Claimed by the vampire prince

Chapter 516: Chapter 516

Circe remained perfectly still. The soul had already crossed into the land beyond death. It should not have been capable of reaching back this strongly unless something tethered it here through overwhelming emotion.

Anger, perhaps. Maybe even Betrayal.

She could feel both pouring from it.

"She killed me and now she defies my final wishes"

Circe frowned faintly. Something about the voice felt familiar in a way she could not immediately place.

Carefully, she extended her magic toward the soul. Glowing threads slipped silently from beneath her skin, moving beyond the physical world itself as they reached for the presence calling to her. The moment contact was made, fragments of memories flooded into her mind.

A crown. A goblet of wine.

Pain spreading through a man’s body while courtiers screamed in panic.

Nheera standing beside his bedside, watching him with a look of satisfaction.

Circe’s breath hitched as her eyes widened.

The realization of who it was struck her so suddenly it nearly staggered her backward.

"She killed him," Circe whispered dazedly. Her voice was quiet, yet somehow it still cut through the chaos around them.

Several heads turned toward her immediately.

Ragnar glanced back sharply. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

Even Nheera’s expression shifted slightly.

Circe stared directly at the queen now, horror and disbelief mixing visibly across her face.

Then, much louder this time, she said: "She killed the king."

Shock tore through the throne room like wildfire.

For one suspended moment, no one moved. Then the entire hall erupted.

Voices crashed over one another from every direction while nobles stared at Circe in stunned disbelief. They looked especially horrified at the fact that she was daring to make such vile accusations.

One nobleman near the front scowled. "This has gone too far."

Another shook his head in visible disgust. "First treason and murder accusations? Have you both completely lost your senses?"

But doubt had already started to creep in bit by bit.

That was the dangerous part. Because even among the disbelief, some faces had changed. Some nobles were beginning to look toward Nheera with uncertainty.

And Nheera noticed it.

She felt the shift spreading through the court like cracks forming beneath ice.

Years of control. Years of carefully built alliances. Years spent tightening her grip around the kingdom piece by piece.

All of it was beginning to fracture before her eyes.

Yet not a single trace of weakness showed on her face. If anything, her fury only heightened.

"You lying little wench," Nheera hissed at Circe, every word dripping with malice. "What gave you the right to walk into my palace, and spout your nonsense? When the king fell ill, I stayed by his side and took care of him. When he was no longer fit to rule, I took on the responsibility just as he would have wanted. And now these traitors stand here weaving lies because they failed to seize the throne."

She pointed directly toward Ragnar.

"This bastard murders royal guards in the throne room itself, marches an army against the crown, and now seeks to justify his treason by slandering the royal family." Her lip curled in disgust. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Elka slowly shrinking deeper into the crowd.

Laheir Tavish stepped forward quickly beside the throne. He stared at Ragnar with contempt because he knew that if he managed to escape the soldiers the queen sent, it meant something bad must have happened to Aeron there as well.

"Everyone knows you are a liar." Ragnar told Nheera. "It’s hardly surprising given how little integrity you possess."

Laheir’s eyes narrowed.

"You expect this court to trust the word of a man like you?"

"I expect them to start questioning why my father conveniently died the moment opposition against Nheera began growing within the kingdom." Ragnar answered.

Footsteps echoed from beyond the throne room doors. The sound was quiet compared to the chaos filling the chamber, yet it carried sharply enough to pull attention toward the entrance almost immediately.

One by one, heads turned.

A woman dressed in black stepped into the hall.

The moment Nheera saw her, something vicious twisted across her face. Then she sneered.

"Would you look at what we have here." Her voice dripped with contempt. "It’s the whore herself. I didn’t think you would have the guts to step foot in this kingdom ever again, Leonora."

Ragnar went completely still.

Leonora. He went completely still at the mention of that name.

For a second, even his heartbeat seemed to stop.

No, It couldn’t be.

Slowly, dread began spreading through his chest.

Could it really be her?

Even then, Ragnar found himself unable to turn around immediately. Fear rooted him in place more effectively than chains ever could because if he looked, everything might change for good.

Nheera continued mercilessly.

"It’s truly fitting, isn’t it? After decades, the whore and her bastard are finally standing in the same room. The two of you have so much in common. You both wanted what you could never have. You wanted a place in my husband’s bed and now the worthless demon son you birthed wants my son’s throne." frёewebηovel.cѳm

Ragnar could feel dozens of eyes turning toward him.

But he barely noticed them.

At last, he forced himself to turn around and the sight before him stole the breath from his lungs entirely.

Morana Silhara stood near the entrance.

The very woman he had brought into his home. The woman he had trusted to care for Circe.

His mother.

Shock numbed all feeling in his hands.

But beneath the surprise was a deep feeling of betrayal.

All this time she had known. He couldn’t help recounting very moment she had looked him directly in the eyes while hiding the truth from him.

Now as their gazes finally met, he saw her eyes filling with emotion.

Regret, pain, fear. And along with the others he could recognize, also saw a look of maternal affection that he secretly longed for all his life.

A sharp ache spread through Ragnar’s chest and he finally tore his gaze from her. He couldn’t handle the sight of her.

He turned back toward Nheera, only to see Circe stepping forward.

Her eyes never left the queen.

"You killed him, didn’t you?" Circe asked. "You and Laheir Tavish poisoned the king."