Stolen by the Beastly Lycan King-Chapter 96: A Way to Save Her

"You are miles away, Lorelai," Althea said in a deceptively kind voice. "I’ve missed you. This is the first time in a while we’ve been together like this, and yet... you are awfully quiet. Don’t you have anything to say at all?"

"I’m sorry, Your Majesty," were the only words the princess could force out. Whenever she was in the queen’s presence, she knew it was always safer to say less.

"Why are you apologizing?" Althea asked, her tone carrying a faint edge. "I suppose you have been busy these days. Working on the new slavery abolition law must be taking up a lot of your time."

She paused, her expression turning faintly disapproving. "Please remember, you don’t need to overexert yourself. It’s a noble idea, I admit, but it’s hardly essential for Erelith. I don’t think you should waste your time like this."

Lorelai remained silent, her grip tightening on the rounded handle of her cane. Frustration churned within her as she listened to the queen’s words, every syllable laced with veiled mockery.

Althea’s smile lingered, but her eyes gleamed with something sharper. "It was a ridiculous endeavor from the very beginning. Allowing beasts to influence the laws of humans..." Her once-attractive expression began to twist, her warm and motherly facade giving way to a cold, unflinching sternness.

"They are nothing but animals," the queen declared, her voice now icy and resolute. "And we, as humans... must remind them of their true place."

Lorelai swallowed hard.

Her throat tightened, and her mouth felt suddenly parched. Althea’s words had cleared up the doubts that had been gnawing at her for quite some time.

The queen despised the beasts with every fiber of her being and loathed the thought of their involvement in the proposal vote being immortalized in Erelith’s history. But why?

Lorelai couldn’t understand. With Kai’s impending ascension to the throne, fostering goodwill with the beasts was in the kingdom’s best interest. While not respected, the Beast Kingdom remained the most powerful force on the continent. This new law was the first attempt to regulate relations between humans and beasts.

If successful, Kai wouldn’t just gain useful allies for Erelith but would also secure border stability and protection. Regardless of the details, the beasts would owe Erelith a significant favor.

"Lorelai," Althea spoke again, her voice now calm as she studied the princess intently. Her dark eyes roamed over Lorelai’s body, scrutinizing her with a critical gaze before continuing. "You look somewhat... different. Are you still drinking the herbal tea I gave you every day? Is it helping with your leg? Perhaps it’s time for another bloodletting session."

The queen grinned, and beneath her cutting words, Lorelai felt a heavy pressure settle on her chest. Unconsciously, she tightened her grip on her cane even more, her knuckles turning white.

’She sends her maids to ensure I drink that tea, but I’ve managed to fool them by having Marianna swap the cups right before they’re brought to me. I haven’t drunk it for days now, and I actually feel so much better...’ Her thoughts swirled as unease crept in. ’What in the world has she been putting in that tea?’

"As busy as you are, you shouldn’t neglect something as basic as self-care, don’t you think?" Althea’s delicate hand brushed against Lorelai’s pale cheek.

The gesture might have seemed affectionate, but it felt anything but. Lorelai trembled under the queen’s touch. "Remember, you must be the perfect bride. I trust you won’t disappoint me."

Every time Lorelai stood before the queen, she felt like a fragile child on the verge of tears. It was as though all her strength and resolve melted away, leaving her exposed, vulnerable, and powerless—nothing more than a trembling girl desperate to endure.

She parted her lips to speak, but no matter how hard she tried, her voice wavered, helpless and subdued.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Oh, please, don’t be so stiff with me," the queen cooed, her tone dripping with false sweetness. "You know I only wish you well."

"Yes... I know," Lorelai whispered, forcing the words out despite the tightness in her throat.

"Good. You are a smart girl, Lorelai," the queen said with a smile, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. She reveled in the submission she saw reflected in Lorelai’s gaze, savoring every moment of it.

The princess gave a brief nod, her posture stiff, while Althea’s red lips stretched into an even wider smile, thin and predatory.

"Your Majesty!" a voice rang out, breaking the tense atmosphere. One of the attendants came rushing toward them, his face pale and drenched in sweat, his frantic eyes locked on the two women.

"What is it? What’s all this commotion?"

The queen’s smile disappeared instantly, replaced by a sharp frown. Her dark eyes shifted to the panicked man, pinning him in place with their icy intensity.

The sudden change in her demeanor left the attendant visibly shaken. For a moment, he froze, as though his thoughts had scattered like leaves in a storm.

"Well?"

Her icy tone snapped him back to his senses, and he blurted out in a trembling voice, "The hunting prey! They’ve all gone loose!"

***

It was rare for beasts to possess the ability to cast spells or exhibit any magical talents. Even half-beasts, born from the union of a pure beast and a human sorcerer, rarely manifested magical abilities. The blood of the beast was dominant, usually suppressing any human inclinations, even ones as potent as magic or witchcraft.

As a result, witches or sorcerers residing in the Beast Kingdom were treated with the utmost respect, despite the common understanding that their human traits had prevailed, overshadowing their beastly essence.

Naveen, however, was an exception. She was not connected to the beasts by blood. Instead, she was an ancient, powerful Gypsy witch, thrust by fate into the Beast Kingdom’s domain and forced to remain there for the rest of her long, tedious life.

"So?" Rhaegar urged, guiding his horse closer to Naveen’s. His amber eyes searched hers with an intensity that demanded answers. "What do you see?"

"Everything here is steeped in witchcraft," Naveen replied, "Just as you predicted, this is dark, potent magic—completely different from mine. At times, it feels like the air itself is saturated with it." ƒreewebɳovel.com

"And the princess?" Rhaegar’s voice tightened as he broached the subject most pressing to him.

Naveen sighed heavily, her sharp gaze shifting. "There’s a great deal of the queen’s magic embedded within her, I’m afraid. But if you can find a way to get her out of the queen’s sphere of influence... considering everything you’ve told me, there may still be a way to save her."