Divorce The Duke, Marry The King!
Chapter 134: A witch

Chapter 134: A witch

Belle swiftly snatched the hairpin back from Christabel and declared, "He cannot do that," leaving Christabel perplexed.

"And why not?" She inquired, bewildered.

"Placing a hairpin upon a lady’s hair is a sign of courtship," Belle explained, eliciting an amused smile from Quinn.

"Alpha! The vampires are at the base!" Ray’s urgent voice suddenly rang from behind, drawing their attention.

"Since when?" Quinn’s expression darkened as he turned sharply, already striding away.

"Just now. Fortunately, I was on my way back when I spotted them," Ray relayed, prompting Quinn to clench his fists. Those wretched creatures were a step ahead this time, making him suspect a traitor lurked among them.

"Quinn!" Belle called, hastening after him. She had thought they had more time, but it seemed the vampires were not to be taken lightly.

Quinn halted and turned to face her just as she declared, "I am going with you."

"No, you shall remain here. Christabel will see to your safety until we have driven them back," he responded firmly, only to be met with a deepening frown.

"I fear you have forgotten why I am here. I did not come to hide behind you but to prove myself. And I shall not accept refusal," she stated before striding past him, sparing not a single glance in his direction.

Quinn sighed, his gaze shifting to Christabel, who merely shrugged. She knew Belle well enough to recognize that persuading her otherwise would be futile. All she could do was help take care of Ezekiel and Lin until they were back.

With no other recourse and the vampires demanding immediate attention, Quinn relented. Mounting the horse Ray had brought, he extended a hand toward Belle.

"Here," he said.

She did not hesitate. Taking his offered hand, she climbed up, and they rode off.

As they journeyed, Belle felt waves of dizziness, though she dismissed it as simple hunger. She had not eaten all day, and she reasoned that must be the cause. Yet, before she could make sense of it, darkness overtook her, and she collapsed against Quinn’s chest.

"Belle!" He called, shaking her gently before urging the horse forward with greater speed. Panic seized him as he glanced down at her unconscious form. How had she intended to fight in such a weakened state? Had she given no thought to herself at all? It seemed all she cared for was proving her worth.

"Belle!" He called again, but she remained unresponsive. His grip tightened upon the reins as he spurred the horse onward, faster, harder.

Minutes later, they reached the base, and Quinn swiftly carried Belle into his tent, refusing to depart until a physician arrived.

"Alpha, we must go now!" Ray urged, but Quinn would not release Belle’s hand. His gaze remained fixed upon the physician, awaiting some word...any word. Yet the man remained silent, examining her with an unreadable expression, only heightening Quinn’s anxiety.

"What is wrong with her?! Speak, lest you wish to lose your head this very instant!" Quinn bellowed, seizing the physician by the collar.

The physician fell to his knees, trembling under the weight of the Alpha’s fury.

"I fear I cannot discern the cause of her ailment. Her pulse is steady, there is no sign of internal injury, and she appears as one merely in slumber yet she will not wake, no matter what I attempt," the physician confessed, further provoking Quinn’s ire.

"Do I seem like one who wishes to hear excuses? You shall do all within your power to wake her before I return!" Quinn commanded, his voice edged with fury. Seizing his sword, he strode from the tent, Ray falling into step behind him.

"How many are they?" He inquired as they neared the outer entrance of the base, where the vampires lay in wait.

"For now, over two thousand stand stationed outside, yet they have made no move to attack," Ray reported.

"They wish to talk first," Quinn muttered, already predicting their intent.

As they approached the gathering of vampires, Quinn’s gaze swept over them, noting every detail. As expected, their first target was the witches’ kingdom, only then would they turn their sights upon him and his men. Predictable fools. And from the looks upon their faces, they had come well prepared.

"Well, if it is not the infamous General who once had the fortune of besting us!" A vampire adorned with a crown, astride a horse at the center of their ranks, jeered, prompting his lackeys to burst into laughter.

"He does not seem pleased to see us," another vampire sneered, deepening the chorus of laughter.

"For a moment, I almost believed myself to be at a play. Your jesting is most amusing," Quinn returned smoothly, watching as their laughter faltered into frowns. Though it had the guise of a compliment, they understood it for what it truly was, a mockery. He was calling them a joke.

