Free Web NovelChapter 10: Chapter 10
Adonis walked into the breakfast hall with his shoulders hunched and tired eyes. The girls were engaged in a catfight as usual. A few days ago, he would have been ecstatic that things were falling into place according to plan, but now...
"My ladies," he said weakly as he sat. "Good morning."
Most of the girls leered at him. Batting their eyelashes coquettishly like it held their charms of love, and any moment now, he’d be struck. It never worked when they did this; it simply exasperated him further that he had to keep up an act.
"I have an announcement to make," Adonis continued. "We, I mean my father and I, have decided to host a banquet in your honour." He let the announcement sink in. Their eyes had turned bright with excitement.
"Because this is a special occasion, which marks the beginning of the competition you’ve all come here for, I have decided to throw in a little test.
Everyone will have to present a performance on the day. Anything of your choice. Singing, dancing, reciting poetry, anything at all. I hope the gods favour you as I have. Thank you. "
He got up, not waiting to answer the questions he saw they were itching to ask.
"You need not worry, my ladies," he said, reassuring them, "There are no rules for this competition. Do whatever you please." Then she turned to leave.
"Your majesty?" Lilith called, "Your majesty, can I speak with you for a while?"
Adonis closed his eyes and exhaled. "Of course, princess," he answered, his voice filled with fake sweetness.
She took his hand and led him out of the ball, then pushed him against a wall after they had gone far enough from the breakfast hall.
"Your majesty, " she purred, " I’ve missed you a great deal. Why haven’t you sent for me yet? "
"Lilith," he began with a slight smile, "I’ve been a little busy."
"Of course, especially with the banquet coming up." Her face was dangerously close to his. "I’ m sure you’re extremely busy."
Adonis smirked and shook his head slightly. "Spit it out, Lilith, what is it you want from me?" he asked.
She kissed him. Her hands were roaming over his body and into his clothes as she pressed her body hard against his.
"Anything important that I should know? to aid me in the competition." freёwebnovel.com
"It was plainly stated, my dear." His hands caressed her face. "Do whatever you please."
She hadn’t stopped smiling, but her eyes looked a bit uncertain. "Is that so, your majesty?"
"Yes, Lilith, members of the council will be there, and..."
Suddenly, there was a pained expression on Lilith’s face. Her eyes rolled back into her head as she let out laborious breaths and clutched his shirt tightly.
In a daze, Adonis shook her. "Lilith? Lilith?" He shouted frantically.
The girls all rushed out to see what was happening.
"Guards?" He called, his voice booming, " Anyone?"
The guards and some of the servants came running. "Call the physician immediately!"
He felt sick. Nothing made sense anymore. He’d thought everything was under control, and now one of the girls was about to die in his arms. Hell would have to pay for this.
"Could you all just shut up!" He sharply admonished. The other princesses who had watched things unfold were excessively boisterous. They sounded like dying kittens, which further agitated Adonis.
They calmed down a bit, but there was still panic. However, there was one person who seemed calm in all of this. Cold and unaffected. The princess, Astrid. They locked eyes. Neither was tearing their gaze away.
He had no time to dwell on her silence. The physician came running in.
"My prince!"
"Take her," Adonis begged. "Do everything in your power to fix her, I beg of you."
"Yes, your majesty."
The physician signalled for the guards to carry Lilith away to his chambers. Then patted Adonis lightly on the shoulders.
Hector had been with them since Adonis remembered. He was the closest thing he had to a caring father figure. But today, his comfort did nothing to ease his worry. He cradled his face in the palm of his hands. Father would not like this one bit, he thought, not one bit of it.
He stood up, heaved a deep breath, and faced the girls. "My apologies for my rudeness. Things are under control, and I will make sure to get to the bottom of this," he said. "Please do not panic. Go about your day like you normally would and prepare yourselves for the banquet in two days." Then he turned and left.
He hadn’t walked too far; he’d reached the foot of the stairs leading to the other floor when a guard stopped him and whispered, "Your majesty, the king summons you."
"For heaven’s sake," Adonis muttered to himself. He couldn’t catch a break.
He trudged towards the council chamber, every atom of his being trying to stop him from moving forward. He knew what would come when he stood in front of those old, greedy men. He’d stalled for enough time already. Their riches were almost gone, which would make them all the more dangerous.
But he would be a fool to back down now, not when he could change things.
"His Majesty, Prince Adonis." A royal herald announced, and members of the council all stood to pay their respects.
"Father," Adonis greeted, "you called for me. "
"The members of the council and I have been discussing, and we would like to hear your thoughts on the matter," his father said without hesitation.
Adonis said nothing.
"We have decided not to send ships to negotiate any terms," his father stated. "We will be infact be invading the twelve kingdoms as soon as we can."
Adonis stood silently, watching as his father spoke. The more he looked, the less he heard. The words seemed like distant clouds floating above him.
"You, as well as Octavia, will head the mission. You must leave as soon as the ships are ready. You can both figure out a plan on how to carry out the mission."
Adonis snapped out of his trance. "Octavia?" He asked incredulously. "Why would Octavia come?"
"Because brother..." She materialized like a ghost out of the corner of the room. "Unlike you, I’m not wasting time on a bunch of wretched whores, forgetting that we owe our lives to this great city and to see it flourish, we must do what is necessary."
"What is necessary?" Adonis scoffed. " Do you even hear yourself? You’re talking about slaughtering thousands of innocent people. We could have been more merciful. We could still be merciful, but you’d all rather choose to win riches and glory from the fall of another."
Members of the council began to murmur.
"Does the prince think our ways are barbaric?" Senator Marcus asked. freeweɓnovel.cøm
"Perhaps he thinks all the riches and glory he seems to abhor now fell onto our laps from the sky," Another said.
"I do not abhor the riches or glory senators, what I do abhor is the killing that follows. And I will not allow this great kingdom of ours to be further drenched in blood."
"Adonis!" His father’s voice thundered.
Everyone went silent.
"We have heard enough of your lectures," the king said. You may leave us."
Adonis had no more strength to argue. Their minds were made up, and there was nothing he could do to fix it.
Hector had been pacing in front of the council chambers. He chewed his bottom lip, and his hair seemed ruffled. Adonis knew what this meant. Hector looked just like he did when the queen passed.
"Hector."
"My prince," Hector began, and then paused. "I did all I could."
"I know you did. But it’s no use now. Even if you saved her, I’m sure she’d rather wish she were dead, sooner or later," Adonis said. "We’ll dispose of the body by midnight. But I must know, how did she die? What caused it?
"I have no idea, your majesty. I could only tell that she found it difficult to breathe as if she was being choked. Whatever poison was used. It is not something I have seen used before," Hector concluded.
Adonis’ eyes darkened. He’d had enough of things falling into pieces. "Do not worry, Hector, we will find out who is responsible."
