All Chapters of THE EXILED WARLORD: Chapter 31
- Chapter 40
42 chapters
Chapter 31
The fire crackled softly in the grand fireplace of the King’s study, casting flickering shadows across the walls. Damien stood silently by the wide window, hands behind his back, watching the moonlight glaze over the stone courtyard below. The silence was deafening,too calm for a man whose world had just begun to fracture.Evelyn sat in her chamber, the one draped with emerald silk and guarded day and night. She hadn’t seen Damien since that night in the forest. A part of her was thankful.Her fingers moved slowly over her stomach. It was still flat, still untouched by time but she could feel the difference. As if her body was whispering secrets that the world hadn’t caught on to yet.Adrian’s child.The thought made her eyes sting, but it also brought a strange kind of warmth to her chest. She had something pure. Something real.Something worth protecting.The soft knock at the door broke her thoughts.Before she could respond, Adrian spoke.“So what is it that you want to discuss”“
Chapter 32: The Masquerade Fire
Laughter echoed through the glittering halls of the party as masked guests twirled on the marble floors. Gowns shimmered beneath the golden chandeliers, and the air was heavy with perfume, secrets, and hidden agendas.Evelyn stood near the balcony, her velvet mask hugging the contours of her face, hiding the storm behind her eyes. Every smile she gave was rehearsed. Every gesture, calculated. Somewhere in the crowd, she hoped Adrian lurked, hidden behind one of the many masks.She felt like a bird in a cage, dressed in gold but imprisoned. Tonight’s masquerade was her first breath of freedom.“Can i have her back “Adrian said .“Sure ,damien said and handed her over”She didn’t dare speak. She simply nodded and placed her hand in his, letting him lead her into the swirl of dancers. Every step they took brought them closer, yet they barely looked at each other.“I found a way out,” Adrian whispered, his lips close to her ear. “North gate. In twenty minutes,im feling damien has a plan t
Chapter 33: Heartbreak Haven
The sea whispered softly to the shore, waves rolling like lullabies as they left on the sea.The salty breeze brushed Evelyn’s cheek as she stood at the porch, cradling her small belly, eyes closed.It had been three weeks since they escaped the masquerade fire. Three weeks since her heart had finally tasted freedom,however short it might be.Behind her, laughter rang out.“Catch me if you can!” a child squealed.Evelyn turned and smiled. Adrian was in the middle of the dusty street, running barefoot after a group of village children, pretending to be a monster. His black shirt clung to his body, and for the first time, he looked like a man at peace.He was no longer the cold strategist, no longer the hunted fugitive. He was... home.She stepped down from the porch and walked toward him, her hand resting protectively on her belly. “Teaching them to fight or to scream?” she teased.Adrian grinned, out of breath. “Both. They’re going to be warriors and loud enough to scare off any spy.”
Chapter 34: The Kidnap Game
“Do you think…?”“I don’t like this,” Adrian said, his eyes narrowing. “Stay inside. Don’t open the door for anyone unless it’s me.”“But..”“Evelyn,” he said sternly, “promise me.”She nodded slowly. “I promise.”Adrian kissed her forehead and left quickly, checking the area.But it was already too late.While Adrian chased shadows, Evelyn was already being watched.A few minutes later, as she walked back toward their cottage, something sharp pricked her neck.Her vision blurred.Her body collapsed into the arms of a tall woman wearing all black.“Got her,” the woman whispered into a device. “We move now.”Adrian returned ten minutes later to find the door wide open.“Evelyn?” he called.No response.He rushed inside.No one.The blanket was still warm. A cup of tea spilled on the table. His heart pounded. Panic rose fast.“Evelyn!”Then he saw the note.A single white card. Handwritten. Simple."If you want her back, come alone. You’ll know where."No name. No signature. But the han
Chapter 35– Two Devils
“Let’s fix this mistake… before he gets here.”Leona’s eyes glittered with something dark as she whispered those words. Evelyn flinched, chained and weak, her hand resting over her stomach protectively. Her voice trembled, “You don’t have to do this….”The sound of a door being blasted off its hinges cut her off.BOOM!Smoke and splinters flew in every direction as Adrian stormed in like a wounded lion. His eyes were wild, red from exhaustion and rage. His shirt was torn, soaked in blood that didn’t even seem to bother him. His knuckles were raw, like he had punched through the gates of hell to get here.“WHERE IS SHE?!” he roared.Leona whirled around, drawing two daggers from her thigh holsters. “Right on time,” she whispered to herself with a smirk.Adrian spotted Evelyn chained in the corner, her lips quivering. “Evelyn!”He lunged toward her, but a massive metal rod came flying from his side. CLANG! It smacked into his ribs and sent him crashing into a table. Glass shattered, and
Chapter 36 – “The Deal with the Deviless”.
