The Werewolf King's Bride

Chapter 487 Must Choose

(From Blue's Perspective)

That night, when I saw him making grunting noises in his sleep, I was on his side within a moment, completely awake and shaking him. I had dozed off for a moment and I regretted it. But then again, what could I have done even if I was awake? No one knew he had been poisoned. There was no sign of the poison.

I watched out the carriage window as it entered the palace ground. A lot had happened in the last five days. My heart was not okay. I was not okay.

But I had forced myself to stand up and take the lead for the first time. It was high time I truly accepted myself as the Queen and worked as one. It was not just a title. I needed to be the one in charge of the reins.

I got Luc to teleport me near the palace and got a few knights to bring me a carriage to enter the palace. I wanted to make an entrance. The remaining people in the palace needed to know the Queen had returned.

I was done hiding.

Evan and Luc were on the battlefield. When they returned and asked about Dem who was not in his tent any more, I simply said I moved him because Dem did not feel well. It was just Doctor Dimitri, the shadow, and I who knew exactly where Dem was kept and what happened to him.

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In front of them, it was very hard for me to keep my voice steady, to just keep myself from crying. I was used to being myself in front of them. But now, I realized trust was something that I could not afford too easily. I needed to be cautious of everyone. It might hurt them later knowing I did not disclose everything to them, but it was for the best.

In the carriage, two people were with me. It was Doctor Dimitri and the shadow. The shadow wanted to join me. He said he would be able to disappear in time. Well, after all, he could alter between dream and reality. Disappearing was easy for him.

He looked grim. The grin I had seen before was gone. It was replaced with a scary and firm face. The scars on his face looked frightening now. But I could not care less.

When the carriage came to a halt, the remaining knights and maids were all gathered around the carriage. They wanted to make sure the news was right. That their Queen had truly returned.

I touched my stomach one last time and mumbled my love for Dem once in my head. The shadow disappeared. I wondered if he truly disappeared, or if he was there and we could not see him. After all, what we experienced was reality, not a dream or an illusion.

The beta had come as well and he offered me his hand. I placed my hand on his and got down from the carriage, Doctor Dimitri on my heels.

"Your Highness, it is very sudden," he said.

"I never knew a Queen needs to send a word prior to returning to the Imperial Palace," I said. It came out rougher than I expected. What happened earlier left me rough and I could not care less about being polite, a good Queen.

The beta looked a little surprised, but he hid it well. He nodded. "Of course not, Your Highness," he said. "Welcome back."

The knights and the maids bowed. But I realized most of them were only showing respect because I was their King's wife, not because I was a Queen worth the true respect of knights. To them, I was just a useless Queen, a damsel in distress.

"I have come here for a reason, Kenzo," I said, keeping my eyes focused on the beta's eyes. Never losing contact, I said, "We need reinforcement on the battlefield, as well as some other missions. Tonight, gather all the knights in the courtroom and all the senior students and mages. No one should be missed."

"Your Highness…"

"Do what I said. Tonight, at midnight. Gather them all."

"Yes, Your Highness," he bowed.

I looked at the maids. "Take me to my room."

The maids prepared my bath. They stripped me of my coat. Beneath the coat was a ruined black gown. I had tried to hide it as much as possible. Now, there was no way to hide it anymore.

As soon as my body touched the warm water, I realized how much I missed it. Then I remembered Dem's cold body. It was almost as cold as ice. He was dying too soon. If I had not told the doctor to make him go into a coma, he would have died within a few hours.

I met the duke yesterday. He was on the battlefield as well, as expected. He came to inquire after Dem. I sent him away as well but told him partly about my plan. He did not care what I did as long as Querencia won. He agreed to help me.

I had not taken a bath for more than a week. The water needed to be changed often. It got brown too quickly.

When I stepped out and took a look at myself in the mirror, I saw a woman in the reflection. Not any ordinary woman, I saw one of the most powerful women staring back. It did not matter what I believed, I indeed was the most powerful dark mage there ever was, second to only Azure.

And I was a Queen. It was my identity. I was not the girl I had once been. The girl was long gone.

I was surprised to see my eyes dry, my lips not quivering. How did I manage to keep my tears from flowing? How did I keep my emotions in check?

I did not know. All I knew was that I had to keep the act going as long as possible.

The maids looked very uncomfortable as they painted my nails. I had not yet done what I intended to do. Then, why were they acting that way? Did they want to ask me something? Or, did they just find me very different than when they had last seen me?

"Tonight at midnight," I said, "all of you, all the workers in the palace, must gather in the courtroom."

"When the knights will gather?" one of the maids asked.

I looked at her. Her eyes were brown, the color of chocolate. They reminded me of Ruby's eyes.

"What is your name?" I asked.

She flinched. It was a long time ago since I had asked someone's name.

"Pia, Your Highness," she replied.

"Yes, Pia, when the knights will gather, you all will be there too," I said. "You must decide tonight. You must choose one path. And I will give you the choices."