"I wish for my daughter to become your daughter-in-law," Freya finally said.
"What?" Victoria asked, clearly not expecting such a request.
"Is it really such a surprise that I would request something like this?" Freya replied, raising a finger.
"Come on, think about it. Your son is probably the most heaven-defying talent the world has ever seen—and likely ever will. His future is already written; he's destined to become one of the strongest powerhouses in existence. And he's my blood relative."
Freya crossed her arms, her expression serious. "Everyone will want a piece of him. It's not surprising that I would too. In my case, I want to solidify that connection by marrying my daughter to him."
"You're already his family," Victoria countered firmly.
"You're his aunt—his own blood. This is completely unnecessary. We can find another way to stop Duke Ironcliff from harassing you."
Freya shook her head dismissively. "Do you think I'm asking this because I want your help?"
She continued, "As I said, I'm thinking about the future. I don't need to remind you just how much potential your son has already displayed, and he hasn't even awakened his talent yet. Just imagining the kind of ability he might awaken gives me goosebumps—not to mention, he might even inherit your bloodline, just like his three sisters."
Freya leaned forward, her tone unwavering. "His future is unpredictable and undoubtedly extraordinary. Being with him will benefit not just me but my daughter, my dukedom, and—if the royal family plays their cards right—the entire kingdom."
Victoria fell silent for a few moments, her expression contemplative.
"Have you even asked your daughter if she's okay with this?" Victoria finally asked.
Freya smiled, sensing the conversation taking a favorable turn.
If Victoria were truly against the idea, she would have rejected it outright.
The fact that she hadn't meant she was at least considering it.
"You don't need to worry about my daughter," Freya said, shrugging lightly. "She's completely on board. I can tell by the way she looks at your son."
"There are too many variables involved in this," Victoria replied, her voice measured.
"What you're suggesting—marrying the only heirs of two dukedoms—might be seen by others as the Ignatius and Everhart families forming an alliance. Some people could even interpret it as a conspiracy against the royal family."
Victoria sighed, her concern evident. "This could go very wrong, very quickly."
"How surprising. The Empress of the Crimson Flame, concerned about what others might think," Freya teased with a sly smile.
"I'm not," Victoria replied, rolling her eyes. "It's just too much of a hassle to deal with. And don't call me by that title; it's embarrassing."
"So, what do you say?" Freya pressed.
Victoria sighed. "Damian is still too young. I'll let him make the choice. For now, let's just get them engaged. But if he doesn't like it, the engagement will be broken off without opposition."
"I can live with that," Freya agreed with a nod, before letting out a sigh of her own.
"Before that, though, I still need to announce to the kingdom that I have a son," Victoria said thoughtfully. "Originally, I planned to do that on his upcoming eighth birthday."
"Have you changed your mind?" Freya asked.
"No," Victoria replied firmly. "I will announce his existence then. But as for his engagement with Fiona, we'll announce that on the day of his awakening."
...
The Ironcliff Dukedom.
There was a secluded area, inaccessible to anyone except members of the Ironcliff family and those personally permitted by Duke Ironcliff himself.
At this moment, Duke Ironcliff had invited a guest into this exclusive place, with his son present as well.
"Miss Iridessa, I hope you are not wasting my time here with baseless lies. If you are, it won't end well for you," Duke Ironcliff said, narrowing his eyes dangerously at the young woman standing before him.
The woman, a young lady with long, dense purple hair, had eyes that shimmered with a purple glint.
She wore a hooded purple outfit that revealed only her pale hands and her slender neck, leaving much of her figure concealed.
"The only reason I'm here is to repay the favor for the time you helped me save my mother. Why would I lie?" she said, rolling her eyes discreetly.
Iridessa wished she could have avoided this encounter entirely, but her mother had insisted she deliver this sensitive message to Duke Ironcliff as repayment for their debt to him.
"Then explain what you're trying to say," Duke Ironcliff demanded, folding his arms.
Iridessa sighed inwardly. "My unique ability allows me to read the fate of my target. However, I haven't yet learned to control it. My ability surpasses my mother's, and it tends to activate randomly. The last time it did, I read your fate—or rather, the fate of the Ironcliff Dukedom."
She continued, her tone calm and detached. "A fate line records aspects like fortune, providence, and luck. The longer and stronger the fate line, the greater these aspects will be."
Crossing her arms, Iridessa added, "I don't know what you're doing or planning to do, but I strongly advise you to stop. Your fate lines are fading—and fading fast."
"You mean to tell me you saw me die in the future? Is that what you're implying?" Duke Ironcliff asked, his eyes narrowing further. He did not like what he was hearing.
"I didn't say I saw the future," Iridessa clarified.
"I'm only saying I sense a massive misfortune heading your way. Whatever you're doing—or considering doing—it will result in the Ironcliff Dukedom's downfall. What was once four dukedoms will become three." Her tone was casual, devoid of any emotion.
She was merely a messenger delivering her warning.
"Thank you for your time, Miss Iridessa, and for your advice. With this, the Omenshire family's debt to me is repaid. You are excused," Duke Ironcliff said, waving his hand dismissively, his expression unchanged.
Iridessa gave a slight bow before leaving, leaving the duke and his son alone in the chamber.
"Why did you let her go? She dared to threaten our family. She should be killed!" Rogan Ironcliff, the duke's son, said angrily.
"She's merely a messenger, regardless of the message she brought. Besides, her family is in high favor with the royal family. Killing her would cause unnecessary trouble for us. It's better to let her go," Duke Ironcliff replied with a click of his tongue.
...
As soon as she had delivered her message, Iridessa Omenshire hurried back to her ancestral home.
"I thought I was going to be killed—or worse," Iridessa sighed, glancing at a woman who looked like an older version of herself.
"They wouldn't dare harm you. We may not be dukes, but we are still a noble family with strong ties to the king," said Iridessa's mother, the head of the Omenshire household, with a light smile.
"Why do we even have to warn them about the readings from my vision?" Iridessa asked, sinking into a luxuriously soft couch.
"It's less about them and more about protecting ourselves," her mother replied. "Their fate lines are fading fast. The Ironcliff Dukedom is hurtling toward destruction, and we want no part in their downfall. Now that we've repaid the debt we owed them, we are no longer tied to their fate."
"What do you think is causing their misfortune?" Iridessa asked, frowning slightly.
"I don't know," her mother said with a pensive expression. "But whatever it is, it's already in motion—that much is certain."
.
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{Author's Note: If you enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to vote with some POWER STONES. It would also really help me if you could rate this book. Thank you for reading!}