Adrian stood, panting and bruised, in the center of the candlelit room. Blood trickled from his temple. Evelyn, still trembling from the ropes that had held her, clung to him with wide, fearful eyes. Leona’s silhouette was motionless as a shadow behind the glowing candelabra. Her black dress billowed slightly with the wind sneaking through the broken windows, her cold gaze now filled with an unreadable storm.“I won’t kill you…” Leona finally whispered, stepping toward them.Adrian tensed. Evelyn winced.“…but not without a price.”Adrian’s arms protectively shielded Evelyn. “What do you want?”She walked slowly, circling them like a panther. “Damien’s throne. You help me take it, or…”She dropped a small silver dagger onto the floor, the blade clinking as it spun.“…I take your child.”Silence.A cold, chilling silence.Adrian looked down at Evelyn, who gasped, holding her stomach suddenly.“Adrian…” she whispered.“What?” he asked quickly.Her face contorted. “It hurts.”Adrian turn
Chapter 37 – The Castle Falls
The convoy screeched to a stop in front of the black iron gates of Damien’s mansion. The smell of burning rubber filled the air as his car doors flew open.“Get the doctor! NOW!” Damien roared, clutching his side, blood seeping through the fabric of his royal black coat. His jaw was tight, and his hair was damp with sweat.Two men rushed to help him, but he slapped one across the face. “Don’t touch me! I can walk.”He stumbled, nearly falling. One of the guards reached again, but Damien shoved him off with a grunt.“What happened to you, sir?” one of the convoy men asked, wide-eyed as they followed him up the marble steps.“I said SHUT UP!” Damien snapped, dragging himself through the grand doors. He limped past the long corridor, his breath sharp and uneven.The men exchanged worried glances. Another dared to ask, “Sir, you’re bleeding badly. Shouldn’t we—?”“I SAID SHUT YOUR MOUTHS!” Damien roared, spinning around. His face was pale, and his hands trembled. “Useless bastards!”“But…
Chapter 38 – “The Woman in the Shadows”
“Adrian… your mother is alive.”The words hung in the air like smoke after an explosion.Adrian gripped the paper, his knuckles pale. Evelyn, watching from the bed where she cradled their newborn, saw the tremble in his hands before he looked up at her. His expression was unreadable. Shock? Rage? Confusion?She took the letter from his fingers gently and scanned it.The handwriting… she blinked rapidly.“I know this script,” Evelyn whispered. “It’s him. My father.”Adrian’s jaw clenched. “After all this time... he comes crawling back with this?”He started to pace, fists tightening at his sides. “He sold us out. He forced you to marry Damien. And now… now he says my mother is alive?”Evelyn reached out and touched his arm. “Maybe... he’s truly sorry.”Adrian stopped, his chest heaving. “And if this is another trap?”Evelyn looked at the sleeping baby beside her. “Then we’re smarter now. Stronger.”He stared at the child. His daughter. Something inside him softened.“…What do we do?” h
Chapter 39– The Final Hour
Smoke.That was the first thing Adrian smelled as he burst into the abandoned house deep in the woods,the place the letter said would hold his mother. He didn’t wait. He tore through the door, boots slamming against wood, yelling her name."MOTHER!" he screamed.But the only answer was fire. Flames licking the edges of the hallway, smoke flooding into his lungs. He coughed violently, tearing his jacket to cover his mouth. Through the heat and blinding grey, he saw her.She was tied to a pillar, unconscious, slumped, as if she'd given up long ago.He sprinted forward, dodging falling beams. A plank came down near his shoulder, sparks flying."Hang in there! I'm here!"He reached her, struggled with the ropes. The heat singed his fingers. He winced but pulled harder.Then...A voice. A movement.He spun.Two masked men."There he is! We have to go!"They ran toward him, and Adrian didn’t have time to fight. Not with her unconscious."I’ll come back for you," he whispered, choking back t
Chapter 40– “Love in Ashes”
"Help! Someone,Adrian is still inside!" Evelyn's scream pierced the air as smoke choked the sky above the ruined castle hall. Fire licked the broken walls. The stone cracked and groaned.Guards and servants ran everywhere, some pouring water, others shouting. But none could calm Evelyn.She dropped to her knees, clawing at the hot rubble with her bare hands. Her voice cracked from crying. "Adrian! Please! Say something! Say anything!"No sound.Only the hiss of fire.Her fingers bled. Her gown was torn. Soot stained her face and stuck to the trails of tears."You shouldn't be here," Damien said quietly from behind.She spun around, her eyes wild and soaked. "You did this."Damien looked genuinely shocked. "Me? Evelyn, you think I would blow up a peace talk? I came to fix things. I came to make peace."She spat at his boots. "Liar."Damien sighed. "You’re in pain. I understand. But I'm not your enemy. Not anymore."She turned away and kept digging. "If you really wanted peace, you'd he