Chained to old wounds

CH58

Ari

“We’ll have to move quickly. Perhaps even to remove the threat of my brother in a more permanent way. They all stand in the way of my kingship.

The carefully constructed facade crumbled, replaced by a mask of raw fury. “Never!” I shrieked, the word tearing from my throat. “I will never let that happen!”

Elia’s eyes widened in surprise, but a flicker of amusement danced in their depths. “Calm yourself, darling,” he purred, missing my meaning as he fondled my breasts and nibbled on my neck. “The human is the obstacle, but murdering her will clear the way. My brother won’t survive it, and

neither would Tsuneo.”

The logic was undeniable, but the bitter pill of losing Tsuneo, even as a pawn, stuck in my throat. Did I truly have to choose between Tsuneo death and my rightful place as queen? Surely, he wouldn’t die if that human was murdered.

Elia must have sensed my hesitation. He leaned in closer, his voice a low murmur. “Think of it, Ari,” he said, his words laced with honeyed promises. “With that human gone, the path is clear. You, by my side, as Queen. Ruling this kingdom together, a power couple no one can challenge.”

The image he painted was tempting, the ultimate prize dangling just out of reach. But I didn’t want Elia. And I didn’t trust him either. He was using me just as much as I was using him. We kissed still. The answer, I realized with a jolt, was irrelevant. For now, our goals aligned. The human had to be eliminated. Only then could I worry about my own endgame. I’d kill Elia if he really did try to hurt Tsuneo, but I didn’t think I’d have to. Content © provided by NôvelDrama.Org.

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, I forced my voice to be steady.

“How will we do it?” I asked as he parted my legs and lifted me. I gasped, rocking against the hard length of his erection. “Poison? Swords?”

“Leave that to me,” Elia’s smile widened, genuine this time. “A beauty such as yourself shouldn’t have blood on her hands.”

Fine. I didn’t care. “I want to watch you kill her. Watch her die.”

He growled. “As you wish.”

“I want it to be painful,” I said, rocking against him. “Promise me it’ll be painful.”

CH58

“Agonizing.”

I smiled, grinning at the image. “Tsuneo should see.”

As punishment. As a lesson. He had to see her last agonizing moments. The fury I felt towards that human, that Morgan, began to morph into something else entirely. It was a primal hunger to see her in pain, a desperate need to take control of the situation, fueled by the yearning for Tsuneo that had always been my driving force. Elia’s words, his predatory glint in the flickering candlelight – it all acted as a twisted aphrodisiac.

His hand slipped under my dress, finding the fact that I had no underwear on. He groaned, thrusting his fingers into me and opening me up roughly. A shiver of pleasure ran down my spine.

“We have much to discuss,” he murmured, his voice a husky caress against my ear. “Plans to be made, strategies formulated.”

His touch lingered, sending a jolt of heat through me.

“Later,” I whispered, my voice thicker than usual, laced with unspoken desires that warred with the cold anger simmering within.

He didn’t argue. With a knowing smirk, he fumbled his robe open and off. Then, mine fell to the ground as we kissed. He carried me towards a plush chaise lounge nestled in the corner of the room, the flickering candlelight casting long, suggestive shadows that danced across the walls.

I didn’t resist. I wanted it. I was burning up at the thought of getting rid of her, clearing the way for me to finally have Tsuneo I always should have. In the dimly lit room, fueled by a potent cocktail of fury, ambition, and a twisted sense of desire, I surrendered to the moment. He thrust into me with a low groan. I gasped and moaned, enjoying the heat of him inside me. This wasn’t about love, not for either of us. It was a dark pact sealed with lust and the promise of shared

power.

The outside world faded away, replaced by the frantic urgency of our desires. I came and foreed him onto his back to ride him into another orgasm.

“My queen,” he whispered. I imagined those same words on Tsuneo’s lips and fell head first into pleasure.

Morgan

I

A knot of nervous energy twisted in my stomach as I heard the door close behind me. The king smiled at me. His face was weathered. He looked more tired than the last time I’d seen him. He sat behind a massive mahogany desk. His eyes, sharp as a hawk’s, crinkled at the corners as he

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regarded me.

“Ah, Morgan,” he rumbled, his voice a comforting contrast to the formality of the room. “Come in, come in. Have a seat.”

He gestured towards a plush armchair across from him. I sank into it gratefully, the soft cushions a welcome relief from the nerves. I had no answers about the veil yet.

“How are you faring, young one?” the King inquired, his gaze holding a hint of concern. “This realm can be a trying place, and it can’t be easy going back and forth.”

A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. “It has its challenges, Your Majesty,” I admitted. “But things are going well, I think…”

He nodded, a flicker of something akin to pride dancing in his eyes. “Indeed. Your efforts there seem to be bearing fruit. The humans are more receptive to our presence than they have been in centuries, and those on the other side are healthier than they have been in a long time.”

I straightened in my seat, a surge of excitement bubbling in my chest. “I’m hoping that by the time the veil is lifted, things will be just as smooth. I think there’s a chance we can coexist peacefully again.”

“Peace,” he echoed the word thoughtfully. “A fragile thing, but one worth striving for. But tell me, Morgan,” he leaned forward, his

voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “what about the veil? Have you made any progress on unraveling its secrets?”

Not exactly, I murmured. “Well… there has been some developments. I can take people, not just things through the portals.”

He nodded and smiled. “I suppose I shouldn’t ask that of a newlywed woman. Getting to enjoy my son, are you?”

My face heated and he laughed a bit. There was no derision in his eyes. He seemed happy, actually. A wave of relief washed over me. The king’s acknowledgment of my actions, his acceptance of the slow progress, was a good thing.

“I will leave the matter of the veil for another time he said, his gaze meeting mine. “About the Elders, about the future of the kingdom,

…and about you and Tsuneo,” the King finished, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

“Your Majesty,” I began, unsure how to proceed. “Tsuneo and I… Well…”

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The king held up a hand, his expression filled with understanding. You are getting to know each other. Falling in love. I remember what that was like.”

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