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    Chapter b131 /b

    Valencia

    1 65 vougher

    This seemed really odd. Loyd had not been very friendly but he was respectful and didn’t look down bat /bbme /blike this new guy was doing.

    I also didn’t know when this new royalmander had been appointed. I had a nagging feeling something was not right.

    “Okay, give me five minutes to change” I said and meant to turn around but the royalmander stepped in my way to block me.

    “I am afraid you have toe with me as it is”

    He said and then let his eyes roam over me in a very creepy way. I was not in my sleeping robe or revealing attire, just my training clothes but they were tight fitting.

    And while many people going around the castle had seen me wearing it, I did not want to go wearing that in the King’s chambers again.

    If they were to force me to do something with the herbs, I wanted a much morefortable and airy outfit because the smell of incense and humidityst time had made it hard for me to breathe.

    But it looked like they were not going to provide me with any extra time.

    Mary nced at me nervously and I gave her a reassuring look.

    “Dont worry, I will be back in some time.”

    I gave her the same assurance Kiln’s note tried ot give me, even if I knew that the words felt empty.

    The royalmander reached for my hand and grabbed it tightly before yanking me forward.

    “Come on, we dont have time to waste all day!”

    I was startled and immediately pulled my hand back. He had raised his foot up to take a step forward but I shoved him hard and he lost his footing which made him crash into a nearby vase.

    He fell down on the carpet and the vase crashed on his bald head, sttering china pieces all over the floor.

    For a second he was confused and just sat there stupidly but when he saw the other guards, those junior to him staring at him skeptically, he gritted his teeth and dusted his clothes.

    “Tripped against the carpet there” He said to nobody in particr before looking at me again.

    “If you dont start walking right away, I will have to make these guards chain you and drag you upstairs.b” /b

    He said in a booming voice that echoed across the hallway but I only rolled my beyes /bbefore walking in the direction of the King’s chambers.

    b14:31 /bbFri/b, bSep /bb12 /bB

    …

    65 vouchers

    I recalled the way to the King’s chambers as well as most of my usual pathways because I had memorized as many pathways and bstairs /bas possible.

    The guards quickly filled in rows on either side of me while the royalmander gingerly rubbed the top of his head while keeping a few feet distance from me.

    We stopped outside therge ornate door that led to the King’s private quarters and not even a secondter, bI /bfelt something sharp kick into my back as I was thrown inside the chambers bas /bthe doors opened a split second earlier.

    Inded hard on the floor and the first thing I noticed was the utter absence of the smell of incense sticks bthat /bhad my nose and eyes stinging with water.

    I didn’t wince but ced both my hands on the floor to get up. And saw a huge boot right in front of my face.

    “Ahh, finallying to pledge your unwavering loyalty to me, are you?” Martin drawled and I looked up to see him dressed in absolute finery.

    His usual clothes were always pristine and ironed but now he was wearing arge velvety cape of some sorts over his usual clothes and was also holding a cane in his hand.

    I jumped back up on my feet and got straight to the point.

    “Why was I summoned here?”

    And then looked around to see that there was also no bed or the ailing, pale King on it lying with the Crone and the priestesses hovering around him.

    “Where is the King? Is he sick again?”

    I asked and Martin let out a heartyugh and the man behind me joined him.

    “Foolish girl. How could my little brother fall for such a dimwit?” Martin guffawed, holding his belly as if he had cracked the biggest joke and the man behind me started howling too.

    “I dont know, your highness. She might need to be trained by you or someone you appoint so that she learns to know not ito /iask such stupid questions.”

    Martin cackled and nodded. “I knew I liked you for a reason, Barty. And you have proven to be a valuable recement for that snobbish Loyd who wouldn’t let me take control. Good job silencing him.”

    Silencing him?

    I looked from Barty to Martin in confusion and that made themugh again.

    “What did you do? Where bis /bthe King?b” /bbI /basked and he stoppedughing abruptly to shout at me.

    “Silence, you pathetic worm! Dont you ever disrespect me like that or I will skin you alive. bI /bam the King bof /b

    Elorin!!”

    His voice echoed through the room and my eyes widened in shock.

    b14:31 /bbFri/bb, /bbSep /bb12 /bB

    …

    -55 youthal

    “King idus….is he…no longer alive?” I asked and he made a disgusted face at that name.

    “Dont mention that sick bastard in front of me. Old geezer would take ages to simply move and yet he wouldnt let me take over. That sick skeleton wanted to rule until hisst breath but he was starting bto /btest bmy /bpatience. So with the help of a few trusted courtiers I decided to take matters into my own hands. He is dead…” Martin announced and then scratched his temple to look at Barty.

    “I wonder if he is still breathing. He should be dead by now, right?”

    Barty replied with a sly and malicious grin.

    “Of course. And if he isn’t, let me do the honor of choking his windpipe so that we can go ahead with your coronation ceremony today itself, my King.”

    I kept looking from Martin to Barty with a disbelieving look and Martin cackled again, his gravely voice sounding like a somebody was scraping sandpaper against a rock.

    “Look at her, she is staring at us like a clueless chicken.”

    Martin pointed at me and Barty wiped the tears trickling down his eyes due to theughter before looking at me with contempt.

    “You should be honored to be in the presence of the soon to be and true King of Elorin.”

    “Noo! I shirked.

    “Killian left for some ce to get the herbs. I…I am sure he will be here in no time.”

    The mention of Killian made Martin brandish his cane in the air and it would have hit me if not for my body going on autopilot and ducking before iit /icrashed into a nearby chair.

    “Father will be gone soon and I sent your precious Killian so far that iby /ithe time he returns, you and I would have obliterated all my enemies after you beg for my knot each night, young witch.”

    “What?”

    bAD /b