Chapter 6
Seraphine stood frozen in place, her fingers still pressed against Great–Uncle’s pulse.
Poison had killed him.
But when had he been poisoned?
Her mind raced back to the moment Lucien had handed the wine to Great–Uncle.
“Ah!” A maid burst in, seeing the scene, and screamed.
The room erupted in chaos.
Soon, Lucien arrived with Vivienne and the guests.
“Great–Uncle!” Vivienne threw herself onto the body, sobbing. “How could this happen…”
Lucien’s servants swiftly examined the body. Their expressions changed, but they quickly regained composure. “…Prince Valmont, it appears he died from a heart failure due to excessive excitement.”
“Impossible!” Vivienne suddenly looked
up,
qg at:
phine. “It was her! She didn’t want to serve Great–Uncle, so… ”
Lucien cast a cold glance at Seraphine.
d”
Seraphine opened her mouth but finally lowered her head, speaking softly. “I did nothing.”
“Liar!” Vivienne wailed, her sobs growing louder. “Lucien, you must avenge Great–Uncle!”
Lucien stood silent for a moment before coldly commanding, “Sera, go kneel in the snow for the night.”
The biting cold wind and swirling snow seemed to freeze her to the core.
Seraphine kneit in the snow, her back still aching from her previous injuries, the cold mal
She couldn’t understand why Lucien would have poisoned Great–Uncle.
Was it for her?
The thought struck her like a bolt of lightning, but she quickly scolded herself.
The moment the thought surfaced, Seraphine laughed bitterly.
Foolish girl. When will you learn?
She lifted her gaze to the bright moon in the sky.
Three more days.
In three days, she would leave this place forever.
As dawn approached, Seraphine could no longer hold herself up and collapsed in the snow.
When she awoke, she found herself in the gauntlet’s Forge, a bowl of hot soup resting on the table.
The next days were filled with even greater torment from Vivienne.
“Go clear the snow from the yard!”
“My brooch fell into the lake, go fetch it!”
“Kneel and be my footstool!”
pain unbearable.
Seraphine silently endured it all, while secretly preparing for her escape, She exchanged everything she had accumulated over the years for gold coins and secretly purchased a horse, hiding it in the woods outside the city.
One day, as she returned after completing her tasks, Lucien’s personal guard stopped her, “Prince Valmont wishes to see you.”
Seraphine’s heart skipped a beat, and she followed the guard to the back courtyard. The yard was crowded with royal physicus, each of them wearing a grave expression.
“Lady Sinclair’s condition is too rare…”
“She’s hanging by a thread…”
Chapter 6
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A bad premonition rose in Seraphine’s heart.
“Prince Valmont,” the leader of the Royal Physicus suddenly knelt, “Lady Sinclair suffers from a congenital deficiency, her body is too cold. To recover, she needs to be fed blood from a strong and healthy woman.”
All eyes turned to Seraphine.
Having trained in martial arts since childhood, she was the perfect candidate for this grim remedy.
Seraphine instinctively raised her head, for the first time noticing the urgency in Lucien’s eyes.
Without hesitation, he commanded, “Bring me a knife and a bowl.”
In that instant, Seraphine understood his intent. She didn’t resist, calmly extending her wrist.
The sharp blade sliced through her skin, and her blood flowed freely, quickly filling the bowl.
One bowl after another…
Seraphine’s wrist was cut open countless
Her face grew paler, almost translucent.
Meanwhile, Lucien remained by Vivienne’s side,
and
no intact skin left.
sparing even a glance for her.
The entire day passed, with Seraphine’s consciousness fading in and out, while Vivienne showed no signs of improvement.
“Useless!” Lucien shouted in a fit of rage. “If she dies, you’ll all join her!”
The Royal Physicus trembled In fear, and the leader suddenly knelt.
“M–my prince! Lady Sinclair is too weak! Ordinary blood is too slow–she needs… heart’s blood!”
The other royal physicus quickly agreed.
“Yes, yes! Heart’s blood is the most effective!”
“Once she ingests heart’s blood, she’ll awaken within an hour!”
Lucien’s gaze finally fell on Seraphine.
She knew then that his mind was made up.
“Sera…” Lucien approached her, his voice hoarse. “We have the best royal physicus here. You’ll live.”
He paused, his voice softening. “If you save Vivienne, I will grant you anything you desire.”
Seraphine looked at him quietly.
What did she desire?
Only his heart
But now, she wanted nothing at all.
“…I ask for nothing.”
Lucien tightened his grip on the knife, pressing the blade to her chest. “Endure it.”
The moment the blade pierced her, Seraphine was consumed by a pain so intense, her vision blurred.
It was a pain unlike anything she had ever experienced, as if her very heart was being torn from her chest.
She watched her blood fill the bowl, and saw Lucien carefully carry it to Vivienne’s bedside, spooning it into Vivienne’s mouth, drop by drop…
Her vision grew dim, and she finally lost the strength to hold on. Darkness swallowed her completely.
Chapter 6
