Chapter 50
Even though Fabian had watched Killian’s every move like a hawk, the man had never made a major mistake the way he used to.
And yet that same Killian Nachtmann had suddenly acted recklessly, as though he had reverted to his younger self. All for the sake of capturing Adelaide Eport.
Fabian’s instincts told him the truth.
Adelaide Eport. This woman was the weakness of Killian Nachtmann—that cursed bastard—the very weakness Fabian had been searching for all this time.
* * *
Killian rose from his seat, his gaze lingering on the deeply sleeping Adelaide with clear satisfaction. After slipping on a black robe, he stepped out of the bedchamber, where Bertholdt was already waiting.
“Your Highness.”
“It’s rather late. You’re still awake?”
Killian spoke casually as he filled a crystal glass with water.
A month had passed since the wedding.
During that month, Killian had not missed a single day of taking Adelaide to bed. Though the winter was bitterly cold, every time he finished inside her, his entire body ended up drenched in sweat. To a thirsty Killian, the winter-chilled water was the perfect temperature.
“There is an urgent matter to report.”
Killian lowered the glass slightly, turning his gaze toward Bertholdt.
“What is it?”
“A message from the north. Fabian Nachtmann intends to visit the imperial capital to request approval for his marriage.”
The motion of Killian’s throat stopped. He slowly lowered the glass.
“That bastard wants to get married? All of a sudden?”
“Yes. The bride is said to be Lady Brundel, his fiancée.”
“I already know who the bride is.”
Marquis Brundel was Grand Duke Daerd’s most loyal ally. Fabian had secured his engagement long ago, effectively uniting northern influence under his banner.
Killian narrowed his eyes.
“Requesting approval for marriage… That does sound exactly like something he’d do. Acting as though he’s still part of the imperial family.”
“Yes, precisely. Furthermore, he has asked His Majesty to personally oversee the wedding.”
“Ha! That lunatic.”
Killian let out a disbelieving laugh.
Strictly speaking, Fabian already had a direct elder relative, Grand Duke Daerd himself. In reality, the obvious person to preside over the marriage would be the Grand Duke. This was the wedding of the heir to a grand ducal house, marrying into northern nobility. It should have been handled in the north.
Yet Fabian was deliberately coming to the Emperor instead, asking for permission and requesting imperial oversight.
It was a blatant declaration that he was still of imperial blood before being Daerd’s heir.
“I was wondering why he’d been so quiet.”
Killian smirked and finished the rest of his water. He could feel the cold liquid sliding down his throat, sharp and vivid.
“What shall we do? If he visits now, he’ll likely remain in the palace for quite some time. Wedding preparations are never quick.”
“Let him come. He’s probably still seething over not being invited to the wedding and desperately looking for any excuse to crawl his way into the capital.”
Even if they blocked him, Fabian would simply invent another reason to come.
Killian had intentionally excluded the grand ducal family from the wedding. Fabian had been treated not as royalty, but as nothing more than a nobleman.
Killian never expected Fabian to quietly accept that humiliation. Still, even he had not expected Fabian to act this quickly.
No doubt he was dying to know about Adelaide. And really, that was only natural.
Adelaide had appeared out of nowhere. Fabian would want to determine whether she represented an advantage or a threat.
Killian glanced toward the firmly shut bedchamber door.
As usual, Adelaide had fallen asleep completely exhausted, still marked by him, unable even to straighten the bedsheets before passing out. The thought of his collapsed wife brought a satisfied smile to his lips.
She no longer asked for her family nor her friends. She didn’t even ask to see the Eport family anymore.
She belonged entirely to him now.
“It seems the north has made a rather significant bet this time. Interesting.”
The greater the prize, the greater the wager. Unlike the north, the imperial capital was not safe territory for Fabian. And yet the northerners were clearly willing to risk it.
Which meant they considered Adelaide valuable enough to gamble for.
If his cousin intended to aim for his most carefully guarded weakness, Killian saw no reason to stop him. Adelaide would never betray him. No, she couldn’t betray him.
She was his. Killian believed that without a shred of doubt.
A moth flying straight into the flame. That was Fabian’s future, Killian thought with amusement.
Smirking faintly, he drained the rest of the water in his glass in one swallow.
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