Free Web NovelChapter 422: Chapter 422
"Then why do you still stand by him? Don’t you resent him? You would be well within your rights to," she pressed, her brows knitting together. Knowing what she did now, Azul’s behavior still made no sense to her. She would never stand beside someone the way Azul supported Hairan’s claim to the throne if they had done such a thing to her. She could not even begin to fathom it.
"It is far beyond whatever strife we encounter as brothers when it concerns the future of our kingdom," he replied. "And at the end of the day, it was just a dog... and Hairan is my brother. Turning away from my family is something I have never been able to bring myself to do." His gaze shifted, distant, as though weighed down by something unseen. "Maybe one day I will be able to but not now."
The soft echo of approaching footsteps broke the fragile moment between them.
"Pardon me, Your Highness." The voice cut through their quiet exchange, snapping the invisible thread that had held their gazes locked.
Elka looked away first, turning toward the interruption. A maid stood a few paces away, her head bowed deeply, hands clasped neatly before her.
Seeing that she had gained the princess’s attention, the maid dipped lower in a respectful curtsy before speaking.
"His Highness has asked that I escort you back to your chambers. It is quite late," she said.
Elka frowned, confusion settling across her features. This was unusual. Hairan had never once shown concern for her whereabouts, much less sent someone to ensure her safe return. The gesture felt foreign, too gentle, too considerate and so unlike the cold indifference he had shown her since their wedding.
How had he even known where she was?
The question lingered uneasily in her mind, but she did not voice it. Strange or not, she lacked the energy to refuse. She spared Azul a final glance before turning on her heel and following after the maid.
The corridors stretched long and quiet before them, lit only by wall sconces that cast restless shadows along the stone walls. By the time they reached her chambers,mild unease had taken root within her chest.
She stepped inside and stopped short. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
Hairan stood beside her large four-poster bed, his tall frame partially swallowed by the dim candlelight that flickered across the room. The sight was so jarring, so utterly out of place, that it took a moment for her mind to process what she was seeing.
He had never been here before. Not since she had become his wife.
A sharp breath caught in her throat, and she could not quite keep the shock from slipping into her voice. freewebnøvel.coɱ
"Your Highness?"
For a heartbeat, neither of them moved.
Then his lips curled into a sneer.
"I did not believe it at first," he said slowly, his gaze raking over her with open disdain. "But I see now that I was mistaken. So this is what you have taken to doing because I refuse to share your bed. You spend your nights engaging in clandestine meetings with Azul. No wonder he was so eager to defend you today."
It was like he spoke in a language she could not understand. Every conversation with him left her more upset and confused.
"I don’t understand what you mean," she said carefully.
For a fleeting moment, she considered asking if he was still drunk but she bit her tongue. The tension in the room was already thick enough to suffocate her, and she had no desire to make it worse.
Exhaustion pressed heavily against her limbs, dragging at her bones. All she wanted was the comfort of her bed, the escape of sleep. The last thing she needed was another argument.
"What were you doing with my brother?" Hairan demanded, his voice sharpening. "Clinging to my mother is not enough, you want Azul too?"
Each word landed like a blow, heavy with accusation.
She stared at him, stunned, her mind struggling to catch up. Then, slowly, the meaning of his words sank in and with it came a surge of anger.
"His Highness and I were only talking," she said, her voice tightening despite her effort to remain composed. "I can assure you that nothing untoward happened—"
"And I am supposed to believe anything that comes out of your mouth?" he cut in, his expression twisting with disgust.
Something in her snapped.
Elka’s spine straightened, her chin lifting as her anger flared, like a spark catching on dry kindling.
"You dislike me, and I cannot force you to see me differently," she said. "You have been content to behave as though I do not exist, so why are you suddenly so interested in what I do or in the people I choose to speak to? Why do you care now? What is it that you want from me?"
Azul’s words echoed in her mind unbidden. And as she looked at Hairan, all she could see was a thirteen-year-old boy, standing over a helpless creature, his hands stained with blood.
Hairan moved toward her then, each step predatory. But Elka stood her ground, her heart pounding against her ribs, a single question circling her thoughts.
What had she ever done to deserve this?
"I want you gone. From this palace and from my life," he said, his voice cold with finality. "Go back to where you came from, because there is nothing for you here. And I will make sure that you regret the day you agreed to this marriage."
But that was the thing, wasn’t it? She had never been given a choice when it came to this marriage alliance. It had never been about her, only her father’s ambitions and his relentless desire to see her bound to the royal family, so that one day she might wear a crown and, in doing so, elevate their name and standing.
Refusal had never been an option for her. The few times she had dared to resist, she had been met with harsh punishment, her defiance beaten out of her.
Hairan had seen the bruises that marred her skin and yet, even with that knowledge, he chose to see her as nothing more than a desperate social climber, clawing her way into a life she had never truly wanted.
