Chapter 247

Chapter 247
Elenna's POV

Guilt washed over me like ice water. It hadn't occurred to me that bringing Doria along would put her at such risk. She was my friend, perhaps my only true friend in this world of power games and deadly deception.

"If you know where she is, please," I lowered my voice, leaning closer to him. "Help me find her."

Malcolm's face hardened, his features sharpening in the dim light of the corridor. "She's somewhere she can't be rescued from."

"But she's alive?" My heart pounded against my ribs, each beat a desperate prayer.

His hesitation before nodding was brief but unmistakable. "For now."

"Where is she? The rebel stronghold?" The words tumbled out before I could stop them.

Malcolm's eyes widened with panic, his quick intake of breath confirming my suspicion without him saying a word. A wave of dread swept through me. If Doria were with the rebels, getting her back wouldn't be easy.

"Listen to me," I said, keeping my voice steady despite the fear coursing through me. "No matter how impossible you think it is, I will never abandon Doria. She's my friend."

Malcolm scoffed, though something flickered in his eyes—respect, perhaps? "Friend? You really think of your handmaiden as a friend?"

"Yes." The certainty in my voice seemed to surprise him. "I won't leave these lands without her."

He studied my face for a moment, perhaps searching for deception. Whatever he saw made him sigh heavily, his shoulders slumping slightly.

"Whatever happens, don't participate in the chase game tonight. They're planning to—"

"Malcolm!" A sharp voice cut through our conversation. We both turned to see one of Millicent's personal attendants approaching, his footsteps eerily silent on the marble floor. "Lady Elenna is expected back at the gathering."

The attendant turned to Malcolm, his tone shifting from polite to commanding. "And Lady Millicent requires your assistance with a matter."

I watched helplessly as Malcolm was led away, fear flashing in his eyes before he disappeared around a corner. I stood frozen, my mind racing with terrible possibilities. Malcolm knew something about tonight's chase game—something dangerous enough to make him risk warning me despite his loyalty to Millicent.

I needed to tell Aurelian immediately.

Weaving my way back through the crowd, I felt eyes tracking my movement—predators assessing potential prey. I found Aurelian watching me intently from across the room, his posture rigid with alertness.

He wrapped a protective arm around me as I reached him, pulling me close. His body temperature was higher than usual, a sure sign his dragon nature was stirring beneath the surface. The heat radiating from him was both comforting and terrifying—I'd seen what happened when he lost control.

"Doria is at the rebel stronghold," I whispered, my voice trembling slightly against his ear. "And Malcolm knows about it. He was trying to warn me about tonight's chase game when Millicent's servant took him away."

Aurelian's jaw tightened, muscles flexing beneath his skin. "Did he say where the stronghold is?"

I shook my head, frustration burning behind my eyes. "But if Millicent and the rebels are working together, and if Doria is with them..."

My body trembled against his. The thought of Doria trapped in dark, suffocating tunnels made me sick with worry.

We made our way back to the staircase where Malcolm had disappeared, but there was no sign of him or the attendant. Only a small dwarvish protection charm lay on the floor—the kind Doria had shown me once, saying Malcolm had given it to her as a token of friendship.

I picked it up, clutching it tightly in my palm. "Malcolm was trying to help me," I said, my throat tight with guilt. "And now he might be in danger too."

Aurelian's eyes flashed dangerously red, the color spreading across his irises like wildfire. "Millicent has been in league with the rebels all along. This entire invitation was a trap."

Before I could respond, Millicent's voice rang out across the great hall. All conversations ceased as she stepped onto a raised platform, resplendent in a gown that shimmered like blood in torchlight.

"Distinguished guests, it's time for our evening's entertainment," she announced, her eyes finding us in the crowd with predatory precision. "The chase game will begin shortly in the woods."

Aurelian's hand tightened around mine. I remembered Malcolm's warning with crystal clarity: Don't participate in the chase game tonight.

"I'm afraid Elenna isn't feeling well," Aurelian called out, his voice carrying effortlessly across the room. "We'll be retiring early."

Millicent's smile remained fixed, but her eyes hardened to flints. "What a shame. Our guests have never had the opportunity to chase a human before."

A chill ran down my spine as the meaning of her words sank in. The room seemed to tilt beneath my feet. I wasn't meant to be a hunter in this game—I was meant to be the prey. I glanced around at the "guests," seeing their hungry expressions, some already beginning subtle transformations as their excitement grew.

Aurelian stepped forward, his fingers beginning to transform into claws, the sound of ripping fabric barely audible as his hands changed. "Elenna is my consort. Anyone who dares harm her will face my fire."

The temperature in the room rose several degrees as Aurelian's anger manifested physically. The chandelier crystals above us trembled slightly, clinking together in an eerie wind that seemed to emanate from nowhere.

Millicent gestured subtly, and armed servants emerged from doorways around the hall, surrounding us with practiced efficiency. Some held weapons I'd never seen before—glinting with strange blue light that made Aurelian tense beside me.

"You misunderstand, Your Majesty. This isn't a request," Millicent said, her voice carrying a dangerous edge.

"Where are our guards?" Aurelian demanded, though I suspected he already knew the answer.

"They're already in my dungeons," Millicent replied coolly. "Play my game, and perhaps you'll all survive the night."

I felt the trap closing around us, with no way out but through whatever deadly game Millicent had planned. As I looked at the circle of weapons pointed our way, I wondered if we'd live long enough to save Doria—or ourselves.