Chapter 286
[I can protect you!]
A young, clear voice rang inside her mind. Etira—you can finally speak? But how…?
Dazed, Sebelia noticed the earrings Claude had given her were burning hot against her skin. A moment later, a terrible scream shattered her groggy thoughts.
“Aaaah!”
Through her blurry vision, she caught sight of Nathan. He had fallen to his knees beneath Etira who had been reverse-summoned, blood spurting from his body like a fountain.
“Ah…”
Relief swept through her in a crashing wave. For a moment, she thought she might just faint from sheer exhaustion.
“Bella.”
Dehart’s golden eyes, bright as the sun, were suddenly close. Only then did Sebelia finally exhale the breath she’d been holding. As Dehart pulled her into his arms, the commotion from outside the collapsed wall grew louder.
She could see torchlight approaching through the opening in the rubble. Most of those gathering looked to be from the Security, but this was not the time to relax—not when it was clear someone inside had to have helped Silas lie in wait for them in the tower.
Sebelia scanned the darkness, watching as a figure rushed close to the tower and barked out orders.
“Keep everyone away from the scene! No one gets in until things are under control!”
Even in the shadows, the man’s red eyes shone like molten moons and his hair gleamed a stark, moon-white. It was Shateian.
His timing was impeccable, almost suspiciously so. Sebelia felt relief, tinged with confusion.
How did he know to leave the imperial palace so early…?
“Let’s go down.”
Sebelia nodded silently. Dehart shifted her in his arms, considering the blocked door and the gaping hole where the wall had collapsed.
Suddenly, the back of her neck prickled.
“Dehart, wait—”
“It’s all right.”
In one smooth motion, Dehart leaped through the opening and landed on the ground below. He quickly checked on Sebelia, but she barely had the strength to answer.
“Ugh…”
“Duke!”
Dehart tried to comfort her, worry written all over his face, but just then Shateian spotted them and hurried over. His expression was dark and looked genuinely furious.
“Your Highness…”
“What happened here? What’s with all this?”
Shateian’s voice cut through the air before anyone could answer.
“Was it an accident, or an attack?”
“It was a trap.”
Dehart replied, gently brushing dust from Sebelia’s cheek. Shateian’s eyes narrowed, as he glanced at the sky and then back at the two of them.
“The culprit?”
“My fath—ugh!”
Sebelia bent over with a gasp before she could finish her sentence, startling both Shateian and Dehart, who rushed to steady her.
“I-I’m fine…”
“Bella!”
Just then, someone leapt down from Shateian’s carriage and sprinted toward her—a man in a black cloak with his hat pulled low, but his voice was unmistakable.
“Claude…”
With barely any strength left, Sebelia called his name. Claude, now back in his own form beneath the cloak, looked down at her, looking visibly distraught.
Shateian frowned at Claude for ignoring his command to stay put, but didn’t scold him further.
“Duke, according to Miss Bella, Marquis Wheddon attacked you both. Is that true? And where is he now?”
While Dehart quickly conferred with Shateian, Claude gently settled Sebelia onto the ground, checking her over.
“You look worse than last time. The earrings… I can’t believe it, even those weren’t enough?”
“I’m… fine. Really…”
“I think it’s better if you don’t try to talk.”
Claude glanced over his shoulder at Shateian and Dehart, who were deep in serious conversation. Just then, someone shouted from outside:
“Your Highness, we’ve found Marquis Wheddon!”
Shateian nodded and ordered them to take Silas to the underground prison at once—which was only to be expected, given the state of the tower.
Meanwhile, Dehart eyed the Security officials warily.
“Can we really trust them with his custody, Your Highness? There’s no telling who among them might be working for Marquis Wheddon.”
“We can’t hand him over to the city guard, either. Don’t worry, Duke. This time, he’s been caught in the act—he won’t slip away so easily.”
Still, Dehart was unconvinced. Spotting Ludmil hovering nearby, he gestured.
“I’ll lend you a few of my knights as well.”
In other words, he didn’t trust the Security and wanted his own men involved. Shateian gave a wry smile, but did not object.
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