Betrayed By My Mate, Claimed By His Lycan King Uncle -
Chapter 154: You will test the tonic immediately.
Chapter 154: You will test the tonic immediately.
The grand doors creaked open, the sound echoing throughout the silent hall.
Several men entered the chamber, two of them dressed in elegant royal attire while the others wore plain robes, their expressions grim with purpose.
They bowed deeply before speaking in unison, their voices solemn.
"Greetings, Your Highness the Empress Dowager, Her Highness the Luna Empress, and the esteemed royal concubines."
Empress Dowager sat upright, her regal bearing demanding silence. Her eyes, sharp and unyielding, scanned the faces before her.
"You know why you’ve been summoned," she said coldly. "You will test the tonic immediately."
Without a word of protest, one of the royal physicians stepped forward. His movements were measured as he accepted the carved jade bowl from Sorayah. He opened the lacquered case at his side, revealing a series of fine glass vials, powdered reagents, and delicate silver tools used for testing toxins and spiritual compounds.
The other physicians moved beside him, nodding in mutual understanding. They were there to verify every detail. The air grew tense. Every pair of eyes locked onto that bowl.
After what felt like forever, the lead physician eventually stepped forward, his head bowed low in deference. The other physician stood beside him, mirroring the gesture.
"Your Highness, the Empress Dowager," the royal physician began, his voice solemn, "we have completed the test."
The Empress Dowager raised a brow, her gaze fixed and piercing. "And what are the results?"
By now, Mellisa and her nanny, Peace, were visibly trembling. They tried to compose themselves, but fear clouded their faces. Silent prayers ran through their minds hoping, desperately, that the physicians would fail to identify the dangerous herbs that Sorayah had exposed.
"Concubine Sorayah is correct," the royal physician announced. His words struck the chamber, sending visible waves of shock and terror rippling through the court.
"The tonic is indeed a slow-acting poison designed to destroy the womb. It contains Moon Root, Sunthorn, and Silver Essence all extremely harmful. Combined, they not only disrupt fertility but also corrode the internal pathways of the female reproductive system. It is a calculated blend meant to kill slowly and without immediate symptoms."
Gasps filled the room.
"Luna Empress!!" the Empress Dowager shouted, rising to her feet with fury in her voice and fire in her eyes.
The outburst shattered Mellisa’s last shred of composure. She collapsed to the floor, clutching her fake baby bump as though it could shield her from judgment.
Around her, the other concubines began weeping. Some held their stomachs, trembling as if tightening their grip on their own bodies could undo what they had consumed.
"I’m sorry, Empress Dowager!" Nanny Peace suddenly cried out, falling to her knees, her forehead touching the floor as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I did it without Her Highness the Luna Empress knowing. I couldn’t bear the thought of anyone carrying the child of the new Alpha Emperor. Please... please punish me alone!"
Mellisa followed suit, throwing herself beside her lifelong servant. She sobbed openly, her hands clasped in desperation.
"Forgive me, Empress Dowager. I failed to discipline my servant properly. I promise, I will correct this from today. I will ensure she never acts on her own again. Nanny Peace is like a mother to me. She’s cared for me since birth. Everything she does... she does because of me. Please show her mercy."
The Empress Dowager’s face darkened.
"Are you asking me to spare your servant?" she asked coldly, her brow lifting. Her voice was low, but it trembled with rage. "Do you understand what has been done here today?"
Her tone sharpened.
"To damage the wombs of royal concubines is to destroy the very foundation of this kingdom...our heirs. It is the same as murdering the Alpha Emperor’s children before they are even conceived. It is a direct threat to the throne."
She took a step forward, her voice rising.
"Your nanny has committed an unforgivable crime. Not even the slaughter of her entire bloodline would be enough to cleanse her of this disgrace. And you....you ask me to teach her, to show her mercy?"
Before the Empress Dowager could speak further, a deep voice echoed through the hall.
"It’s too late... Empress."
Every head turned sharply.
Dimitri’s tall, commanding figure stepped into the hall. His presence was immediate and overwhelming. His dark robes trailed behind him, his emerald eyes gleaming with cold power.
Everyone, the empress, concubines, physicians dropped to their knees at once.
All except the Empress Dowager, who merely bowed her head with the deference due to the ruler she had raised.
