Chapter 203 Chapter 0203

Chapter 203 Chapter 0203
AERITH’S POV

"What have you done Silas?" Queen Aria's scream tore through the room. I let my magic fade away while I stared at King Silas, his eyes moving from Aria to Jael, then back to me. He was bleeding badly. "Silas!" Aria rushed toward him, but he pushed her hand away, dragging the dagger from the side of his abdomen; that is where the dagger had met him. More blood gushed out, and his knees nearly buckled.

"Don't." His voice was weak, almost breathless. I stared at him in confusion; what was the king doing here? Why did he look as though he had just walked through hell to find us? And why did he even take a dagger for me? I could save myself. Aria stepped back.

"You are bleeding; we need to take you to the infirmary," she tried to reach for him again. "And what are you even doing here?" King Silas slowly lifted his head.

"I know you were up to no good." His voice carried a quiet certainty and calmness, that made the room suddenly feel smaller, even with his bleeding. Aria's expression hardened.

"You follow me?"

"I didn't have to." He struggled to push himself upright; the bleeding must have been sapping his energy. "The moment Vael brought me to the hideout, and you disappeared while the other queens were still there, I knew something was wrong." He placed a hand against the wall for support, while he winced to his side. "I know you weren’t going to the temple like the other queens to pray for their son," his eyes narrowed. "You were planning something." Aria folded her arms.

"I was helping you." Silas stared at her.

"Helping me?" He said pointing to himself, Aria nodded excitedly

"Yes," she pointed toward me. "I'm trying to fix the curse." My heart pounded while King Silas looked at me. Then Aria continued, "You know you are searching for the last Fae, the one who could break the curse Valerie placed on you." Silas's expression changed. "And she is the chosen one, the last Fae." Aria's voice rose, "She is the one who can break it, the one whose blood would redeem us all." She said in excitement like she was talking about the weather, not the life of a human. I stared at her, then at Silas, he looked at me for several seconds, then he sighed.

"I know." My breath caught, Aria spun toward him.

"You knew?" She asked, he nodded.

"I knew the moment your son escaped from the academy and the academy sent a message that they had found the chosen one." I felt the blood drain from my face.

"What?" Silas's eyes remained on me.

"I knew from the second those strange waves of magic began shaking the kingdom, I knew Lucien came here with her, " he swallowed hard, "I knew something had awakened, I knew the chosen one was right here with me, and when your son would always go to the kitchen to grabbed his own meal, I knew he didn't want anyone to see the female in his room." His gaze softened even with the pain, "but I said nothing," I stared at him, in disbelief, I don't think the king, as any iota of kindness in him.

"You knew then why didn't you say anything?" His expression became complicated.

"Maybe, I was tired of being a king, and I needed someone to set me free from this burden." My stomach tightened; he only let me live because he thought I came to kill him.

"So you think I am dangerous?" He smirked.

"I know you were powerful." He paused.

"Those two things look exactly the same."  He parted his lips to say something, but Aria stepped between us.

"She is a Fae, Silas." He turned toward her.

"And?" Aria looked almost offended, because somehow her plans weren't working.

"She isn't one of us."

"She doesn't need to be."

"She is dangerous."

"So are dragons," Aria opened her mouth. Silas continued, "So are vampires; so are kings." he narrowed his gaze. "So are queens." his face darkened. "And so are mothers who allow their hatred to destroy their own children." Aria's face twisted, her voice clenched.

"You know nothing about what I have done for my son."

"I know exactly what you have done,' Silas's voice became colder. "And I know what you are doing now." Aria pointed at me.

"She will destroy Lucien."

"No!" Silas shook his head. "She is the woman the gods had given him." My heart stopped. He knows everything. "And she is the woman Lucien loves." My eyes snapped to the king. Hearing those words from Lucien's father made my heart warmer. I looked at Silas; does it mean he is accepting me? Because I can't understand his kindness towards me, and I found it difficult to believe he was standing up for me, after everything that he made me go through, here he was defending me. Aria's eyes flashed to me.

"I didn't want a Fae for my son!"

"Why?" King Silas's question was so simple that it silenced her. He stared at her. "Why don't you want her?" Aria said nothing, while he stepped closer, still clutching his side. "Is it because you think she will take Lucien away from you?" Aria's jaw tightened. "Just as Valerie took me away from you?" The room became completely silent. My eyes widened; they were talking about my mother. Aria glared at the king while she clenched her fist at her side. Silas laughed bitterly. "That is it, isn't it?"

"Don't!" She screamed.

"You are afraid of losing"

"I said don't!"

"You are afraid because you believe your son loving this woman means he will love you less." Aria's eyes filled with rage.

"He is my son, and he loves me," Aria roared.

"That doesn't mean owning him." Aria looked at him as though he had struck her, Silas continued, "Lucien is not a possession."

"He is my son."

"And she is his mate." My heart squeezed; the idea of Lucien belonging to just me made me happy, but I was still worried. I didn't want anything to happen to him, so I tried to reach for our bond. "Now that Lucien hadn't completely turned against you, let her go." Aria stared at him.

"What?"

"Release her." He looked at me. "I can cover for you." My brows furrowed; Aria's voice came up.

"What do you mean?"

"I will tell Lucien, I'm responsible." I stared at him.

"You will do that?" He nodded

"If it means preventing another war inside this kingdom," Aria laughed, a cold humorless sound, left her lips.

"Since when did you care about my son or me?" Silas's expression darkened.

"Aria..."

"Is this another trick?" She stepped towards Silas, cutting him off. "Are you trying to kill my son?" Silas shook his head. "Or declare him a traitor?"

"You are imagining things."

"Then why are you here? Because I know what you are capable of." Her voice cracked. "You always wanted him dead!"

"That isn't true."

"You abandoned us, you hated my son."

"I didn't hate him, even when I knew he was..." He stopped himself; he bit his lower lip, stopping the pain. "I may not have treated Lucien fairly," his voice softened, "but I have never wanted him dead, even though he is the son..." Before he could finish, his body jerked; his hands flew to his chest. I sat there watching.

"Silas!" Aria called; the king stumbled, with his gaze fixed on my foot. I followed his gaze. "What is happening?" Aria asked. He didn't answer; his eyes were locked on my blood that I had spat out a few minutes ago. His eyes widened when his own blood began moving; His blood was reacting to mine.

"Who has that blood?" He pointed at the blood; my heart slammed against my ribs, unable to answer. The two bloods met, and they mixed; his eyes bulged as the red colors began changing.

"It's..."

"How old are you?" The king asked suddenly.

"What is it?" Aria stepped closer. King Silas didn't answer; his gaze moved from the floor to me, then back to the blood on the ground.

"The blood is yours right?" I nodded.

"So?" his eyes went to me.

"Your blood is reacting to mine." he swallowed hard, then the color began changing; unlike the purple that mine and Lucien produce, his was gold. My eyes widened, my breath caught,

"What is going on?" I asked, my lips trembling. "What is happening?" He looked at me,

"That is impossible."

"What is it?" He slowly rose to his feet.           

“You are my daughter."