Chained Hearts: From Slavery to Sovereignty
Chapter 126: Knights in Disarray

Chapter 126: Chapter 126: Knights in Disarray

Cassian tore a chunk of bread, shoved it into his mouth, and chewed like it was the City Lord’s neck between his teeth. Then, with a loud screech of his chair dragging across the floor, he shot to his feet.

"I’ve had enough breakfast," he said coldly.

His voice was sharp. His glare, sharper.

He didn’t bother waiting for anyone’s response. He turned, leveled Dorian with one last death-filled look, then barked at his knights, "Finish up. I’ll be waiting in the training grounds."

And just like that, Cassian stormed out of the dining hall, his steps loud and heavy, the kind that told everyone he was seconds from committing murder if anyone so much as coughed too loudly.

A few seconds later, Dorian dabbed the corners of his mouth with a silk napkin as if nothing had happened. Calm and unhurried, he rose from his seat and gracefully made his way out, completely ignoring the tension thick enough to choke on.

The second the door closed behind him, silence reigned.

And then—

Boom.

The entire table of knights exploded.

"What the hell just happened?!"

"Did he just throw a knife at the City Lord? At our host?!"

"Who cares about that?! Did you see how red Leader Hayes’ ears were?! He was pissed. No—furious!"

"No, man, that wasn’t just fury! That was personal. That look? That wasn’t ’I’m angry.’ That was ’I’ll end you and bury your bones under my training ground.’"

"I swear I heard him growl when the City Lord smiled. Like—actually growl."

"I thought he was gonna throw another knife!"

"Same! I was preparing to dive under the table. I’m not getting stabbed just for existing."

"Wait, wait—does this mean there’s something going on between them? Like, for real? Some sort of... secret history?"

"Secret history?! What kind of history starts with a knife and ends with a death glare?"

"Oh, come on, you saw the City Lord’s face! He looked like he was enjoying it. He was practically sparkling while Leader Hayes was trying not to skin him alive!"

"Wait... wait, do you think they’re... you know... lovers?"

"Lovers?!"

"Hey! Keep your voice down! Do you want to die today?!"

"I’m just saying! The way they looked at each other—it was weird. Either they want to kill each other, or..."

"Or kiss."

"Stop. Stop talking. I want to bleach my ears."

"I don’t know, man... you saw how Leader Hayes snapped when the City Lord mentioned him. That was rage."

This comment exploded everyone’s mind. No one knew who said it in the midst of chaos. But even though the comment was soon drowned, it left a seed of doubt in their minds and a little imagination.

"That was repressed emotions! And did you forget? The knife didn’t just fly. That was a perfect throw. Right next to the guy’s head. You don’t pull that kind of precision out of anger. That’s control."

"Maybe he was aiming for the throat but changed his mind last second."

"Still doesn’t explain the weird tension."

"Okay, but real talk—what the hell happened before breakfast?!"

"Exactly! Why was the City Lord looking so smug? Like he knew something we didn’t?"

"I bet he touched the nerve of Leader Hayes."

"Or maybe something else."

"I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that."

"Okay, okay, but what now? Do we just pretend that was normal?"

"Leader Hayes said the knife slipped. Are you going to argue with him?"

"...No."

"Exactly. Then shut up and eat your damn eggs. We have training in five minutes, and I am not dying today."

"I’m telling you, though. Something definitely happened between those two. And I will find out what."

Orion did not participate in their nonsensical thoughts and conversation. He let them run their wild imagination as they could. He was feeling smug because only he knew what the real situation was.

But when someone actually brought up ’lovers,’ he almost spit out the porridge he had just drunk. Damn, how did he... Did he also know... And he was not the first one to know...

Orion realized it was actually Kallus who had commented in the rush of confrontation. No one realized it, but Orion was the only one who had not participated in the conversation, so he knew what all of them had talked about.

He could not believe Kallus was capable of such jokes. He seemed very silent every time that all of them often overlooked his presence.

But now—was he emptying his mind by taking such a bold guess? Orion sighed in relief when everyone did not believe this and soon the topic shifted to other perspectives. Their imagination was still laughable but still better than the wild guess of them being lovers.

Orion smiled to himself as he was the only one who knew the truth.

"Why are you smiling like a fool?" Alistair suddenly added with disgust.

"Huh?" Orion looked up in confusion, pointing to himself, silently asking if he was talking to him.

Pat.

"If not you, then who? Do you find any other fool who was smiling without a reason? Have you ever looked in a mirror? It’s enough to scare babies," Alistair said with disdain as he looked up and down at Orion.

"Sir Alistair... Why do you always have a problem with me? Did I do something that makes you detest me? Because I couldn’t find any other reason..." Orion said with a pout.

"Are you going to question me?" Alistair said with a laugh. "Don’t forget I am your superior."

"Ahh! Sir, you can’t bully me like this..." Orion said and dashed towards the gate. "And if you chase me once again... I will tell Leader Hayes what you were talking behind his back."

"You dare..." Alistair growled.

"Yeah, I dare..." Orion said with a laugh.

As the knights argued and speculated—while shoveling food into their mouths with a desperation born from the fear of showing up late to the training grounds where Leader Hayes was undoubtedly waiting with a sword and unresolved fury.

No one dared to be late.

And yet... no one could stop gossiping either.

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