"Greetings, Your Majesty, the Alpha Emperor," they all chorused reverently.
Dimitri stood silently for a moment, letting the weight of his presence settle over the court.
"Rise," he said simply.
The room obeyed at once.
His gaze thenshifted to Sorayah, who stood tall and unmoving at the side. His tone softened ever so slightly as he asked, "Are you alright?"
"Yes, I am, Your Highness," Sorayah replied, her voice steady despite the lump forming in her throat. She swallowed hard, suppressing the emotion that threatened to rise.
Suddenly, Mellisa lunged forward, grabbing Dimitri’s hand, her tear-streaked face tilted up toward him.
"Your Highness, please," she sobbed. "Please beg the Empress Dowager to spare my nanny. I promise... I’ll teach her the rules myself. I’ll make her understand."
Dimitri looked down at her with a cold, unreadable expression. "Did you hear what your nanny did?" he asked, his voice laced with disappointment and disbelief. "Trying to protect her will only drag you into deeper trouble. You may even implicate your entire family. Do you think your father will be pleased when he hears of this disgrace?"
He scoffed, shaking his head before turning toward the exit of the hall.
"Is anyone out there?" Dimitri called, his voice sharp as steel. "Come in and drag this traitor out. Behead her. Hang her head at the city gates, and leave her body to rot in the wilderness."
Within seconds, two armored guards rushed into the hall.
"No!! You can’t do that, Your Highness!" Mellisa screamed, stumbling forward as she clung to Nanny Peace. "I want to see my father! He will definitely save her!"
But the old woman shook her head, her tears falling like rain. "Please, Your Highness," Nanny Peace whispered brokenly. "Just let it go. I’m sorry... I won’t be able to accompany you anymore. Please don’t miss me too much..."
"No, no," Mellisa cried desperately, her voice cracking. "There’s a way to save you. You didn’t know about the herbs, remember? You just bought them from the market....yes! That’s it!" She gave her nanny a meaningful look, even winking, as if trying to guide her toward a false confession that might spare her life.
But it was no use.
"There’s no point trying to save her, Empress," Dimitri snapped, his voice now thunderous, all patience gone. "The herbs...the prescriptions were found hidden in her room. And let’s not forget... these herbs originate from your pack. The very same place Nanny Peace hails from. Don’t insult our intelligence. She knew what those herbs would do."
His eyes locked onto Mellisa’s, the final hope within her shattered.
Without another word, the two guards seized Nanny Peace. Her wails echoed through the hall as they dragged her out. Her cries, raw and full of sorrow, faded into the distance.
A heavy silence followed.
"How about the other concubines?" the Empress Dowager asked, her voice now quieter but thick with concern. Her eyes turned toward the royal physician. "Can the poison still be flushed from their systems?"
"Yes, Your Highness," the royal physician replied, bowing deeply. "They’ve only consumed two bowls. There’s still time. I will begin formulating the antidote immediately."
"Good. Go now," Dimitri commanded.
The royal physician and the capital physician bowed again before hurrying out of the harem hall to begin their urgent preparations.
As the door closed behind them, Sorayah turned her gaze toward Mellisa...still crumpled on the floor, her hands wrapped around her fake belly, her shoulders shaking in silent sobs. A slow, calculated smirk curled on Sorayah’s lips.
This is how I intend to fight you, Mellisa, she thought coldly. I’ll start by taking away the people you love. That’s the deepest kind of pain....worse than any wound. And when you’re broken, when you have nothing left, I’ll personally kill you.
Her eyes gleamed with vengeful promise.
Now that you’ve tasted what it feels like to lose someone, it’s time for the rest. Mira... Draven... They’re next. And anyone else who dares to stand against me will meet their end.
The Empress Dowager’s voice suddenly rang through the air, pulling everyone’s attention back.
"Since the Luna Empress’s most trusted maid has committed such a heinous crime," she began, her voice sharp and smug, "it clearly shows that the Luna Empress herself is too weak to manage harem affairs. From this point forward, she should retire to her quarters and focus on nurturing the royal child within her."
Mellisa didn’t respond. She remained on the floor, broken, her cries silent now, her spirit fractured
"It is only proper that someone else assumes control of the harem," she continued, her gaze sliding toward Sorayah. "And that person... is Sorayah."
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