Chapter 24

Harry stalked gallantly across the paved walkway, his eyes scrutinizing the whole area. Despite the failed attempt to take away his life, there was no fear in this heart, no fear in his stride. The mastermind of the deaths was a coward; there was no way he would show up in the palace—it was well guarded with thousands of soldiers, and Harry assumed that the monster was without an army of his own.

When the guards in front of the palace spotted him, the courtyard became swarmed with shadows, their arms stretched long, as they drove toward their prince. It was already night in the kingdom, and the palace light brightened up the whole area.

“Your highness!” One of the guards shouted, “we’re delighted to see you alive.”

The prince raised his brow, glad he was really alive, part of him surprised about their remark. His body had healed completely, and he felt no hurt again.

“You weren’t certain?” He questioned abruptly.

“Two bodies were found in the woods,” another guard said. “The people assume it is you.”

Harry jerked his head; there was a way the revelation had startled him. More bodies were showing; it was vexing and disturbing, “very well.”

He scurried to the hallway into the king’s chamber. The room was well guarded, but he dismissed everyone to avoid risking their plan.

“Father,” he called out, and slowly, the king revealed his eyes.

“You’re alive!” He beamed as he propped his pillow. How rumors travelled fast in the country, even a supposed vegetable king heard a share of it. “There were rumors of your supposed death flying around, but I knew you were alive, I could feel it in my bones!” He paused, “Nevertheless, maybe I should assume the throne, maybe this plan of ours was a bad idea, your life is—”

“No, father. I have chosen to fight! You’re still very weak, still recovering,” he proclaimed.

The antidote had worked, but the king’s bones were still very frail.

The throne was his burden now, and he was willing to fight till the end. The king raised an amused brow, “very well,” there had been something in his eyes. Something similar to pride. He couldn’t recall that type of look from him.

“From what I heard, you were hunted with a harmful weapon,” the king whispered, “how were you able to survive?”

For a moment Harry fell silent. “A woman saved my life,” he muttered, trying to block any thought of her. Just the thought of her with another man was raging, intimidating and vexing.

He’d assumed they were on the same page…

How hard he’d fought to control his wolf from revealing—from tearing him apart.

The human ought to have been ten feet under the ground, but for her sake—just for her, he’d control the urge.

“A woman—” the king chuckled faintly. “A woman…” he stopped laughing, his face back to its hard nature.

It was normal, of course, for the king to belittle women. He was one of those that saw them as merely child bearers.

How she would have hated the king’s derision.

“She saved my life,” his words came out bitterly as he tried to avoid her name, corners of his lips tightening.

“Was it perhaps the same woman that produced the antidote?” he inquired.

“Yes.”

The king paused, sorry about his mockery. “She’s different. She’s no ordinary woman,” he muttered, “One fit to be a Luna. What rank does her family hold?”

“I’m not here to talk about some woman,” he heard himself say, irritated by the thought of her. “The enemy holds a dangerous weapon; one being smuggled from the human country.”

The king widened his eyes. “That’s impossible!” he roared, “Our ancestors sealed the portal hundreds of years ago.”

“I don’t know how, but there’s still a passage.” He wavered, unsure of revealing the secret, “and I’ve been there.” The king shifted on his bed and paled.

“I’ve been to the human country,” he repeated, “why not acquire those weapons to fight the enemy?”

The king paused for a while, different thoughts clouding his mind.

“Of course, it is ideal for humans to make such harmful weapons. It is why our ancestors exiled them,” he remarked, “we won’t fight our enemy with those weapons. It’ll put our people’s life in danger.”

The portal couldn’t be sealed. He’d heard the Tigrins, the ones who sealed the portals to the human country by the order of the great Alpha King Thiaous thousands of years ago, had gone extinct.

“Think of another way and I’ll be waiting to hear of your success. I believe in you, my son.” The king retired on his bed watching as Harry scurried out of the room limping toward the throne room.

He wasn’t prepared to carry the burden of the throne, but he knew he’d have to give in one day. His people were dying, and they needed him more than ever. The foul play needed to stop.

But the throne…there was something that came with ruling; he’d watched it change his father.

His eyes widened as he glanced at the throne. There he was—his uncle, the duke, sitting on it with a smug expression, his head raised high, and his legs crossed as though he owned the palace.

“Leave,” he ordered the guards in the room, alerting the duke. He remained on the throne as Harry drew closer.

“You’re alive,” the duke remarked curtly.

There was no joy in his voice, no sincerity. Harry could see past the façade.

He ignored his remark. “The throne suits you,” he said sarcastically.

“The throne has been empty for too long, don’t you think, dear nephew?” The duke grinned, Harry getting the clue of what he was insinuating.

“The people would never accept you as their king,” Harry said, glad that his mask finally slipped.

The plan was working. The traitors were revealing.

It was no surprise. Brothers had slain brothers for the throne. Kings had slain their sons for the throne. Servants had rebelled for the throne. Some of his uncles had long passed on for the sake of the throne.

It was like a curse, a cycle. The thirst for power.

“You’re so gullible, so immature. You’re not fit to rule,” the duke asserted, “you’d be better off living recklessly with your women.”

Harry chortled and repeated, “the people would never accept you as their king.”

The duke laughed hysterically, “And who said anything about being the king,” he said with a shrewd look in his eyes, “when I can just make you my puppet?”

Harry widened his eyes as he staggered.

“You’ll have to do as I say from this very moment,” the duke threatened subtly, revealing the weapon that was underneath his garment.