Hours later, the guards carried the three deer they killed back to the camp. They maintained a respectful distance behind the kings as instructed.
The kings were happy that the hunt was a successful one, but Vetta was still seething. Anytime she glanced at Danika, her eyes only narrowed in loathing.
King Lucien got Valendy on his side for his cause, which made him feel a little better. That had been the main reason for the hunting trip. He had five kings, including himself, on the side to abolish some awful traditions against slaves and put up some laws to protect the lowborn.
There were two remaining kings to convince, and the petition would go into effect. There were twelve kingdoms with eleven kings, and five kings already agreed. Just two more kings.
“These borders. They have been closed for so long.” King Moreh observed the land and the big fence far away from them.
Lucien’s jaw hardened. “It was Cone. I haven’t been in this part of the kingdom since I took it back.”
Danika shifted uncomfortably on her horse. It always made her uneasy when her father came up.
King Moreh looked around the forest. “Once I heard that Cone filled this place with land mines and traps because it led to the border. Bastard was afraid that a king might decide to ambush his kingdom one day—the way he did to King Conald.”
The reference to King Lucien’s father didn’t make Danika feel better. But Vetta’s bad mood dissolved at her discomfort.
“Yes. He didn’t want to experience what he did to others,” Vetta snarled, throwing a glare at Danika.
“No one invited your mouth. Know your place,” King Valendy said angrily. “How dare you disrespect us that way?”
Vetta’s eyes widened at the unexpected reproach. She bowed her head immediately in apology. “I’m sorry, Your Highness.”
King Valendy’s mouth pursed in a thin line, his wrinkles standing out. He stared at King Lucien. “Which family is your mistress from, Lucien? That family didn’t groom their daughter well in manners or behaviour.”
It was Vetta’s turn to be very uncomfortable. By ‘family’, the king meant which privileged home did she come from? King Lucien just shrugged, saying nothing. Always a man of few words.
Of course, King Moreh was the exact opposite. “Nah. She’s from no family. Saw the lass during an introduction of the king’s slave which Cone hosted several years ago. Was an unclothed slave serving drinks.”
“Oh. I should have known.” King Valendy dismissed her and urged his horse ahead of the group.
Vetta felt so embarrassed, she wished the ground would swallow her. Danika, on the other hand, almost felt pity for her. She forced herself not to feel that. The woman hated her, and she had purposefully tried to make the kings pick on her by speaking about her father. The first lesson a lady of class learns from her governess is never to speak when the kings are speaking unless spoken to. Or commanded to.
After King Valendy moved away from the group, King Moreh joined, too. And then King Lucien.
King Lucien saw the landmine too late. His horse stepped into it and screamed in pain, suddenly uncontrollable. He raised his front hooves high from the ground and lowered them. He raised them higher again; the horse needed to throw the weight from his back.
King Lucien tried to control the beast, but the horse stepped into another trap in its agitation, and that was when he threw King Lucien from his back.
“Protect the king!” Chad shouted far behind them, already racing his horse closer to them.
But it was too late.
The horse threw him, and the king fell.
“Nooo!” Danika screamed as she saw it happen.
The king’s enormous body caught the arrow from the landmine his horse stepped on the second time.
An arrow shot him. And he had a nasty fall.
Chad jumped down from his horse and raced to the king with a speed that would have surprised Danika if she wasn’t so panicked at the king’s fall. Within seconds, he raced past them and reached the king. Danika jumped down, too, and was fast on his heel.
King Lucien opened his eyes and groaned. Then he closed his eyes again.
“Wh-why is he un-unable to keep his eyes open?”Danika’s voice trembled.
Chad reached for the arrow stuck in the king’s left chest to pull it out, but his arm suddenly hung in the air.
“Pull it out! Why are you not pulling it out!?” King Valendy was shouting as he raced closer.
Chad looked up at them. “It’s poisoned. The arrow… it’s poisoned.”
.
.
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CHAPTER 50
IN THE KING’S CHAMBERSThe palace was in chaos, even though only a few people knew the king was injured.
They took the king back to his chambers, the medicine man already sent for. The three guards, including Chad, laid him on his bed, and his eyes were firmly closed.
Danika tried to control her tears. She didn’t know what this meant for her. The king hated her so much and now this happened.
Would he survive this?
She banished thoughts of her precarious situation because, even though her future wasn’t looking so bright, she didn’t want anything to happen to him.
The mistress was angrily giving commands to the guards while she hovered around the king with Baski and Chad. Baski looked like she was dangerously close to tears as she covered her hand with a cloth and pulled the arrow from his chest. She talked about examining the arrow to find out which poison they used and how to get the antidote.
That was when the mistress finally looked at Danika with rage in her eyes. Vetta marched towards Danika and struck her hard across the face. “What are you doing here!? Isn’t it enough that your father is still tormenting him after his death!? What are you doing here!?”
Danika’s ears rang, the pain of the slap radiated from her cheek down her body. Her eyes blurred.
“Get out! Get out, now!” Vetta screamed at her.
Danika turned and ran out of the room, so discombobulated she openly sobbed in the hallway. Her only relief was that the hallway was empty. “Oh, why did this have to happen!?” she cried, sobs racking her body. She didn’t know how long she sat in front of his bedroom until Sally found her and took her away.
Just when she thought everything would be alright—just when the sun was shining brightly for her—something had to take it all away.
As Sally guided Danika to their room, she sobbed and stared at her best friend. “Oh, Sally. What’s g-going to become of me now?”
Sally couldn’t control her tears because her princess was crying. “You will be fine, my princess. You’ve survived for this long. You will be fine!”
But even as she did her best to console her princess, Sally couldn’t help weeping, because nothing looked right. Nothing at all.