Chapter 160
My blood ran cold.
The second guard hesitated. "Braam? But—"
Lucian rolled his eyes. "Do you need me to spell it out? The war will end if they get their hands on the Queen. She is a traitor to them and she betrayed them. They want her and will do anything to punish her for what she did."
The guards exchanged glances. "And what will they do with her?" one of them asked.
Lucian shrugged. "I don't care. Whatever they want." His voice dripped with amusement. "Maybe they'll keep her locked away. Maybe they'll kill her. Either way, she'll no longer be my problem. And she won't be around to mess things up here."
I covered my mouth to muffle my sharp intake of breath.
Lucian reached into his coat and pulled out two heavy pouches, tossing one to each guard. "Your first payment," he said smoothly. "There will be more once the job is done."
The guards caught the pouches, their expressions dark with greed.
Lucian leaned in slightly. "Remember, the moment I'm crowned, I want her out of this castle. No delays. There are Braamin soldiers already stationed outside the castle gates waiting for her arrival, I promised them that she would be there in the next three days."
"Yes, my lord," one of the guards murmured.
Lucian smirked. "Good. Then don't disappoint me. Remember, I'll be your Alpha King soon, you need to start treating me like one."
With that, he turned and strode away.
The guards tucked their pouches away and followed after him, leaving me frozen in place.
I felt sick.
Lucian wasn't just taking Rowan's throne—he was handing me over to the enemy.
And in three days, it would be too late to stop him.
..........................
Sleep had eluded me all night. Every time I closed my eyes, Lucian's voice haunted me. 'Immediately after I am appointed Alpha King, she is to be taken out of the castle. Soldiers from Braam will be waiting to take her.*'
I turned on my side, staring at the faint light creeping through the window. My body was exhausted, but my mind refused to rest.
I needed to act. If I was going to stop this, I had to move quickly.
My hand drifted to my stomach. My child. Rowan's child.
The decision was already made. At dawn, I would see the royal physician and ask him to induce labor.
It was a risk, but if my child was born before Lucian's appointment, I could use that against him. The council would have to acknowledge the heir, and Lucian's plans would be thrown into chaos.
I had no choice.
But before dawn arrived, my restless mind finally gave into exhaustion. I drifted into a fitful sleep, my thoughts still tangled in the fear of what was to come.
————————————-
A loud commotion startled me awake.
I sat up abruptly, my heart hammering. My room was filled with muffled voices—angry, urgent.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed, rubbing the exhaustion from my face. The door to my chambers was closed, but I could hear footsteps just outside.
Then, a sharp knock.
Not a gentle one.
I frowned, wrapping a shawl around my shoulders before walking toward the adjoining room. My hand hesitated on the door handle before I pulled it open.
A woman stood there, draped in expensive silks, her chin lifted high. She looked older, but not frail. There was an undeniable sharpness in her gaze, a cruelness in the way her lips curled into a smirk.
I furrowed my brows, trying to place her face. Something about her felt familiar, yet foreign at the same time.
She clicked her tongue. "Arin," she mused. "Or should I call you Ariadne now? My former servant turned slave, now turned Queen."
I stiffened. "Who are you?"
She took a step forward, her gaze sweeping over me like I was something unpleasant she had to tolerate. "Don't play games with me girl," she said smoothly. "You know who I am. You know why I am here. After so many years now, I'm back to witness my son on his rightful place on the throne."
A cold chill spread through me.
Lucian's mother?
The Royal Concubine.
I had heard much about her. Rowan had mentioned her once and all he had said was that he had locked her away after he had captured Lucian.
She was part of my past but I didn't remember.
"Still nothing?" she said, tilting her head. "I suppose that memory loss of yours is quite convenient."
I clenched my fists. "Why are you here?"
She smiled, but there was nothing warm about it. "To watch justice be served."
Before I could respond, the door behind her swung open again.
Lucian strolled in, his usual smugness written all over his face.
"Ah, I see you are here mother," he said lazily. He pressed a kiss to his mother's cheek before turning his attention to me. "I thought it was only fitting to bring her back. It's only right that she is here to watch the ceremony."
I folded my arms, forcing my expression to remain neutral. "You released your mother?"
Lucian smirked. "Of course. She deserved to be here for my inauguration. Rowan should have never locked her up. He had no right."
I scoffed. "You mean your temporary position. Have you forgotten? You're just acting in Rowan's place. A position you should have never been offered in the first place."
At my words, the royal concubine's expression darkened.
The next moment, a sharp crack rang through the air as she slapped me across the face.
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