Chapter 144: You don't trust me
~Raphael's POV~
I straightened my robe one last time before opening my chamber door. A line of maids and servants stood waiting in the hallway.
Their faces were carefully blank, eyes lowered respectfully as I stepped out. I studied each one carefully, wondering which of them had slipped that warning note under my door.
Was it the young woman with trembling hands? The older man whose eyes briefly met mine before looking away? Or someone else entirely who was no longer here?
"Your Majesty," a servant bowed deeply. "We are here to escort you to dinner."
I nodded silently, still watching their faces reading their mind for any sign of guilt or fear. Nothing. If the note-writer was among them, they were good at hiding it.
The walk to the dining hall felt longer than it should have. The palace corridors twisted and turned in ways that made no sense to me as if the building itself was trying to confuse visitors.
Smart design, I thought. Make it harder for enemies to find their way around.
When we finally reached the grand hall, the doors swung open to reveal a room glowing with warm light from hundreds of candles.
King Nordic and Elias were already seated at a long table covered with silver platters and crystal glasses. They both looked up as I entered, but my eyes went straight to Elias.
He sat there calmly in white robes that made him look almost innocent. His black hair fell past his shoulders, framing his face perfectly.
If someone who didn't know him saw him now, they would think he was just a soft, gentle man. Not the ruthless killer I knew him to be.
Not the person who had stood beside me covered in blood as we cut down our enemies without mercy.
King Nordic was smiling broadly, his eyes barely leaving Elias. The way he looked at him was more than just friendly.
It was hungry, possessive even. Elias seemed to notice this attention but didn't react much beyond a small smile.
I quickly scanned the room, looking for Drogon or Caleb. Neither was here. Something felt wrong.
I tried reaching out through our mind-link, searching for Caleb and Gemma, but found nothing but silence. The connection felt blocked.
Maybe they were just busy with something important. I pushed down my worry and walked to the table, taking the seat across from Elias. The moment I sat down, King Nordic's booming laugh filled the room.
"The mighty King Raphael!" he bellowed, raising his wine glass. "I cannot tell you how happy I am to see you in my home! When I first saw your advisor arrive, I was very surprised indeed."
I wasn't interested in small talk. "Thank you for your hospitality," I said, then went straight to the point. "But I'm here because we have information that you might be harbouring Alasia in your kingdom."
The smile dropped from Nordic's face. His eyes widened in genuine shock, or at least what looked like genuine shock.
Everyone in the known world had heard about Alasia and what she made me do. Most people believed she was dead.
"She is dead," he said slowly, "but still causing havoc."
"I would never allow such a useless woman in my kingdom," Nordic said firmly, his hand tightening around his wine glass. "The things she did... the pain she caused... why would I harbour her?"
"What if she is here?" I asked, raising my eyebrows at him. "Can you face the consequences if I find out later that she is hiding in your lands?"
"Are you threatening me?" King Nordic's voice had gone dangerously quiet. His friendly mask had fallen away completely now. Good. I preferred honest anger to fake smiles.
"I'm simply asking a question," I replied calmly, reaching for my own wine glass. "I came here for a reason, and I will achieve that reason one way or another."
Nordic's face had turned red with anger. Before he could
"Search within your people, especially your witches," he suggested. "Because if Raphael does the searching himself and finds out she is here, there will be war."
I nodded in agreement. Elias might be many things, but he understood what was at stake.
"Understood," King Nordic replied tightly, jaw clenched.
Elias reached over and placed his hand gently on Nordic's. The gesture was so familiar, so intimate that I almost dropped my glass.
"Don't take the king too seriously," Elias said to Nordic, his voice soothing. "Although Alasia must be found. She is causing trouble again."
The way Elias touched Nordic, how easily he calmed the other man's anger with just a few words and a gentle touch... it was strange to watch.
"What in the name of the gods is wrong with you two?" I asked before I could stop myself, not bothering to hide my disgust.
Elias smiled that calm smile of his. "I know what you're thinking. I am not working for him secretly." His hand was still on Nordic's arm, his thumb gently rubbing circles on the king's wrist. "He was once my lover."
What the fuck? I kept my face blank, but inside my thoughts were racing. Elias and Nordic? When had that happened? How had I not known about this?
The servants brought in the first course of the meal, placing steaming bowls of soup in front of us. I stared at my bowl, suddenly not hungry at all.
The soup smelled strange, with spices I didn't recognize. I wondered if it was poisoned, then immediately felt stupid for the thought. If they wanted me dead, they wouldn't do it so openly.
"You seem surprised, Raphael," Elias said, watching me with those dark eyes of his. "Did you think I spent all those years of self-exile just planning revenge?"
I forced myself to pick up my spoon. "I never gave much thought to what you did in your free time."
Nordic laughed, seeming to have recovered from his anger. "Elias and I have known each other for many years. Long before the... unpleasantness in Mesodomica."
The casual way he referred to the massacre made my hand tighten around my spoon. Unpleasantness.
As if what happened there was just a minor disagreement and not the slaughter of an entire people. Innocent people. By my orders.
"How convenient that you've remained such close friends," I said, my voice cool. "Makes me wonder what else you might be sharing besides old memories."
"You always were suspicious," Elias said, finally removing his hand from Nordic's arm. "It's kept you alive this long, I suppose."
The meal continued with forced politeness. We ate course after course of rich food while dancing around the real issues. Where was Alasia? What was she planning? And why couldn't I reach Caleb or Gemma?
"I'll begin a search immediately," Nordic assured me as dessert was served. "Every witch in my kingdom will be questioned. You have my word."
"Thank you," I said, not believing him for a second. "I appreciate your cooperation."
Elias watched me over the rim of his wine glass. "You don't trust us."
"Should I?"
"Probably not," he admitted with a small smile. "But in this case, our interests align. None of us want Alasia gaining power again."
I wasn't so sure about that. If Elias had been Nordic's lover all this time, who knew what other secrets he was keeping? For all I knew, he could be working with Alasia right now, setting me up.
As the meal finally ended, I stood to leave. "I'll expect reports on your search efforts by morning," I told Nordic.
"Of course," he replied, also standing. "My people will be thorough."
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