CHAPTER EIGHTEENThe atmosphere was heated, charged with great tension and intensity. The room got really tense and hot, emotions running high and making the atmosphere charged with intensity.In the blink of an eye, Kylain was surrounded by an army of the royal guards, large and imposing. His eyes shifted across the room, trying to find some form of distraction to aid his attack but there was none.His senses heightened, he observed closely as Maverick with a determined gesture signaled for an attack. Kylian was trapped with no room for escape. The guards closed in on him from every side with unleashed claws. But just before they could launch a successful attack, a mysterious smoke suddenly filled the room from no particular direction, leaving behind a hazy atmosphere that cast panic in the hearts of them that were there.The sound of commotion that permeated the air died down as the noxious smoke and its unpleasant scent assaulted their senses, making it difficult to breathe. As the
CHAPTER NINETEENIt was a glorious day for Knox. He had experienced a thrilling night tormenting Zena, and his aura emitted pleasure and satisfaction. Nothing could ruin this day. He hummed happily to the tune of a song as he prepared to begin the day's affairs.Zena remained locked up in the room as he had commanded. The punishment he had dealt her had left her hanging on a thin line between life and death, but he knew it was not enough. He had only just begun executing his plan for revenge. A slow and painful death was the promise he had made to her, and as a man of his word, he was doing his best to fulfill it.In his chambers, Knox reveled in the glory of his actions when a palace guard rushed in with an urgent gait. Knox's head turned towards him in anger. He had hoped for a peaceful morning, but this man advancing toward him was about to disrupt it, and it displeased him."Whatever you have to say had better be worth the disturbance," Knox voiced curtly and with displeasure.The
CHAPTER TWENTY ONEJane proved to be remarkably resourceful in obtaining the specific herbs Zena had asked her to gather. Slowly but steadily, Zena's wounds began to heal, and her strength returned. Interrupting the brief moment of silence that Zena enjoyed while tending to her rapidly healing wounds, Jane declared, "I also want to learn how to heal people with herbs."Zena's eyes registered surprise at Jane's unexpected statement. She hadn't anticipated such a request from the girl. In fact, Zena had never needed to learn how to heal with herbs herself; she had acquired her knowledge naturally, without the guidance of a master. It seemed that her time in captivity was revealing aspects of herself that she had previously overlooked. Most of her life had revolved around endless wars, leaving her with little knowledge of her own identity or personal preferences.Curiosity piqued, Zena asked, without turning to look at Jane, "Why the sudden interest?" Jane shrugged her shoulders casually
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWOKnox was beyond confident that Zena was the culprit behind his brothers’ attack. She even dared poison him with wolfsbane which said she meant to kill him. The grand doors to the palace creaked open and the guards emerged with Zena in their custody. She had resolved in her heart to plead her case and not show any form of fear or guilt as that could make her look even more guilty than he already perceived her to be.Knox growled as he advanced towards her with hasty steps. His bloodshot eyes pierced through her skin, her unfaltering gaze infuriating him the more. He expected her to be on her knees, begging for him to have mercy on her but rather she stood tall even in her crime.How dare she?The lashes he had been so kind to deal her with would not be enough this time to make her pay for her crimes. She deserved death.Oh the joy he would derive from seeing her blood spilled all over the place in a gruesome slaughter. Knox’s fury knew no bounds with her in front of
CHAPTER TWENTY THREEZena’s face twisted into a grimace as she paced, impatience etched on her features. “Think Zena, think!” She voiced in her head. No concrete plan had formed in her head and it was starting to get extremely frustrating for her. She had considered informing Knox about the lady whom she suspected could be party to the crime but she decided not to go with it because she could be wrong and would only end up putting the lady at risk. She knew Knox was not one to deal lightly with anyone he considered enemy.She looked beyond the metal bars that kept her within the confines of the dungeon walls, there were two burly armed guards keeping watch. She studied them closely, her head forming a plan to aid her escape. All she needed was a day, just one day to find out who the mastermind behind the incident was. As she kept watch, her eyes were drawn to a subtle glint near the waist of one of the guards. Latched to a leather belt, a bunch of keys dangled freely. The sight of it
CHAPTER TWENTY FOURThe full moon festival was coming up in a week; it was a very big celebration for the Blue Moon Kingdom. Anticipation of the upcoming event hung in the air like the buzzing sound of bees. Everyone hummed with excitement as they busied themselves, eagerly preparing for the event. The work at the servant quarters tripled, each one joggling different tasks, as they could handle.Zena was in the middle of the whole thing. Her tasks were way more than that of the other servants if they were to be compared. She shuffled between going to the market to pick up groceries to pulling down, washing, and fixing up new draping on the palace grounds. Her countless attempts to shift some of the responsibilities to others who weren’t as busy as her proved futile. The only person willing to offer a hand was Jane but she had been moved to a different section of the palace for other work.She was halfway done with the draping when one of her superiors, a woman assumed to be in her thi
Zena did not know what to make of the revelation she had just heard. Her heart ached for Marilyn and her unborn child. She and her boyfriend only tried to do what any other parent would, something she totally resonated with. Not beacsue she is or was a parent but because watching over the Skull Rogues, she had kind of assumed that role to the point where she was more than ready to lay her life down for them. It wasn’t any much different from what Marilyn and her boyfriend were in.Her heart skipped as it dawned on her that she Marilyn and her boyfreund were in possible danger. Knox was still investigating the matter relentlessly and if he were to figure out that Marilyn and her boyfriend were also in the area and were attempting to flee, there was no telling what he would do to them and their unborn child. Her protective instincts kicked in and she felt the need to protcetd them at all costs from Knox’s fury.Zena’s steps were slow, at a deliberate pace, her mind obviously deep in tho
CHAPTER TWENTY SIXJane kept all of Zena's instructions in mind. She tailed the woman closely like a leech that could not be gotten rid of but there was nothing suspicious she could find about her.It was almost evening and nothing new that could help Zena's case had been found. Worried lines plastered on her face as she observed the woman from behind the barrels of wine in the wine press. She bit her nails nervously, trying to think of something that would push the lady to move recklessly while under her watch but no idea formed in her head.On the brink of time, when all hope seemed to be lost, luck seemed to shine on her. A strange face that Jane had never before seen on the palace grounds appeared from the back door. He had a crooked look and limped as he walked, his clothes looked pretty decent but nothing about him gave her a good feeling.She observed closely the transaction that ensued between them. As he approached with an air of suspicion, the woman's discomfort deepened, fe