Free Web NovelChapter 42: Chapter 42: The King
Yue-Senn POV
A fractured shaft of weak, gray dawn light cut through the arched windows of the bedroom, casting long, stark shadows across the floor. I blinked my eyes open, a heavy, gritty groan scraping past my throat. Every single muscle in my upper body felt incredibly sore, completely exhausted, and a sharp, throbbing ache radiated across the entire left side of my face.
I raised a hand, running my fingers through my messy hair, and my knuckles brushed against my cheek. There was a faint, blistering handprint scorched right into my skin.
A sudden shift in weight on my chest made me look down. Laying directly on top of me like a tangled, lawless knot of curls was Ryophlira.
A faint, involuntary smile tugged at the corner of my lips despite the throbbing in my face. The girl slept like an absolute demon. I carefully wrapped my hands around her gently rolling her small, warm frame off my chest and onto the plush sheets so I could finally sit up. The movement sent a sudden, agonizing jolt of friction straight to my lower abdomen. I ground my teeth, glaring down at the hard, stiff morning wood straining aggressively against the fabric of my trousers.
I stood up, adjusting my pants, while images of the utterly restless night flashed vividly through my mind.
She had moved all over the damn bed like a wildfire trapped under the covers. The second the temperature dropped, she had clung to me like a lifeline, her limbs locking around mine that it was practically impossible for me to move an inch on the mattress. Hours into the night, when I had desperately tried to adjust her suffocating grip and shift her to her side of the bed, my hand had accidentally brushed against the soft, bare curve of her breast under that sheer purple silk.
Smack.
Even in her deep sleep, her combat instincts were good. She had thrown a blinding, backhanded slap straight across my jaw with enough heat packed into her palm to melt a glacier. She hadn’t even woken up after doing it, just mumbled a sarcastic "darling" under her breath and stolen the rest of the fur blankets.
I shook my head, a dark chuckle vibrating in my chest as I walked over to the heavy double doors of the room. Pulling one open, I stepped out into the quiet corridor, only to find Ki-ri and Ari already standing there waiting in perfect alignment.
"Greetings, Your Highness," they spoke in an immediate, hushed unison.
"Ari, is it?" I turned my gaze fully onto the Western maid, intentionally dropping my morning voice into a deep, gravelly tone that commanded absolute attention.
"Yes, my Lord," she replied, her posture shifting into a defensive, guarded stance. They looked at me trying to fight back their laughter.
"My wife told me about this greenhouse project she intends to construct," I rumbled, crossing my massive arms over my bare chest. "Give Ki-ri a comprehensive list of every raw material, lumber, and iron structural element needed for the builds. He will see to it that the logistics are handled."
"They are already taken care of, my Lord," Ari countered smoothly, a faint hint of pride touching her eyes. "She drafted and handed me the finalized structural blueprint list late last night. The fifty foot soldiers of the West have already broken ground and begun the initial foundation builds at dawn." Ki-ri then answered
I froze, a sharp spark of surprise rippling through my chest. The sheer speed at which her people operated and the fact that she had already anticipated every single logistical hurdle before the sun had even fully breached the horizon stole my breath away.
"I see my wife is already ten steps ahead of me," I murmured, a genuine, amused smile breaking across my face. I nodded toward the bedroom door. "Go in and stay with her. She’s still asleep."
Ari bowed her head quickly, slipping past me into the room and closing the doors behind her.
The warmth vanished from my expression. I turned a cold, piercing glare onto my commander. "Speak. Did you handle the spy from yesterday"
Ki-ri kept his eyes strictly glued to the stone floor, his posture remarkably stiff. "Yes. But Your uncle is currently inside the palace. He has taken residence in a private chamber just down the eastern hall."
A dark, dangerous fury flared instantly in my gut. I stepped closer, my shadow completely swallowing him. "Why the hell is he here, Ki-ri? You were specifically tasked to tie up every single loose end."
"I am deeply sorry. I... I failed you in this oversight."
"Take me to him. Now."
We walked down the cavernous, icy hallway in silence. Reaching the designated guest quarters, I didn’t bother knocking. I raised my hand and violently pushed the heavy door open, the wood splintering against the stone wall with a thunderous crash.
The sight inside made my blood turn to absolute ice. My uncle was stark naked, visibly drunk, and actively engaging in sex with a young palace maid right on top of the sheets.
"Have you lost your fucking mind?" my voice booming through the room like a crack of thunder. "What the hell are you doing here?"
My uncle sharply pushed the panicked maid aside, tumbling backward against the headboard. Instead of cowering, a wide, toothed grin broke across his face, and he started laughing a loud, mocking sound that echoed off the stone. "Come now, nephew! Did you really think you could simply get rid of me so easily after using my influence to secure your claim and your bride?"
"I already gave the money and granted you an entire castle in the outer rim to spend the rest of your miserable days in has you had asked," my fists clenching so tightly that my knuckles turned white. "So again, I ask you why are you here?"
"I am here to pay proper respects to my beautiful new daughter-in-law, of course," he sneered, leaning forward with a vile, knowing look in his eyes. "After all... don’t you think the brilliant Western princess will eventually begin to wonder exactly where your dear father-in-law is?"
While the words hung in the air, Ki-ri moved with a silent, flawless efficiency. He smoothly took off his heavy uniform jacket, threw it completely over the shivering, terrified maid, and firmly escorted her out of the room, shutting the door behind them to seal the three of us inside.
A low, vibrating hum resonated deep in my chest. I felt the magic within me snap, and my eyes began to glow.
"You’re right, Uncle," I whispered, the rage making my voice drop into a terrifyingly calm, smooth rhythm. "We must keep up the performance at all costs. Please... stay. Enjoy yourself to your heart’s content."
My uncle’s laughter choked in his throat, his eyes widening in sudden, raw panic as he scrambled backward against the wall. "Are you... are you going to try and kill me right here?"
"Release," I commanded coldly, turning my back on his pathetic form.
I walked over to the door and open it, the light in my eyes blazing with an unbridled, unchecked anger that felt like a blizzard. Stepping out into the corridor, I found Ki-ri standing guard like a statue. Before he could even utter an apology, I lunged forward, my large hand clamping violently around his throat, slamming his back against the stone wall with enough force to rattle his body.
I leaned in close, my glowing eyes inches from his face, my voice a razor-sharp whisper against his ear.
"Correct your mistake," my fingers digging mercilessly into his windpipe. "Kill the loose end tonight... or I will personally kill you."
I let go of his throat, letting him slide down the wall as he gasped frantically for oxygen.
I adjusted my shoulders, a dark, wicked smirk pulling at the corners of my lips as the true scope of my next move solidified in my mind. "And the very second you are finished cleaning up your mess... get the royal guard and everything else ready. We are taking a little trip to see the old man." ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
I looked back down at him, my eyes flashing in the dark. "It’s time I pay a long-overdue visit to the previous King of the North."
Without waiting for a response, I turned on my heel and walked out of the corridor. I can’t let the lunatic ruin everything I worked so hard to get he has to be the first of the two to go.
