Chapter 134
Dorian’s pov;
Liam had trusted me with this task and I wanted to make sure that I didn’t fail him.
It was the only chance to save the Queen and the Belgravian princess.
I had to find the healer who lived beyond the borders. According to him, she knew everything about poisons and their antidotes.
I tightened my cloak around me, eyes darting around for any sign of danger, there was none, but I still felt as though someone was watching me.
The woods were too quiet.
I stilled and my hand drifted to the hilt of my sword.
That was when I heard a soft rustle. I wasn’t sure that it was just the wind.
“Show yourself,” I barked, pulling on the reins of the horse.
Shadows moved among the rocks and three men jumped out, their faces half-covered. Their blades glinted and I let out a sigh.
Common bandits.
“Nice horse,” one sneered, flashing his yellowed teeth. “Nice cloak, too. Hand them over.”
“I’ve no time for games,” I said, drawing my sword in a single smooth motion. “Move aside.”
They laughed.
The first lunged and I ducked. Another one came from my right and I kicked him off.
My horse neighed and took off immediately.
Damn it.
The third man aimed for my legs. I barely blocked it and moved to the side.
“Persistent little rat,” the yellow-toothed man spat. “Kill him!”
I tightened my grip. These knew how to fight and I was outnumbered. I’d die here if…
An arrow flew from behind me, striking the man closest to me in the shoulder. He screamed and dropped to the ground.
Another arrow followed, hitting the ground near the second man’s feet.
“Who—” the one on the ground started but couldn’t complete his sentence as a someone jumped down from the rock.
He had a dark cloak that his his face and moved with the speed of a trained warrior as he fought the bandits.
The bandits cursed and scattered. One tried to drag his injured companion away. The hooded man let them go before turning to me.
“You alright?” His voice was rough.
I kept my sword raised. “Who are you?”
He pushed his hood back.
I furrowed my brows. His face was rough, a long scar rn across his left cheek, his beard was greying and Something about his scar bothered me.
“I’ve seen you before,” I muttered.
“Yes.” He wiped his blade clean on the grass. “But I doubt you’ll remember me. Too many years have passed.”
I narrowed my eyes. “And yet you appear from nowhere and save me?”
“You looked like you needed saving.”
“That doesn’t answer the question.”
He smirked. “Come. Your horse hasn’t gone far.”
I hesitated, then followed. He whistled again, and true to his words, my horse galloped back.
I wanted to speak with him, ask him where we’d met, but there was no tiniest for that. Liam needed me right now.
And so, I mounted the horse.
“You’re heading east,” he said.
I hesitated. “Yes.”
“To the healer.”
My grip tightened on the reins. “How do you know that?”
“I know the road. I’ve heard the whispers.” He glanced up at me. “And I know the sickness that has plagued the court. You wouldn’t be here otherwise.”
I removed my hand from the rein and glanced at him. “Enough riddles. Who are you?”
The man looked at me for a long moment, then sighed.
“My name is Kael. I once served in the royal guard.”
I furrowed my brows.“The royal guard?”
“Yes. A long time ago, in the kingdom of Lead, under the last Queen.”
“The last Queen…” I whispered. “The….thats impossible…”Everyone died! Only I and Liam and the maid…
“She was kind,” Kael continued as though he was speaking to himself. “Kinder than most. And brave. Too brave, maybe.”
I dismounted and stood in front of him, my eyes fixed on his. “If you truly served her, then tell me what happened the night she vanished.”
Kael’s eyes darkened. For a while, I thought he wouldn’t answer. Then he said quietly, “I was there. The night the palace burned. The night the King fell. We fought to protect her, but the enemy was too many. In the chaos, she was taken.”
“Taken where?”
His jaw tightened. “Belgravia.”
The word landed like a stab to my chest.
“No,” I whispered.
“Yes,” Kael said. “Last I heard, she was sold. A prisoner, treated as little more than a slave. I tried to find her. Gods know I tried. But the trail went cold.”
I took a step back, staring at him. “You mean to tell me that while we’ve searched in vain for years, she’s been rotting in Belgravia? And you… you knew?”
His expression hardened. “I searched and searched! But I never found her.”
I clenched my fists. “Why didn’t you tell me this all those years? Why didn’t you tell Liam?”
He shook his head. “I felt like I was chasing a ghost and I saw that he was doing well for himself…you both. I didn’t want to take that away from you…”
“And her child?” I dreaded the answer to that.
Liam had only taken the throne in order to keep it until she’s found. And if she was truly alive, then that changes everything….
“I don’t know.”
I clenched my fist tightly. King Alaric had destroyed lead many years ago. If he hadn’t killed the Queen yet, then he was keeping her somewhere…somewhere in the palace.
“Take me to this healer,” I said slowly and mounted the horse. “Hop on.”
Princess Ellie had to wake up and tell us all she knows. I was going to make her.
As he mounted the horse, my eyes fell on the neck piece he had on. It looked familiar, as though I had seen it somewhere else before.
“What’s that?” I tipped my head at the neck piece.
“Oh, it’s the Queen’s pendant. The last one the king made for her. He used to make one for her on all her birthdays.”
“I thought I’ve seen it somewhere….”
“No,” he chuckled. “The king was the only one who did these types of neck pieces. Look,” he turned the back of the pendant and placed it on my hand.
It felt very rough, but it looked smooth.
“Wow.”
“Fascinating, right? You see, this is the kings signature piece. There are others, but they were all destroyed. I managed to salvage this one piece.”
I furrowed my brows. I was very sure that I had seen something like this recently. I just couldn’t remember where.