Zaro Aventine's face turned sour when he heard what Orius said. However, when he briefly looked at the faces of his soldiers, including General Trevor, he saw the amazement on their faces.
They didn't know the truth and maybe they were wondering if their former Second Prince was telling the truth.
The previous King was killed by the current King who was his only son?!
"You should stop speaking nonsense," Zaro Aventine snapped. "You're the one who killed my father and run away to your mother's empire."
Orius already saw through the Jerivian King. Though the latter can be quite unpredictable at times, they lived together for so long.
"Are you afraid that your soldiers might know the truth?" he taunted the King with a mocking smile on his face. "I also know that you tried to kill Iria because she attempted to reveal the truth that day." He scoffed and remarked, "You're still a coward, brother."
When Zaro Aventine saw the look on the faces of his soldiers, he could feel his patience running thin! He will never allow his soldiers to doubt him. That will be like living on a knife-edge!
"You talk too much," he muttered, trying to sound as calm as he could. "Did you forget that your wife is still at my mercy? I was planning to let her go if you cooperate well but... I don't think that's possible anymore."
Orius Alewine shifted his gaze to Valerie and Ophelia once again. Valerie was looking at him but... Ophelia was very calm. He didn't expect that!
While he was looking at the two women, Zaro Aventine walked closer to him and halted right in front of him. Then he leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "If I were you, I will know that it's not time to be stubborn."
The Duke clenched his fists that were still tied together as the Jerivian King smiled and took a few steps backwards. With one gesture from the King, General Trevor's sword was on the neck of Valerie!
"No!" Orius shouted and quickly turned back to Zaro Aventine. "Stop this!"
Zaro Aventine turned away from him and the sword of the General was now pressed against Valerie's neck! The sun had set and though fire torches were carried by the soldiers, Orius couldn't see clearly because Valerie was a few steps away from him. As such, he failed to see the slight blood that was coming out of her neck!
Nevertheless, Valerie composed herself very well. Maybe because she was from a military family, she was always a brave lady.
Orius looked at the King's face and he knew what he wanted him to do. Every part of him wanted to not do it, not to this man who was now he and his sister's biggest enemy, not to this demon who had lost all his humanity!
However...
Was his pride or feelings more important than the life of his wife?
He didn't think so.
When he saw that General Trevor was attempting to press deeper, he turned back to Zaro Aventine and dropped to his knees. "Please don't harm my wife! I beg you, please! I will do whatever you want!"
He wondered what Iria would think if she were to know what he did now.
After all those things that Zaro Aventine did to her, her twin brother was kneeling and begging her enemy! To the son of the man who destroyed their family! To the one who ruined their family's honor!
However... while Orius was thinking of these...
An arrow sudden came from several directions, shooting down the soldiers of Zaro Aventine! Then immediately, General Trevor lead the soldiers and stood in a circle around the King to protect him.
Orius raised a brow and glanced around his surroundings.
Was it Andres? But he believed that it was still early for his cousin to arrive. Not to mention that they even took him to another part of the woods!
Who was it then?!
Thinking of it as his chance, he stood up and rushed towards the two ladies. The soldiers saw him but this time, they couldn't do anything.
"Your Majesty, it's too dark! We can't spot them," General Trevor shouted to the King and all the time, the unknown people won't stop shooting their arrows. "If we don't leave this place, we will all die!"
Though Zaro Aventine hated to do that, he also knew the dangerous situation they were in and he had no better choice for now. "Let's retreat," he commanded and they quickly moved in unison to mount their horse.
Just when he was about to ride his horse...
"This is not a simple crime, Zaro Aventine," Orius said to him. "You will realize the severity of what you did tonight sooner or later."
Though the Jerivian King didn't understand what his former brother said, he had no time to lose. As such, he left the place with General Trevor and the soldiers.
If he knew the identity of the one whom he only thought of as the companion of Orius's wife, that young King will surely lose his sleep!
He kidnapped the Crown Princess of Cedore, the Princess of Aederin, for god's sake! If Emperor Lucius or Crown Prince Augustus heard about this, Jerivia will be done for!
Once they untied each other, Orius and the two women's attention were on the people who helped them out. They still haven't shown up but they waited.
Soon enough, several men emerged from the darkness of the night and walked towards them. They were ten but... Orius only knew two of them. Not to mention that the identity of one person was enough to make him feel the pressure.
Four were the shadow guards of the Crown Princess who were assigned by her brother to watch over her wherever she went and among them was also Linus, her personal guard. He was one of the two men whom Orius recognized and... the remaining six were the Enaerions.
Among them was the Master Enaerion and Orius recognized him as the one who came with Iria for the Crown Prince's wedding.
It turned out that the Enaerions were keeping watch on the Jerivian King and that led them to here only to see the brother of their Queen in trouble.
Now that his sister's men were here, nervousness washed through the Duke.
He was really done......
Visit freewe𝑏nove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺 for the 𝑏est n𝘰vel reading experience