"Speak," the king commanded, his voice cold and unwavering.
The guard swallowed hard before answering. "Her Majesty requests that her former maidservant be reinstated to serve her alone."
The king exhaled sharply and rose from his seat. Without a word, he walked to the side of his throne, where a pot of black Baccara roses stood. He reached out, his fingers brushing against the dark petals before a thorn pricked his skin. A drop of blood welled up on his fingertip.
Bringing his hand to his lips, he let his tongue dart out, tasting the metallic tang of his own blood, mingling with the sweet scent of the rose. A smirk played on his lips. Then, with a majestic turn, his black coat swayed elegantly as he faced the guard once more.
"Tell her that her maidservant tried to kill her," he said smoothly. "And that I have already dealt with it."
The guard bowed before exiting.
Outside, the waiting woman who had been tasked with delivering Cassie's request approached him urgently. "What did His Majesty say?"
The guard's expression remained neutral as he relayed the king's words. "His Majesty said that the maidservant tried to kill her and has been dealt with."
The woman nodded and hurried off to deliver the message.
*****
Back in Cassie's chambers, a knock came at the door. Cassie answered, and the woman entered, bowing before speaking.
"Your Majesty, His Majesty has ordered me to inform you that your maidservant attempted to take your life. She has been dealt with."
Cassie froze, her breath catching in her throat. "What?" she whispered, her mind refusing to accept the words. Then, louder, her voice trembled with fury. "Zarea would never do that!"
Overcome with emotion, she pushed herself up from the bed too quickly only to collapse onto the floor with a sharp gasp.
The woman moved forward to help, but Cassie raised a trembling hand. "Don't!" she snapped, her voice thick with unshed tears.
The woman hesitated before bowing and quietly exiting the room.
Left alone, Cassie buried her face in her hands, her chest tightening with grief and frustration. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she struggled to get up, but her legs refused to cooperate.
"No!" she screamed, slamming her fists against the floor. In her anguish, she bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, but she didn't care. Instead, she lay there, defeated, sobbing uncontrollably until the sound of the door creaking open made her lift her head.
Through tear-blurred vision, her eyes met Kael's.
"Kael…?" Her voice came out as a soft whisper, unintentionally seductive.
Kael stood frozen, his gaze locking onto the crimson stain on her lips. A primal hunger stirred within him, but he forced himself to restrain it.
"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice unusually gentle.
Cassie shook her head, unable to speak.
Kael stepped forward, closing the distance between them. Carefully, he lifted her from the cold floor and placed her back onto the bed. As he did, the scent of her blood filled his senses, making his throat tighten with need. He bit his lower lip, battling his urges.
Cassie, watching him closely, noticed the unnatural shift in his eyes—the way they flickered between sapphire blue and a deep, ominous red.
"Kael…" she whispered fearfully.
His low chuckle sent a shiver down her spine. "What? Why do you look so scared?" His voice was smooth, like a lullaby, coaxing her into an uneasy calm.
Cassie swallowed hard. "Nothing," she muttered.
Kael's expression darkened slightly. "Why did you hurt yourself?"
She looked away, her eyes glistening. "I'm tired of everything…" she exhaled shakily. "Why are you here?"
Kael smirked, moving leisurely around the room, his presence both imposing and mesmerizing. "I came to help you."
Cassie narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.
He stopped, glancing at her with an amused tilt of his head. "Why were you lying on the floor?" he asked teasingly, his smirk deepening.
Cassie scowled at him. "Just leave!" she snapped, wiping her lips with the back of her hand. When she saw the blood smeared across her skin, she hissed in irritation.
Looking up, she found Kael still staring at her his gaze sharp, intense, and unreadable.
"Why are you still standing there?" she demanded.
Instead of answering, Kael let out a rich, hearty laugh, the sound both unsettling and captivating.
"Do you really want me to go?" Kael asked, his voice laced with quiet amusement.
Cassie remained silent, refusing to answer.
Instead, she bombarded him with her own questions. "Who brought me here? The last thing I remember, I collapsed in your arms. What did you do to me?"
Kael smirked. "Don't you want to ask one question at a time?"
"Answer me!" she snapped, frustration evident in her tone.
His expression darkened slightly, and he replied with calm certainty, "I brought you here. And Zarea… she gave you a poisoned drink."
Cassie's face drained of color. "No… that's not true." Her voice trembled, her breath hitching. Her lashes fluttered as if blinking away disbelief, but her watery eyes betrayed her heartbreak.
"It is the truth," Kael said firmly.
Cassie looked at him, her mind racing. "But why?" she whispered, desperation creeping into her voice.
Kael exhaled. "I don't know," he admitted. "But she's no longer here."
He moved to the chair beside her bed and sat down, watching her closely.
"You need to take care of yourself and forget about the past," he said, his tone gentler now.
Cassie swallowed hard, then met his gaze. "Kael… why are you always around me?"
A small smile tugged at his lips. "Do I irritate you that much?"
"No… it's just that you're suspicious."
Kael chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Oh? Am I really that suspicious?"
"Yes," Cassie said without hesitation. Then, her expression turned serious. "And you should keep your distance. I'm married now. It wouldn't be good if His Majesty found us together."
Kael gave her a sidelong glance before smiling knowingly.
"You seem to like the King a lot," he mused, his voice holding something unreadable beneath the teasing.
"I don't care what you think. Know that I mean what I said," she said, her voice firm and dismissive.
"Fine, I'll leave," Kael replied, this time his tone chilly. He took a glance at Cassie before leaving the room.
When he left, Cassie let out a deep sigh, feeling better. She knew fully well that having Kael around would only add salt to the injury. What if Kael is the king's relative? she thought. A commoner wouldn't have access to her room without permission from the king.
Or maybe the king was too tired to pay her a visit. Since she assumed he was old, perhaps he had asked Kael to check on her instead.
She sat up, thinking about what to do next. At the very least, she should know who the king—her husband—was and learn about his other wives.