Chapter 199
Chapter 199
hrough yTHIRD PERSON POV
“War plans. Why would he want to start a war?” Lief asked, confused, and suddenly Dimitri leaned closer, took the mouse, and began clicking frantically. Then a low growl escaped him, but he kept on searching.
Ryker’s eyes narrowed as he watched. Noticing how Dimitri’s shoulders tensed, he murmured.
“Impossible,”
“What is it?” Ryker looked at the screen, and his breath caught. He was examining birth stamps and DNA reports. And a detailed write-up from the royal physician dated many years ago, almost eight hundred years ago, actually, a few years before Dimitri’s birth. Records showing Varkas was a child of the king. Dimitri’s father.
An illegitimate son who was not recognized.
“He is your half-brother,” Ryker spoke the words, stunned. Noticing Dimitri’s rigid posture, he took over the mouse and kept searching. There were detailed records of how he had planned to take over the throne, but he needed allies. Unfortunately, the royal family didn’t know of his existence, and the royal physician who had confirmed his existence had been killed, obviously by Dimitri’s father. This was a whole packed history of betrayal, and of a child who was forged by revenge to claim what he felt was his.
The first Lycan King had killed the physician to prevent the truth of his illegitimate son from spreading. This was around the time he found his fated mate. Dimitri’s mother.
The records went on and on. It was the hierarchy of Dimitri’s heritage from his mother’s side and also from their father’s. And then there were maps of the palace grounds, but not quite. The blueprint was detailing sections even Ryker had not seen despite touring the ground multiple times.
“Have there been reconstructions at any point in the palace?” Ryker spoke hurriedly as he kept going through the blueprint.
“No.” Dimitri finally spoke. His gazelandedd on the blueprint of the palace. “This place—” Dimitri paused, moving his rough fingers over the screen. “How could this be? This are, it’s where we kept the records of our lineage. Deep in the vault is a moon chamber. It was placed by my father to preserve the body of my mother when she died. It was said that she remained the same. Like a sleeping beauty. I have never set foot in it.”
“Why would your father do that?” Lief asked, stupefied.
“Because he didn’t want to let her go. Her death broke him. Soon, he became mad and started getting wrong counsel and became prey to amadmann. Lord Tharion. I call him themadmann because he believed he could bring the dead back to life and create immortality. He worked for my father in those vaults, doing gods know what. As for the experiments, they all failed. Mother never woke, and father, one day, he took her body and vanished into the Xemi,r and we never saw him again. I took the throne automatically and sealed off those vaults, and the wizards helped create a wall that prevented anyone from going through that part of the palace. In short, it’s been long forgotten.” Dimirus clenched his jaw as he wondered how Varkas had theblueprintt of the original structure of the palace.
“That explains the wall. Could it be that Varkas possesses the magic that allows him open those walls and go in and out as he seems fit? Lief asked suddenly.
“It’s possible. That would explain why we have not been able to find Lyra. It’s because she is within these walls. Hidden from us.” Ryker added, looking at Dimitri.
Dimitrii shook his head. “No one personpossessess such powers. It can only be wielded by equally powerful wizards.”
“If he has the powers of a thousand wizards wielded through black magic, then he can.” A fourth voice spoke, and everyone froze.
“Who’s there?” Dimitri turned. His Lycan eyes surged forward just as a man cloaked in black came in through a portal.
Lief gasped as the man’s face appeared from the shadows after the portal closed.
Their eyes widened as they took in the man’s features. He was a splitting image of Ryker.
“Hell,o Son,” Declan smiled and met their probing gaze before turning to Ryker.
“How did you get here?” Dimitri asked. His voice was cold as his eyes narrowed. He looked between Ryker and theobviouslys older man who had the build of a warrior.
Declan angled his head and looked at Dimitri. “You are indeed as powerful as they say,” His eyes gleamed as he studied Dimitri. “It took me a while to get through this room.” Then he turned to Ryker. “I came to ask for your help.”
“You’ve got guts coming here,” Ryker growled, and in a swift movement, he pinned Declan down and held him by the throat.
“You are going to kill your own father,” Declan roared.
“I don’t have a father. I must say, you must have either gone mad or you’ve got a death wish for coming here.” Ryker sneered, his eyes turned black as he raised his claw and dug it deep into Declan’s shoulders.
“Why have you com,e and how did you get into this room?” Dimitri leaned close, hovering slightly over Declan.
“The blood of the Aethera. It allowed me cross the barrier with the use of black magic. Her blood has your scent, Ryker. I used it to find you.”
“Why?” Dimitri and Ryker asked in unison, and Declan swallowed, then clenched his jaw. “Because Lord Varkas isn’t who I thought he was. Because he never intended to give us immortality when we found it. He wanted to rule over us, giving us fragments of power after using us for years. Because I cannot watch idly by as he claims my grandchild as his,” He finally spoke with ragged breath,s and Ryker sneered.
“You expect me to believe that?” He chuckled and dug his claws deeper, close enough to rip out the bone from Declan’s shoulders.
The room became colder as the temperature droppeddue tom the tension.
After a period of silence, Declan smiled. “Because I couldn’t bear to think that I let go of my mate, my pac,k and my son for nothing. Because—I’m dying. I’ve been poisoned.”