Chapter 164: _Lead To Nothing But Ruin Lucian’s POV
"You poisoned my drink," Kyren repeated the words of the lady, taking a step toward her. "And then you come to me to confess. I’m curious... Are you brain dead or suicidal?" Meanwhile, Lucian squinted his eyes at the lady, watching her every move. She stood at the other side of the dining room, standing still with her arms in front of her body as if she were a child being scolded. She wore big black pants that flared at both sides on the ankles but also wore nothing but a scarlet top that barely crossed across her chest like a weapon, thin as a blade with thinner straps. Why Lord Kyren made his workers dress like they were two drinks away from an orgy was... Unknown. "I’m just telling you the truth, Lord Kyren." The lady dared to continue, her voice calm and steady. "I was one of the maids in charge of making the food and drinks ready and I—" "You." Kyren raised his right hand, snapping his fingers. That motion caused blood red energy threads to coil around the girl’s neck, making her eyes widen as air left her lungs in an instant. "Dare." Kyren proceeded to lower his hand, keeping his fist clenched, forcing the girl to her knees. "You dare make an attempt on my life and think I’ll give you a free pass because you confessed?" Lucian glanced at Axel who had a stern expression, tilting his head at the girl with suspicion.
"You poisoned my drink," Kyren repeated the words of the lady, taking a step toward her. "And then you come to me to confess. I’m curious... Are you brain dead or suicidal?" Meanwhile, Lucian squinted his eyes at the lady, watching her every move. She stood at the other side of the dining room, standing still with her arms in front of her body as if she were a child being scolded. She wore big black pants that flared at both sides on the ankles but also wore nothing but a scarlet top that barely crossed across her chest like a weapon, thin as a blade with thinner straps. Why Lord Kyren made his workers dress like they were two drinks away from an orgy was... Unknown. "I’m just telling you the truth, Lord Kyren." The lady dared to continue, her voice calm and steady. "I was one of the maids in charge of making the food and drinks ready and I—" "You." Kyren raised his right hand, snapping his fingers. That motion caused blood red energy threads to coil around the girl’s neck, making her eyes widen as air left her lungs in an instant. "Dare." Kyren proceeded to lower his hand, keeping his fist clenched, forcing the girl to her knees. "You dare make an attempt on my life and think I’ll give you a free pass because you confessed?" Lucian glanced at Axel who had a stern expression, tilting his head at the girl with suspicion.
Eventually, the Beta spoke up. "Lord Kyren. Don’t you find it suspicious that this lady just waltzed in and confessed right when you were about to check our heads?"
Kyren didn’t even bother looking over his shoulder, keeping his fist clenched as he walked closer and closer toward the lady who was struggling to breathe now.
"Suspicion or not there’s only one way to find out... Isn’t there?" The rogue king’s voice was certain like someone who’s gone through this same routine hundreds of times. "Now, little bird. Tell me who sent you. Because I’m certain you didn’t just wake up and have the idea of poisoning me."
Lucian stared closely at the girl even though she had her head lowered to the ground, her long black hair obscuring most of her features.
However, when Kyren loosened his tightened fist, she gasped silently in relief, managing to move her hand enough to clutch her neck.
She raised her head slowly, her eyes locking on Lucian. The Alpha Prince frowned at the second that happened, his suspicions rising to the roof.
Something wasn’t right here.
"Eyes on me." Kyren snapped his fingers at the girl impatiently, placing his arms behind his back as he walked around her. "Who sent you?"
Kyren’s tone was as sharp as a blade, the crimson threads he had around the girl’s neck slithering like snakes.
The girl trembled, her fingers twitching at her sides. For a moment she looked like she’d stay quiet, but then—almost as if the words were ripped out of her—she whispered hoarsely:
"A man... A man in a black cloak."
Lucian stiffened.
His heart thudded against his ribs, his mind instantly pulling the pieces together.
A black cloak... Could this be the Dark Hand all over again? The black cloak and sending someone to infiltrate a royal palace seemed to be a dead giveaway these days.
Meanwhile, Axel’s brows furrowed, his arms folding slowly over his chest. The Beta had clearly come to the same conclusion.
"Black cloak?" Kyren echoed with an icy drawl, crouching so that his piercing red eyes were level with hers. "That’s vague enough to be useless. Did he have a face? A voice? Anything at all?"
The girl’s lips parted as if she meant to speak—
And then it happened.
Her entire body jolted, her back arching violently as a guttural scream tore out of her throat. Black veins surged across her neck like lightning, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as smoke hissed out between her teeth.
Lucian froze, the stench of burning flesh hitting his nostrils. "What the hell—"
"She’s cursed!" Axel barked, stepping forward, but it was too late.
The maid convulsed once more before collapsing face-first to the ground, a faint trail of smoke rising from her corpse.
Kyren straightened slowly, his expression unreadable. "A failsafe," he muttered, almost to himself. "Whoever sent her didn’t want her alive long enough to be useful. The black veins on her neck seek to be the Dark Hand’s signature."
Lucian’s fists clenched at his sides. His wolf bristled inside him, restless and enraged.
This wasn’t just a message—it was a warning. A game played on both Kyren’s and their heads.
The Rogue King turned toward Lucian and Axel, his crimson gaze sharp. "Well, Alpha Prince. It seems you and your Beta are innocent... this time."
Lucian sneered. "You needed someone to die to see that?"
Kyren ignored the jab, his lips curving into a cold, humourless smirk. "But you realise what this means, don’t you?"
Axel gave him a wary look. "That the Dark Hand’s reach is deeper than we thought?"
"No." Kyren’s eyes gleamed dangerously, his voice low and certain. "It means there’s a traitor in my palace. One of mine, feeding them information."
Lucian’s breath hitched, his suspicions from earlier igniting into full-blown certainty.
If the Dark Hand could infiltrate Kyren’s ranks this easily, then none of them were safe—not him, not Axel, not even Elian. And possibly no one else in the whole bloody continent.
And yet, as Kyren turned back toward the girl’s smouldering corpse, he muttered words that chilled Lucian to his core:
"I doubt they want me dead though... not yet, at least. That poison was never meant to finish me."
Lucian’s stomach twisted. "Then what did they mean it for?"
Kyren’s smirk widened, his gaze flicking deliberately to Lucian’s face.
"Whoever sent her was smart enough to place a curse to silence her." He muttered, dusting his hands dramatically. "This poisoning was a message. The Dark Hand or whoever is flexing their muscles."
Lucian stiffened, watching as the Rogue king’s expression lost its former playfulness. "They’ll learn soon enough that a stunt like this leads to nothing but ruin. I can smell it. And I can smell their presence closer than ever."
The Alpha Prince stood silently watching as Kyren turned away from them, completely ignoring the maid’s dead body.
"So much for peace talks..." The Beta muttered beside him with a sigh, brushing his hand through his hair.