Prince Coi Sudu's eyes widened in shock.
The woman standing before him had blue lightning eyes, crackling like a storm, and streaks of red and blue ran through her hair, shifting like fire in the wind.
A cold realization settled in his gut.
A paranormal being… in the Haguar Kingdom.
This was her. The rumors were true.
The Chosen Lady. The one whispered about in every corner of the empire. The woman who could tip the scales of war.
His lips twisted into a sneer. His grip on the sword tightened, knuckles white against the hilt.
'Then she must die.'
"Witch! Die!"
His voice rang out, edged with hysteria. With a crazed grin, he twisted the sword deeper, relishing the way her face contorted in agony.
"Ha, ha, ha!"
A sharp laugh tore from his throat, echoing across the battlefield.
His father, King Sudu Noops, would be proud.
Prince Coi could already picture it—the king's pleased nod, the weight of a war general's cloak settling on his shoulders. The kingdom of Haguar would crumble, and he would be the one who made it happen.
King Sudu Noops had waited ages for this moment—to conquer the Haguar Kingdom. And now, Prince Coi had done it. He had defeated the Chosen Lady.
But then—
A fist, like a battering ram, crashed into his ribs.
The impact was instantaneous, brutal. A loud crack echoed as his body was flung backward, crashing into the dirt. His sword slipped from his grasp, spinning uselessly across the battlefield.
Pain flared through his side, knocking the air from his lungs.
What the hell—?
His vision swam as he struggled to push himself up, but then—
The sound of guns clicking into place.
His head snapped up, heart pounding. Haguar's special guards had him surrounded.
Cold metal pressed against his temple. He glanced around wildly, searching for his soldiers—only to realize there were none left.
His men were dead.
He was alone.
Horror slithered up his spine.
"Hara!"
The desperate call cut through the night, dragging Prince Coi's attention back to the battlefield.
Prince Xavier was already at her side, dropping to his knees. Rara's body was limp, leaning against Prince Ariel, whose face was drawn in pain.
Her once-glowing lightning eyes had dimmed, reduced to a mundane shade of blue.
Prince Coi might've laughed at the sight if he weren't pinned to the ground like a useless fool.
Prince Ariel moved to pull the sword from her abdomen, but Rara grabbed his wrist.
"Don't," she rasped. "You're human."
Prince Ariel's breath hitched.
"If you touch it…" Her fingers trembled. "You'll turn to ash."
A beat of silence. Then—
"Pull it out!" she demanded, her gaze locking onto Prince Xavier, who knelt beside her.
Prince Xavier clenched his jaw. His fingers hovered over the hilt, but his hesitation was palpable.
"What if—"
"Do you want me to die?!" Rara's voice came sharp and breathless.
A muscle ticked in Xavier's jaw. His hands curled into fists. Damn it.
He knew she was right. He was the only one who could do this.
Inhaling sharply, he wrapped his fingers around the hilt—and yanked.
"Ugh!"
A strangled cry tore from Rara's lips as the sword slid free. Her hands fisted in her clothes, nails digging into fabric as pain racked her body.
She had held on until Prince Xavier pushed Prince Coi away, maintaining a magic barrier to keep her body from fading.
Queen Lustia was a witch's descendant, and if Prince Xavier carried even a trace of that magic, he could remove the sword without consequence.
But Prince Xavier wasn't watching her anymore.
The scent of her blood hit him like a tidal wave.
His breath hitched.
His hands shook.
His fangs descended.
His gaze darkened. He leaned forward, drawn to the scent, lips parting—
A hunger—deep, primal, uncontrollable—coiled inside him, demanding more.
Rara closed her eyes, chanting a healing spell, unaware of the primal hunger darkening Prince Xavier's gaze.
A dark mantle suddenly draped over Rara.
The hunger snapped like a brittle thread.
Prince Xavier's head jerked up, his glowing red eyes clashing with Prince Ariel's piercing gaze.
Ariel held the cloak firmly over Rara, his expression calm, yet cautious.
For a long, tense moment, neither of them spoke.
Prince Xavier's fingers twitched. Shame crashed over him.
Then, without another word—
He lowered the sword in his hand, then vanished.
Prince Coi blinked. Vanished?!
What in the abyss was that?!
"My lord."
A voice broke through the silence.
