LOGINAldric let out a heavy breath. His teeth were ground together as his grip tightened around the hilt of his sword."Fine. Lead the way.""Sure, Your Majesty."Lucian led him to the back of the Cargo House. The moment they reached the corner, Lucian stepped forward and gently removed the blindfold from the prisoner.Aldric's legs trembled.He tried to control himself, but his body staggered backwards. The guards rushed forward, catching him before he could fall."Are you okay, Your Majesty?" Richard asked, his voice tight with concern.Aldric did not respond. He was utterly speechless, staring at the face before him.His voice dropped to a weak, broken stammer."Court Lady Mary..."He struggled to find the right words.How?Aldric clenched his teeth. Mary was one of Queen Seraphina's court ladies. She had served the Queen for twenty years and occasionally accompanied her whenever she attended royal functions or visited other parts of the palace.Maiden Lucy was in charge of the numero
After Richard confirmed everything, he gave Aldric a signal that they were good to go. With the guards following their secret arrangements, they slipped out of the palace quietly, the shadows swallowing their footsteps as they made their way through the dark streets.When they reached the Cargo House, Aldric instructed Richard and the rest of the guards to hide in the surrounding area."If I do not come out in five minutes, then you enter," Aldric ordered."Understood, Your Majesty," Richard replied.The guards dispersed immediately into the shadows, taking different positions around the building.Aldric let out a deep breath, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. He pushed the heavy door gently, and it opened with a harsh, cracked sound. The wood was weak, rotting away.He stepped into the room cautiously.Cobwebs draped every corner, thick with dust, as if no one had ever lived there. The air smelled damp and musty, clinging to the back of his throat."Hello?" Aldric c
Aldric shook his head, unwilling to hear another word."Seraphina, please. Not today. I am not in the mood for this."Seraphina looked at him, her eyes blazing. "Are you really going to turn a blind eye to this when the pup has been in Aria's room?""What if it is a coincidence?" Aldric replied immediately."Really..." Seraphina dragged the word out as she stood up. "So why did she not report it? Why did she start feeding it secretly?"Aldric remained speechless for a moment. A deep breath escaped him, heavy with exhaustion."Let me hear you out since you came with proof."Seraphina reached into her sleeve and brought out a small recording camera. She placed it on the desk, explaining that it had recorded Aria playing with it and feeding the pup over the past four days.Aldric pressed the button. The small screen flickered to life. He watched Aria playing with the pup. Feeding it. Smiling at it. His fist tightened. His breath became heavy, his chest constricting with a sharp, suffoc
Before she could make sense of the accusation, a small creature rushed into the open courtyard.Her eyes widened.It was the same pup she had been taking care of. The pup burst into the spotlight. It started scattering food and knocking plates to the ground with ferocious energy. Aria shook her head in disbelief.How is this possible?The pup she knew had never behaved like this.It was playful and affectionate, but it had never shown such aggression.She remembered closing the wardrobe before leaving her room. The pup had already settled down, and she had been certain it would remain there until she returned.So, how did it escape?And why was it acting this way?The pup charged towards the royal table, knocking over plates and cups. Its eyes were wild, almost glowing. It moved like a creature possessed. Guards tried to catch it, but it bit them. Most of them started bleeding from their hands.Aria stared helplessly, unable to understand what she was witnessing.What has happened
THE QUEEN'S CHAMBER"Your Highness, are you alright?" Maiden Lucy asked after studying Seraphina for some minutes.The Queen rose from her seat and began pacing around the chamber, her frustration evident in every step."Your Highness," Lucy called again.Seraphina finally turned towards her before returning to her seat. Even then, her leg bounced up and down, her foot tapping a frantic rhythm against the hard floor. Her fingers drummed against the armrest."Can you believe Aria?""What did she do, my lady?" Lucy asked, stepping closer.Seraphina explained everything that had happened during her visit to Aria's room, including how the girl had used her apology to demand freedom from her duties as a maid.Lucy's mouth fell open in disbelief."My lady, that girl has gone too far! How dare she put you in such a situation?""Let her enjoy it while it lasts," Seraphina snapped.Lucy quickly poured her a glass of water and handed it to her, hoping to calm her down.After taking a few sips,
Seraphina moved toward Aria, her lips curved into a smile that did not reach her eyes."You are awake."Aria nodded slightly. The sight of the Queen made her stomach turn. Her plan had been to remain unconscious for as long as possible to take a break from the endless cruelty of the palace. She had always looked for opportunities to escape her duties, but she could not pretend for long. As long as she lived, her only goal was to keep the one thing that made her happy alive—even if it meant taking risks.She could not explain why she kept protecting the pup, especially when she knew someone else had been secretly caring for it. She had even pretended to remain unconscious, hoping to catch the person feeding it, but the King had ordered that no one was allowed inside.She had heard him speaking to the royal physician, begging him to keep her alive. She had heard him instruct the guards to stand at the door."How are you feeling?"Seraphina's voice pulled Aria out of her thoughts.Aria s







