Chapter 18
“Why should I?”
Seraphine stood in front of Alistair, her fingers resting on the hilt of her sword.
Lucien’s gaze swept over her disheveled clothing and swollen lips, his throat bobbing slightly.
“I can clear House Frost’s name.”
He took out a yellowed piece of kraft paper from his chest. “The late King’s decree is here, proving the massacre was a setup by House Sinclair.”
Seraphine didn’t take it, instead, she let out a cold laugh.
“And what’s the price? To return to Valmont Keep and continue being your healer?”
“I want you.” Lucien suddenly seized her wrist. “All these years, investigating the massacre–it was for this moment-”
Alistair’s sword blocked the space between them. “Mind your conduct, Prince Valmont.”
“Says the man bedding his niece,” Lucien sneered.
Seraphine pressed the tip of her sword to Lucien’s throat.
“He has no blood relation to me.”
The air in the cave seemed to freeze.
Lucien suddenly began laughing, his laugh tinged with madness.
“Fine. Then you’ll want to see this.”
He flung a sealed letter at them.
Alistair’s face turned pale as he opened it. “Vivienne has allied with the Seven Great Sects to attack the Shadow Court?”
“You can still make it back in time,” Lucien fixed his eyes on Seraphine. “If you come with me, I’ll send troops for reinforcements immediately.‘
Seraphine looked at Alistair, who gave a subtle shake of his head.
But the distant sound of horns made their faces change.
It was the alarm for the Shadow Court under siege!
“Go!” Alistair pulled her to him and leapt out of the cave.
Lucien’s voice echoed from behind them. “Sera! You’ll return to me one day!”
By the time they arrived at the Shadow Court, the gates were already engulfed in flames.
Seraphine watched as the disciples fought valiantly, an overwhelming rage flooding her veins.
“Vivienne!”
She fixed her eyes on the woman in elegant attire in a sedan chair, her bloodline seething. “This time, I won’t spare you!”
Before Alistair could stop her, Seraphine had already plunged into the enemy ranks.
Her sword strikes grew faster, her pupils slowly turning an eerie amber color,
“Fina!” Alistair knocked two enemies away and tried to approach her. “Stop! You’ll lose control if you force your bloodline!”
Seraphine couldn’t hear him.
She was back in that blood–soaked night when she was seven, her mind focused solely on slaughter.
One disciple tried to stop her, but she sent him flying with a single strike.
“Form the formation!” Alistair barked. “Everyone, fall back!”
He bit his finger, drawing a complex symbol in his palm, and while Seraphine wasn’t paying attention, slapped it against her back.
The golden light flared, and Seraphine collapsed, her body limp.
As Alistair caught her, a stream of black blood spurted from his mouth, splattering on her clothes.
Chapter 18
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The backlash from using forbidden magic had begun.
“Master! Your eyes!” One disciple cried in terror, pointing at his face.
Alistair blinked, his eyes suddenly losing focus. “It’s nothing I’ve temporarily lost my sight.”
He didn’t see Lucien, who was quietly retrieving his crossbow from the bushes not far away.
“Take her,” Lucien ordered the gauntlet. “Take her to the Hermit’s Hollow.”
Seraphine woke to splitting pain in an unfamiliar bed.
“Three days you slept,” Lucien said from the bedside.
She bolted upright–then fell back, dizzy. “Where’s Alistair?”
Lucien’s grip tightened on the medicine bowl. “He is recovering at the Shadow Court.”
He lifted the bowl to her lips. “Drink.”
Bitter liquid burned her throat. She coughed viole
– Isferent.” Be forced her jaw
open for
She turned away. “My blood heals me. I don’t need that.”
make you forget him.”
Lucien patted her back, his gentleness terrifying. “Let’s start over, Sera.”
“You’re mad.” She tried summoning inner energy–but her meridians were blocked. “What did you give me?”
“Just a muscle relaxant. When Alistair’s blindness becomes permanent, you’ll let go.”
Seraphine’s breath caught. “What?”
“The Frost bloodline’s backlash.” Lucien smiled. “He traded his sight for your sanity!”
Her nails drew blood from her palms.
“No…”
“Oh, and the physician said you’re weak. Placenta makes excellent tonic–and Vivienne is pregnant.”
Seraphine recoiled. “You monster!”
Chapter 18