Assistant Bear stepped forward, lowering his voice as he whispered to Prince Ariel.
"What shall we do with Prince Coi?"
Prince Ariel turned his gaze toward Prince Coi—and the cold disdain in his expression made his blood boil.
Prince Coi gritted his teeth, his fingers twitching in the dirt. Like hell was he going to grovel.
"Take him to the dungeon," Prince Ariel ordered.
"Understood, My lord!"
A flicker of rage ignited in Prince Coi's chest.
He snarled as guards seized his arms, yanking him to his feet. "You think this is over?" he spat, baring his teeth. "My father will—"
A gun pressed against his jaw, cutting him off.
"Your father isn't here," Prince Ariel said coldly.
Prince Coi's breathing was harsh, ragged. He could feel his own blood dripping down his temple.
But he smirked anyway.
"You'll regret this," he hissed. "All of you."
The guards yanked him back, shoving him toward the dungeon. His laughter echoed in the night.
Assistant Bear didn't move away. Instead, he silently signaled his comrades to escort Prince Coi to the dungeon.
Prince Ariel looked up and noticed Assistant Bear hadn't moved. His brows furrowed.
"Why are you still here?"
Assistant Bear hesitated, his mouth opening slightly before he finally spoke. "My lord... your injuries."
Prince Ariel glanced down at his stomach, his hand pressing against the wound, trying to stanch the bleeding. His expression remained calm, though his voice carried the weight of exhaustion.
"Call the doctor over."
"Yes, my lord!" Assistant Bear snapped to action, immediately waving over a comrade and instructing them to fetch the imperial doctor.
Meanwhile, Rara's eyes fluttered open. She let out a slow, steady breath. The worst of the pain had passed.
Bracing herself, she reached for the sword, gripping it tightly before pushing herself up—unsteady, but determined.
Prince Ariel stepped forward, intending to help her—
But Assistant Bear beat him to it.
With a sharp nod, he signaled another soldier to assist Prince Ariel instead, then gently supported Rara as they began walking toward her palace.
The king had ordered the empty palace beside Prince Xavier's quarters to be cleaned and prepared for her.
By the time they arrived, the halls were eerily quiet.
Rara sank onto the couch in the royal quarters, her skin still unnaturally pale.
She exhaled, her gaze drifting upward.
"Where are the King and Queen?"
Assistant Bear emerged from the kitchen, carrying a cup.
"Chief Lisun and Assistant Panda took them to a safe location," he replied.
Rara took the medicine from him and sniffed it.
Immediately, her nose wrinkled.
One sip was enough—she gagged, shoving the cup back onto the table with an expression of utter disgust.
"What is this? It tastes like burnt tree bark mixed with regret!"
Assistant Bear's lips quirked with amusement.
"Haven't you heard? The worst-tasting medicines are the most effective."
Rara shot him a deadpan look.
"Where did you hear this nonsense? No wonder you're still an assistant. You believe nonsense like that."
"You—!" Assistant Bear huffed, crossing his arms in frustration.
Rara ignored him, tilting her head slightly, her expression shifting into something more serious.
Her gaze lifted.
"How's Prince Ariel?"
Assistant Bear raised an eyebrow. "Are you worried about him?"
Rara scowled. "Shut up and answer!"
Assistant Bear scratched his chin, clearly amused.
"He looks fine... except for his injuries."
Rara's lips pressed into a thin line.
Her gaze dropped to the sword resting on the table.
The Blue-Flamed Sword.
No longer engulfed in magic, it appeared ordinary. Unremarkable.
Her fingers traced the cool metal.
Ironic.
This was her sword once.
And yet—
It was also the sword that killed her.
That could only mean someone from her own bloodline had betrayed her.
Someone who had been willing to die with her—just to ensure she didn't survive.
A dry, bitter laugh escaped her lips.
"Who could be so loyal to my enemy?"
Assistant Bear caught the fierce glint in her eyes and frowned.
"What's wrong?" he asked cautiously.
"It's nothing." Rara's voice was even, but her grip on the sword tightened. "I'm just wondering how Prince Coi got his hands on this magical sword."
Assistant Bear shrugged.
"Why don't you ask him?"
The moment the words left his mouth, he instantly regretted it.
Rara's gaze snapped to him, a slow, wicked grin spreading across her face.
"He'll talk. Whether he wants to or not."