Chapter 3

Not long after my blood was taken, Jordan suddenly started coughing up blood nonstop.

I was dragged to the main courtyard before I'd even figured out what was happening. A teacup came flying straight at my forehead, smashing against me so hard that I nearly lost my balance.

"Mother was right," Anthony snarled. "You really are pulling these dirty tricks. How could you poison the blood? Were you trying to kill—"

His words abruptly cut off when he saw the blood running down my forehead. He took a step toward me, and I took a step back. Seeing that, his jaw tightened. "Drop your act. I didn't even put any strength into it!"

Jordan lay weakly on the bed, his face deathly pale. He said, "Anthony, don't talk to your father like that."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he coughed up another mouthful of blood. Tabitha's expression grew even darker. The distress in her eyes was impossible to hide.

"Is this really the time to be defending him?" Anthony cried.

I finally understood what they were accusing me of. I wiped the blood that had trickled down my cheek and asked, "Do you really think I'd be stupid enough to poison the blood that he needs to use every day?"

For a moment, Tabitha was at a loss for words. Just then, the physician walked out, his expression grim.

"Whoever did this is very calculating. They used poison in the glaze, coating the entire bowl. No matter what you put in it, the poison will leach into it. This bowl… Where did it come from?" he asked.

Tabitha slammed her hand on the table and jabbed a finger at my face. "And you still dare say it wasn't you? I've seen this very set of bowls in your storeroom before. Who else would even have the chance to touch it?"

She had long since split all my assets in half and handed them over to Jordan. The Corke family had fallen on hard times, so she'd quietly given Jordan half of what was mine to squander as he pleased. That meant that this bowl set wasn't mine alone.

When I said that out loud, Tabitha stared at me in disbelief. "So you're saying Jordan poisoned himself? Do you think everyone is as unscrupulous as you are? Guards, give the prince consort 20 strokes!"

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, my attendant, Barry, who was waiting outside, rushed in front of me, shielding me with his body as he begged for mercy.

"Your Highness, please don't! His Highness hasn't been well lately. He can't handle any physical punishment!"

Tabitha was in the middle of a fit. She kicked him aside without hesitation. "What a loyal little dog you are. In that case, you can take the punishment for him. You'll get 50 strokes!"

My heart lurched. I moved to stand between them, shielding Barry behind me. He had grown up with me since we were children. He was like a younger brother to me.

I protested, "Tabitha, 50 strokes will kill him! If you have a problem, then take it out on me."

All she did was snort. Then, with a casual wave of her hand, guards swarmed in and dragged Barry away.

"No!"

Jordan's attendants held me down as he slowly got out of bed. He put on a reproachful look and chided his attendants. "How can you be so disrespectful to Hugo?"

He reached out as if to help me up, but just as I was about to stand, he stumbled back with a stagger and fell to the floor, coughing up blood again. He looked at me and asked, "Hugo, why did you push me?"

Tabitha rushed to help him up, then turned to me with a look that suggested she could have devoured me alive. "Take this useless wretch away and give him 20 strokes. Not one less!"

Each strike of the board felt like it went straight to my bones, not giving me a single breath to recover. By the time the punishment was over, I couldn't feel anything below my waist.

Still, I clung to my last shred of strength and dragged myself forward, trying to get to Barry. Then, I heard someone say quietly, "Your Highness, he's not breathing anymore."

I froze on the spot and suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

With a flick of her wrist, Tabitha had the guards drag Barry's body away. Then, she looked down at me imperiously. "Hurt Jordan again, and it won't just be a servant who dies. You'll kneel here and reflect on what you've done. Think long and hard about what you should and shouldn't do!"