“Escape!” Holga’s eyes shot up with light. She grabbed one of Deborah’s hands. “You want to get me out of here?”Deborah’s face became clouded with disgust even as she shook Holga’s hand away. Then she pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and rubbed her hand clean. “Do not touch me. You have not had a bath in weeks, and this place smells. You stink! I have been tolerating you, but I have to tell you never to touch me again.” Deborah pointed a hand in Holga’s face. “Do you hear me!” she said sternly.Holga nodded like an obedient puppy, her eyes blank with obedience. “I will do anything, but please get me out of here.”“That is better,” Deborah said as she folded her hands and sighed. “You do look pitiful.” Her eyes scanned the place as if she had not taken a good look the moment she stepped in. “This place is a dump. I wonder how you are coping. But I can get you out with time. I am still a leader of the Plant Clan, after all—one of those who were not killed or degraded.” Then she sn

“Darian, you should say that this is your number one reason,” Noel said.Darian did not bother to argue. “In Masac, you will see a lot of beautiful women and princesses. I want to see if, when you return, you will still hold Helena in the same regard. But know that I regard the affairs of our team more than I want to pry into your love affairs.”“What if when I return I still feel the same way for Helena?” Noel asked.“Then I will publicly apologize in front of Heali, Jerry, Charles, and Helena,” Darian answered.“I would love to see that play out. It would be fun to watch,” Noel teased.“And if you fail, you will apologize to me in front of all those people except Helena,” Darian said.“Darian, one day when you fall in love, you will understand how I feel,” Noel said.Darian smiled; there was no way he thought that would ever happen to him. All that mattered for Darian now was the cause of the restoration of Azariel.Helena lay on her bed and she tossed and turned continuously. The f

Noel’s hands went around her waist encouragingly.Someone coughed behind them. “Excuse me,” the person said.Their moment was quickly distorted. Helena faced the other way, her hands clutching the balcony rails. Noel faced the person who had come with a frown on his face. His eyes carried the hint that he wanted to beat the person up.It was Jerry, leaning against the doorframe like someone who was glad to have happily ruined the moment. There was an awful smirk on his face. “I came to see the lady, not your horrid frown.”“And you chose just the right moment. Bravo!” Noel scolded calmly.“I get why Darian sent me here. He knew that instead of finding out from Helena when she was going to get her people to join us, you were busy carrying out other... activities,” Jerry replied.Noel stuck one hand in his pocket, and his brow furrowed. He wondered why Jerry could not just wait for him to be done with Helena. As if hearing the question he had in mind, Jerry said, “Well, only God knows h

Darian stretched his hand to pick up his golden cup and planted it on his lips.“Helena has been through a lot. It will take a while for her to adjust and gain confidence again. I am willing to take my time with her,” Noel said.“So much for love,” Darian replied flatly.“When will you fall in love?” Noel asked as he picked up a knife to slice his turkey.“I have told you that I do not need love now. What I need is to gain all our ancestors lost, subjugate the Ice Clan, slaughter Her Holiness, and take my place as king. Maybe I will have time for love then,” Darian replied.Noel put a piece of chicken in his mouth and chewed for a while. Darian was eating, too.***Helena stood a distance away from Holga with her hands folded in front of her.Holga smiled with her blood-stained lips. “Yes. That is the way to smile like a princess. Just the way I taught you.”Helena rolled her eyes. “I will be removing your name from the clan records. We cannot have a person like you ruining the chance

Jerry gazed at the Rebel Master with a mocking look. “Do you not get it?”“Get what? That you are trying to deceive me with your actions, pretending that Darian does not want to have anything to do with me? He might be the Golden Eagle, but if there is anything we all know about his cause, it is that he needs help. His power is a ticking time bomb, and before he turns eighteen, he will need some artifacts from the Palace of Azariel—artifacts that only I can give him access to. Because I have all of them.”Jerry clicked his teeth. “No one wants you dead more than me. That is the reason I was given this duty to torment you. However, I would like Darian to know that his reason for keeping you alive carries no weight if you do not benefit us in any way.”The Rebel Master’s smile disappeared as he frowned. “You are twisting words, Jerry.”“And have you not been twisting words since? If I get any idea that Darian thinks you are useless and wants to kill you, I would volunteer to send you on