Chapter 129 Get rid of the Heir!

Chapter 129 Get rid of the Heir!
Steve recoiled immediately.
His eyes were fixed on the shadows that slowly slid along the wall of the sacred ward.
“What is this?”
His voice had completely lost its calculated calm.
My heart was still pounding violently as I tried to hear the heiress's voice again.
But all that remained was silence.
The shadows were still there.
Alive.
Watching.
The candles in the ward flickered violently as Steve took another step back.
Then something strange happened.
The shadows moved with him.
Not aggressively.
But following.
As if they sensed his presence.
My blood ran cold.
Steve noticed it too.
“What the hell…” he murmured.
The shadows rose a little higher along the wall.
Elongated.
Almost human.
And for a terrifying second…
one of them seemed to tilt its head toward him.
My instinct screamed immediately.
“Don’t move.”
Steve turned his eyes quickly to me.
“Are you seeing this?”
“Of course I’m seeing it.”
The shadows trembled.
Then they recoiled slightly as the golden light of the ward’s sacred symbols shone brighter.
It seemed to unsettle them.
But not enough to make them disappear.
My heart clenched painfully.
Because it meant they were getting stronger.
Or closer.
Steve took a deep breath slowly, trying to regain control.
But now I could see.
True fear.
Raw.
Human.
“Is this connected to the child?” he asked too quietly.
My eyes immediately returned to him.
“His name is Lysander.”
Steve held my gaze for a moment before looking away.
As if realizing he had crossed a line.
“I didn’t mean to—”
“Yes, you did.”
The silence fell heavily again.
Shadows began to slowly slide down the ancient columns of the wing.
Waiting.
Watching.
Steve ran a hand over his face, clearly trying to reorganize his thoughts.
“The rumors were true…”
The sentence came out almost in a whisper.
My chest burned immediately.
“You don’t understand anything about him.”
“Then explain it to me.” His eyes quickly returned to me. “Because so far all I see is a terrified kingdom, shadows emerging from within a protected castle, and a king willing to hide his own son from the world.”
Rage coursed through my body instantly.
“Conrad is trying to protect our family.”
“Or trying to control something that’s already out of control?”
“Enough.” My voice echoed firmly through the sacred ward. “You don’t know Conrad as well as you think you do.”
Steve was silent.
But his expression slowly hardened.
“Perhaps I know him better than you think.”
That made me freeze for a second.
Because there was something strange about that sentence.
Something heavy.
The shadows trembled violently at that instant.
Then they all retreated at once to the dark corners of the ward.
Like cornered animals.
Footsteps echoed outside seconds later.
Loud.
Quick.
My heart raced immediately.
Conrad.
He entered the sacred ward like a storm.
His golden eyes scanned the entire room before stopping on Steve.
Then on the shadows hidden between the columns.
And finally on me.
His expression changed instantly.
Fury.
Fear. Protection.
All at once.
“Stay away from her.”
Conrad’s low voice was more menacing than any shout.
Steve stiffened immediately.
“I didn’t do anything.”
“So that was a smart choice for once.”
The air in the ward felt overwhelming.
The shadows retreated even further against the walls.
As if even they sensed the dangerous power that was beginning to grow inside Conrad.
And for the first time…
Steve seemed to realize that perhaps he had gone too far.
“Conrad.” My voice came out firm before things got worse. “He didn’t do anything.”
His golden eyes remained fixed on Steve for a few more seconds.
Tense.
Dangerous.
Only then did Conrad slowly turn his attention back to me.
And the anger in his expression wavered the instant he noticed my state.
My pale face.
My breathing was unsteady.
The shadows lurking between the columns.
“What happened?” he asked immediately.
Before I could answer, Steve spoke first.
“The shadows appeared.”
Conrad stiffened again.
“And you stayed here?”
Steve frowned.
“I didn’t know exactly what was happening.”
“Then you should have left.”
The tension between the two returned instantly.
I ran a hand wearily over my face.
“Enough.”
A heavy silence fell over the sacred wing.
The candles continued to flicker violently while shadows remained hidden in the dark corners.
Watching.
Waiting.
Conrad immediately approached me.
Much more careful now.
His hands landed softly on my arms as he analyzed my face.
“The voices returned?”
I nodded slowly.
His jaw clenched.
“What did they say?”
I hesitated for a second.
Then I answered softly:
“The heiress ordered the heir to be removed.”
Conrad's golden eyes darkened immediately.
Steve stood motionless beside us.
Too silent.
“Did she say anything else?” Conrad asked.
I shook my head.
“She just… seemed desperate.”
The silence became suffocating again.
Conrad slowly scanned the shadows hidden between the columns of the sacred wing.
Then he firmly grasped my hand.
“You won’t be alone anymore.”
I sighed wearily.
“Conrad…”
“No.” He finally looked at me for real. “Enough, Maya. The shadows are getting stronger.” His voice was lower. More tense. “And now they’ve started appearing even here.”
I knew he was right.
And maybe that was exactly what scared me.
Because the sacred wing was supposed to be safe.
Protected.
But even that place was starting to be reached.
Steve watched us both intently.
Calculating again.
Conrad noticed immediately.
His golden eyes turned cold to him.
“The council leaves tomorrow.”
Steve held my gaze.
“You can’t kick me out just because you don’t like my questions.”
“I can kick out anyone who poses a risk to my family.”
The statement was direct.
Heavy.
Steve was silent for a moment before calmly replying:
“Then I hope you realize who really poses a danger before it’s too late.”
My heart immediately tightened.
Because it didn’t just seem like a warning.
It seemed like a challenge.
Steve tilted his head slightly toward me before leaving the sacred wing without saying anything more.
The silence that followed his departure seemed even worse.
Conrad observed the empty entrance for long seconds.
Then he finally spoke softly:
“I don’t trust him.”
The shadows in the corners trembled again.
And, for the first time…
I was beginning to think that maybe Conrad was right.