty retreat, the door clicking shut behind them.
" Have you heard?" Nheera asked. She wasn’t particularly interested in idle chatter, going straight to the point. She walked further into his study and planted her hands on his desk.
A second passed before the king spoke.
" If you are talking about the way Hairan embarrassed himself out there, then yes, I was very well informed." The king drawled. He didn’t look bothered in the least.
" He’s dying, Zeriel. Our son is dying." The words were almost a shriek. Gone was the queen’s polished and unwavering composure.
The king leaned in closer. " And whose fault is that?"
With a scream, Nheera furiously shoved all the documents off his desk, sending papers crashing to the floor. Her breaths were ragged. Her husband always elicited a sort of rage she couldn’t quell or control. It was like a wildfire the way it spread fast, burning through the last slivers of her composure.
" Don’t push me, Zeriel. You have no idea what I’m capable of."
" But you’re wrong there, Nheera. I know about every little trick you have up your sleeve." The king held her gaze for a long, tense moment.
Nheera was the first to look away. She started pacing.
" Damn you, Zeriel. You and that bastard demon-spawn of yours. I hope both of you burn in the fiery depths of innermost." Her voice was shrill. A sneer curled her lips. " Bastard. You just couldn’t help yourself, could you? You just had to sleep with that demon-wench then allowed her to birth an abomination. That abomination almost killed my son. I should have killed her when I had the chance."
Pausing in her tracks, she spun around to face her husband. " You should have never brought Ragnar back here or given him a royal title. If you had just listened to me back then—"
" Have you forgotten who among us is the king? Since when do you have the right to give the orders around here?"
" King," Nheera scoffed. " A title you wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for me, you lying, conniving snake. Like father, like son."
The king banged his palm against the desk. " I have heard enough! Another word from you and I’ll make sure Hairan isn’t the only one knocking at death’s door."
Nheera narrowed her eyes. " Is that a threat?"
" Leave!"
Nheera gave a mock bow. " As you wish, your majesty." Sarcasm laced each word.
She turned and walked towards the door, slamming it shut harder than necessary.