"I have always wondered where your confidence stems, yet I am not so eager to uncover it. I shall grant you two days to prepare your pitiful warriors," the crowned vampire declared boldly, a smirk gracing his lips as his gaze roved over Quinn. Time and again, he had sent his forces, only for them to return in failure, or not return at all. This time, he had come himself, determined to see with his own eyes whether Quinn was truly as formidable as the rumors claimed. He could sense the power within him, yet he remained unconvinced.

"You cannot even stand upon your own two feet, and yet you dare to call my men useless? If any here fits that description, it is you," Quinn scoffed, his chuckle dark and taunting.

"How dare you?!" The vampire king thundered, his fists clenching in rage.

"You have yet to claim a single victory against us, and yet you dare to make such bold declarations. Have you no shame? Any one of my men could easily best your so-called General," Quinn taunted, his smirk widening as the vampire king’s composure cracked.

Seething, the vampire king dismounted his horse in a single fluid motion, unsheathing his sword as he declared, "Then fight me, if you are as mighty as you claim. I shall show you what true power is." His laughter rang out, prompting his lackeys to echo it in amusement.

"No, Alpha, he seeks only to provoke you. His true intent is not battle but to check your strength," Ray cautioned, stepping forward to dissuade him.

Quinn, however, was no fool, he understood the vampire king’s ploy better than anyone. And yet, rather than back away, his lips curled into a dark smile. "Then let us indulge him. I, too, am curious as to his strength."

Ray sighed in resignation and stepped aside, knowing further persuasion was futile. Quinn was no weakling; he required no one’s aid in battle. If the vampire king survived, they would count themselves fortunate.

"I accept your challenge," Quinn declared, his voice edged with anticipation.

The vampire king chuckled in response.

"Remove the barrier," Quinn ordered, and one of his guards swiftly moved to unfasten the barricade, granting their opponent entry.

One of the vampire king’s men stepped forward to remove his master’s coat before retreating. Quinn, needing no such assistance, simply unsheathed his sword and cast the scabbard aside.

They took their stances, locking eyes in a tense, silent exchange before their blades met in a sharp clash.

"I shall take great pleasure in making you suffer," the vampire king sneered, his face mere inches from Quinn’s as he dragged his tongue over his lips in a repulsive manner.

"It would be my pleasure," Quinn retorted smoothly, and without another word, they resumed their deadly dance.

Meanwhile, within Quinn’s tent, Belle suddenly gasped for breath, her eyes flying open as she bolted upright, struggling to steady herself.

"Belle!" Mia exclaimed, abandoning her task of tending the fire as she rushed to the bedside, wrapping Belle in a tight embrace, her sobs muffled against her shoulder.

"Why must you always frighten me so?" She whimpered, confusing Belle.

Frighten her? What did she mean by that?

Then it struck her...the last thing she remembered was feeling dizzy as she rode with Quinn toward the base.

"Quinn! The vampires!" Releasing Mia from her hold, she demanded urgently, her wide eyes locking onto Mia’s for an answer. They had been on their way to confront the vampires. Had the battle begun?

"They are stationed at the outer entrance, speaking with Quinn and the others, but I know not what has transpired since," Mia replied.

Belle swung her legs over the bed, intending to rise, only to be struck down by an unseen force.

"Ah!" She groaned, clutching her forehead as a wave of migraine hit her.

"Mia... my mother...she was a witch, a black witch! And she was slain by my father!" She suddenly declared, her voice laced with both shock and certainty.

Mia’s eyes widened in disbelief. "How do you know this?"

"I know not... She came to me in a dream, revealing everything...how she met my father, why he abandoned us, and how I ended up in the hands of my foster father. She told me not to fear, that my powers have awakened." Belle’s voice faltered, her gaze lowering as hesitation crept in.

"And?" Mia pressed, sensing there was more.

Belle’s lips parted, yet it took a moment before she could force the words out. "She said... Quinn will die."

Her heart clenched at the thought. Why did the mere idea unsettle her so, when mere months ago, she had longed for his demise?

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