Chapter Three-2
1097 Words
The room erupted in shock.
Ryan snapped his gaze toward the old steward. “What's going on?”
The steward hurried forward and reported in a low voice, “Your Highness, this necklace... was delivered by Miss Ella. She personally retrieved it from the treasury just the other day. She said it was a gift she carefully selected for Princess Selena at your instruction.”
Ella.
Ella again.
Ryan's gaze turned utterly cold.
Selena could no longer hold herself up. She collapsed to the floor, convulsing violently, her eyes rolled back, and white foam spilled from the corners of her mouth.
“Princess!” Guards rushed forward in panic.
The banquet descended into complete chaos.
...
Hospital. Special Care Ward.
The doctor removed his mask and shook his head at the werewolf guard captain and Rhys, who had rushed over upon hearing the news.
“The aconite toxin dosage is significant. While not fatal, it causes profound damage to the werewolf’s constitution.”
“How long until recovery?”
“Eliminating the toxin takes time. Skin exposure is manageable, but for some reason, the toxin entered the bloodstream.”
The doctor pushed his glasses up. “In the short term, the princess will be extremely weak. And...”
He paused.
“Until the toxin is completely expelled from her system, she absolutely must not engage in intimate relations, and certainly must not become pregnant. Otherwise, the toxin will be transmitted to her partner or fetus, causing irreversible damage.”
Rhys frowned. “How long will expulsion take?”
“It depends on the individual. Perhaps five or six years, maybe seven or eight.”
Silence fell over the hospital room.
Serena lay in the hospital bed, her face still marked by the rash. Her eyes opened weakly, and upon hearing the doctor's words, tears streamed down her cheeks.
No intimacy. No pregnancy.
Could the marriage alliance with the Blood Clan still proceed?
...
The banquet ended in discord.
The Blood Clan's Grand Elder had been publicly spat upon, his dignity utterly shattered. His enthusiasm for the inter-clan marriage had plummeted to freezing temperatures.
Despite Rhys's repeated pleas, the Grand Elder merely swept his sleeve coldly and stormed out with the other elders.
Ryan's mind was entirely consumed with tracking down Ella.
However, early the next morning, news arrived.
A female corpse had been discovered downstream along the canal.
The face was utterly disfigured by sharp claws, rendering identification impossible. Multiple lacerations from wolf claws covered the body.
Yet fragments of clothing and a single earring confirmed the victim was Ella.
Ryan received the report while standing on the castle terrace.
The crystal glass in his hand shattered under his grip. Blood-red wine mixed with glass shards dripped through his fingers.
“Where's the body?”
“It's been recovered and is at the funeral home west of the city.”
Ryan turned and strode out.
He didn't go to see Ella. He went straight to the hospital.
The hospital room door swung open violently.
Ryan strode inside, towering over Selena as she lay in the bed.
“This was you.”
Selena's face was pale, but her eyes held defiance. “I don't know what you're talking about.”
“Ella is dead. Her body bears the marks of wolf claws. Do I need to spell it out?”
“So what?” Selena laughed, her smile bitterly sarcastic. “She was just a blood slave. Beneath even a slave. Even if I did kill her, what could you do? Start a war with the werewolf clan over a human pet?”
Ryan leaned forward, his hands braced on either side of the bed.
His face was close to hers. A crimson hue flickered deep within his pupils.
“War doesn’t scare me,” he said, enunciating each word. “But you'd best go ask your father, the Silver Moon Wolf King, if he's willing to wage all-out war against my Fantor clan for the sake of his daughter.”
Serena's face drained of color instantly.
“You...”
Ryan straightened up, adjusting his cuffs. “Get well soon.”
His tone was icy. “I hope you do.”
He turned and walked away.
His footsteps faded down the corridor.
Serena grabbed a pillow and hurled it at the door, but the soft cushion fell to the floor before it could travel far.
Before her anger could subside, the door swung open again. This time, Rhys entered.
He closed the door, his expression dark. “Did you send someone to kill Ella?”
Selena lifted her swollen eyes. “So what if I did? She deserved it! She dared poison me! What's wrong with me killing her?”
“Have you lost your mind?” Rhys lowered his voice. “Don't you know how important Ella is to Ryan? She was the only cure for his blood sickness!”
“Now she's dead!” Selena shrieked. “Dead and gone!”
Rhys took a deep breath, suppressing his rage. He paced the hospital room, his expression grave.
“It's done now,” he paused. “We must continue with the plan. The marriage alliance cannot be called off.”
“But what about me...”
“It's merely postponing the wedding. The alliance can begin now.” Rhys sat down beside the bed and took Selena's hand.
“Listen. Call your father. Tell him the werewolves can offer the ‘Tears of the Moon Goddess’ as a token of our commitment.”
Selena's eyes widened. “The Tears of the Moon Goddess? That's our clan's most sacred treasure!”
“Precisely why we use it as leverage.”
Rhys's gaze deepened. “We'll trade it for Ryan's agreement to continue the marriage alliance, merely postponing the ceremony for a few years. We'll hold it once your health recovers. During this period, cooperation between our clans proceeds as normal. Only through collaboration can we gradually undermine Ryan's influence.”
Serena pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded.
She picked up the bedside phone and dialed her father, the Wolf King's number.
Three days later.
The Blood Clan and the Werewolf Clan jointly issued an announcement: The two clans had reached a strategic partnership. The betrothal between Prince Ryan of Fantor and Princess Selena of Silvermoon remained valid. The wedding, however, would be appropriately postponed owing to the princess's health. However, the collaboration between the two clans would commence immediately.
The announcement was brief.
Yet every faction in the dark world sensed an unusual aura in the air.
- Writer
