Chapter 12
“I
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She knew why Alistair was avoiding her.
Three months ago, when he had treated her wounds, she had kissed his fingers while delirious with fever.
Vivienne burned the secret letter to ashes.
Lucien’s former subordinate had finally contacted “The Sanguine Ravens.” They had offered a ransom of ten thousand gold coins for Seraphine’s life.
“She got off easy.” Vivienne caressed her still–flat abdomen. “Lucien’s child needs a bright future.”
The child had been a result of the drugs Vivienne had administered.
Vivienne opened a hidden compartment in her vanity and pulled out a portrait.
It was a drawing of Seraphine, done by Lucien himself. The ink had long since blurred with tears.
In the picture, she wore the gauntlet uniform, yet her eyes were unbearably gentle.
“How dare you?” Vivienne drove a knife to the heart of the portrait.
“An insignificant drugborn…”
Suddenly, lightning struck outside.
Vivienne jumped in shock, and the knife sliced her finger.
She stared at the bloodstain rolling down her hand and remembered Lucien saying that House Frost’s blood could cure all poisons.
A crazy thought began to grow in her mind.
Chapter 12
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Cate
Chapter 13
“Raise your wrist three more inches.”
Alistair tapped Seraphine’s elbow with the sword hilt.
The early summer sunlight filtered through the plum branches, casting dappled shadows on her white silk training clothes.
The new training outfit was light and breathable, but it had kept Alistair standing three yards away the entire morning.
“Like this?”
Seraphine deliberately turned, the curves beneath her thin clothing making several young disciples blush.
The sword hilt pressed against her throat.
Alistair had somehow gotten closer, his eyes dark, “Focus.”
“I’m focusing,” Seraphine replied, “If you stay so far away, how can I learn?”
Suddenly, Alistair unfastened his cloak and wrapped it around her, the force so strong it almost hurt.
“Stop messing around if you’re going to call me ‘uncle‘.”
The disciples discreetly backed away.
Seraph
“Seraphine!” Alistair finally lost his composure. “Do you k
se is racing.”
what you’re doing?”
“I do.” She lifted her head and looked into his eyes, “I’m trying to seduce the leader of the Shadow Court.”
Alistair shoved her away, and the sword hilt landed with a loud smack against her backside.
“Practice a thousand times today. No food until it’s done.”
He walked away quickly, nearly colliding with a column.
Seraphine rubbed her sore backside, grinning like a cat that had stolen a fish.
In the court, Lucien unfurled a map of the frontier defenses.
“Recent reports show that martial factions are becoming rampant. I request permission to mobilize three thousand soldiers to clear the bandits.”
The King, sitting on the throne, narrowed his eyes.
“Are you referring to…”
“The Shadow Court.”
Lucien pointed to a marked cliff on the map, “Reports say remnants of the former regime are holed up there.”
The Marshalcy’s minister suddenly stepped forward, “Funny, my lord, the Chancellor also submitted a memorial just yesterday, saying the Shadow Court harbors drugborns with ill intent.”
Lucien clenched his ceremonial scepter.
Since when had his father–in–law taken an interest in the Shadow Court?
After court adjourned, Lucien rushed to his mansion, only to overhear a shocking conversation outside his study.
“The Sanguine Ravens are on the move. This time, we will definitely eliminate that House Frost remnant…Who?!”
Lucien pushed the door open, and the secret letter his father had been reading fluttered to the ground.
It featured a portrait of Seraphine, with a red cross drawn through the heart.
Alistair, taking a bath, heard a faint sound from the window.
“Get out.”
Through the mist, Seraphine’s figure appeared. She didn’t leave, but instead moved closer to the bath.
“You have this scar on your back…”
Chapter 13
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A splash of water rose as Alistair stood, wrapping himself in a robe. “That’s from the night House Frost was slaughtered.”
Seraphine froze.
The scar, from his right shoulder down to his left waist, was far more gruesome than any on her own body.
“I carried your brother’s body out of the encirclement that night,” Alistair fastened his belt. “The arrow was poisoned, and I was bedridden for half a year.”
That was why he had missed the best opportunity to find her.
Seraphine hesitated to look at the scar. “I’m sorry.”
“No need,” Alistair said, turning his back on her. “I’ll be gone for a few days tomorrow. Stay put.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m investigating something” Alistair said, his eyes complicated. “Why Lucien’s father suddenly moved against House Frost.”
Seraphine’s heart skipped a beat.
She had always thought it was because of the drugborn blood, but was there another hidden reason?
Alistair suddenly gripped her chin. “Don’t do anything foolish. If you go to kill Lucien now, both of you will end up worse off.”
“Who said I was going to kill him?” Seraphine laughed softly, “I want him alive so he can regret it.”
Chapter 13
