Chapter 167 Chapter 166
I wish I was lying,” Soraya whispered, her voice trembling. “I’ve seen it happen before. The obsession. The claiming. Once they decide you’re theirs, there’s no escaping it.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize it was this serious. I won’t let him in anymore,” Rayena said, blinking away the tears that had gathered in her eyes. This new information hurt more than she would ever admit to Soraya.
“It’s okay, I’m only looking out for you,” she said, pulling her into a hug. Rayena melted into it, needing Soraya’s warmth to soothe her already bruised heart.
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“You weren’t in your chambers last night,” Morvan started quietly as he watched the king get dressed to go to a court meeting, standing meters away in his chambers. Xenon glanced at him through the mirror, combing out his long hair, a brow raised.
“No, I wasn’t,” he answered, picking up his ceremonial robe and putting it on before adding a belt.
A muscle ticked in Morvan’s jaw, his eyes narrowing. “Where did you go?”
“To see Rayena,” he answered smoothly, adjusting the robes on his shoulders and fluffing out his hair.
“You were craving her that badly?”
Xenon headed toward his crown, his steps slow and regal. “Her scent works better than most suppressants I’ve used.” Her scent still clung to his skin, maddeningly sweet. A reminder of the one thing he should never crave.
“But… doesn’t that trigger something else?” Morvan asked quietly, watching as the king inspected the crown, looking for any trace of dust.
“Indeed, it does,” he muttered noncommittally.
King Xenon’s lackluster response was beginning to grate on his nerves. Still, he pressed. “What are you going to do when your rut comes again?”
Casting him a sideways glance, Xenon answered, “I don’t know.” He wore the crown, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath. “But whatever you do, do not summon her.”
“Your Majesty—!”
Xenon pinned him with a glare, his irises shifting as his beasts inched to the surface. “Do. Not. Summon. Her,” he growled, punctuating the words with an angry snarl.
Morvan swallowed the retort in his throat, his defiance wavering under the king’s authority. He begrudgingly lowered his head in submission.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
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(Two weeks later)
Rayena was finally done with the blanket she was making for Lylall, and she stared at the full length of it, wearing a satisfied smile on her face.
Her designs had come out better than she hoped, and now she wished Lylall would like it as much as she did. The ends had been adorned with leafy vines, and at the center was the head of a tiger, the full moon behind it, and a dissolving silhouette of a wolf below it all. She didn't know what inspired her to make such a creation, but now she was proud of it. It was her most beautiful embroidery design to date.
Giving it to the maids, she had the fabric washed, ironed, and folded neatly. Receiving it from them, she placed it on her bed, spraying a few spritzes of her perfume on the blanket before packing it neatly with some dried lavender into thick parchment paper. Sealing it up with wax, she let out a soft sigh.
She needed to deliver this to him, but how would she go about it? She hadn't seen Lylall since that night he sneaked into her room, and she wasn't sure if she should continue seeing him at all, thanks to the rumor that had damaged her reputation among the other women and the threat of him fixating on her. Frowning, she pressed the parcel to her chest, feeling her heart pound.
I already made a promise; I can't let him down now. If it's only once, just to deliver this blanket to him, I have to do it, she thought to herself, placing the parcel back on the bed and lying next to it, her thoughts wandering. She was contemplating having the guards deliver it on her behalf when a knock came on the door, interrupting her.
Rayena stood, walked toward the door, and opened it. She found a well-dressed Soraya behind it, a huge smile on her face. "Hello there! How has your day been?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.
Her jovial expression had Rayena smiling. "I'm not great..." she answered honestly, ushering Soraya in and closing the door behind her.
"Why, what's wrong?" Soraya asked.
Rayena glanced at her wrapped parcel and sighed. "There's something I want to deliver, but I'm having doubts about it," she confessed, her tone despondent.
"You're done with the blanket you were making for Lylall?" Soraya asked, and Rayena nodded.
"I don't even know if I should deliver it to him anymore. I feel so conflicted. I don't want to be caught in something that I can't get out of."
Soraya saw the conflict in her eyes and sighed, reaching out to caress her face. "That's not anything to be sad about. I didn't ban you from talking to him at all; I just wanted you to be careful. Plus, if you made a promise, I think it would be in your best interest to fulfill it."
Rayena's hands trembled, not from fear, but from wanting to see him again despite knowing she shouldn’t. Ignoring the pounding of her chest, she spoke again.
"So, what do you suggest I do now?" Rayena asked.
Soraya's brow furrowed in thought. "Well, we can go together to deliver it. It's a beautiful day outside, and with some luck, we should be able to find your 'friend' and deliver your gift."
"You'll follow me to deliver the parcel? Really, you'd do that for me?" Rayena seemed shocked.
"Of course. Besides, I want to see who this Lylall is anyway. And..." Soraya trailed off, a dreamy expression on her face. "This can be the perfect opportunity to see my crush!"
Rayena rolled her eyes, finding Soraya's actions ridiculous. The latter's expression turned serious. "But if we're going, we should do that now. The other women are busy with lunch, so they will not see us leave the harem.
A grin split Rayena's lips. She hurried to pick up the parcel, her dress twirling around her legs. "What are we waiting for? Let's go now!"
Soraya giggled, seeing the excitement on Rayena’s face. Together, they strode down the halls, reaching the harem's exit. Sneaking past the guards on patrol, they finally reached the forest demarcation and wove their way through it.
The palace loomed ahead, its towering spires gleaming in the sun, and elation bloomed in Rayena’s chest. Finally, she would see Lylall again, even if only for a brief moment.
“What are we going to do when we get there? You know we’re not allowed in,” Rayena whispered, glancing over her shoulder.
“I’m not sure,” Soraya admitted. “But we need to get closer first. Maybe we’ll wait for a soldier to come out from the palace and have him call Lylall, or deliver it on your behalf. Either way, we must make sure he gets it before we’re caught.”
That sounded like a solid plan. “Okay then, let’s go.”