Stolen by the Rebel King
Chapter 301: Old Debts & New Bargains I

Chapter 301: Old Debts & New Bargains I

"I thought you said that you would bring me Daphne Molinero by the end of this week," Eugene Attonson said with a vicious smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "Instead, I find rumors floating around the streets that your beloved baby sister has been spreading her legs for anyone who has a third leg."

He lay leisurely on the fainting couch, a woman standing behind him, massaging his temples. Alistair noticed, with acute observation, that the woman had a huge scar running across her wrist. The skin color of her hand and the rest of her arm and body were vastly different. Yet, it blended together nearly perfectly, like milk poured into tea.

"Then you should understand that the palace has been in an uproar since Duke Lanperouge’s birthday celebration," Alistair plainly said. He had to expend much effort just to tear his gaze away from the woman’s wrist so that he could meet Eugene’s eyes. "Daphne is the least of my concerns."

"For you, yes," Eugene said. He closed his eyes, adjusting his position on the couch. "But I don’t see how that’s my problem."

"You―"

"Don’t forget, Crown Prince Alistair― Oh wait." Eugene laughed mockingly, grinning slyly at Alistair. "My apologies. I had forgotten. It’s just Prince Alistair now."

Alistair gritted his teeth and pursed his lips, his nails digging right into the flesh of his palm. He remained silent, partly waiting for Eugene Attonson to finish yapping and partly because he was too angered to open his mouth.

"As I was saying," Eugene said, "I am not the one with a deadline to meet. You should know that your hand requires your immediate, efficient cooperation in order to make a full recovery. Otherwise, there might be extra external consequences that you might not be able to handle."

"I am well aware," Alistair said, his voice low. "And as I said, I am trying my best."

"Not well enough, it seems," Eugene replied. "Even Prince Nathaniel of Raxuvia had sniffed his way here to Reaweth." Seeing Alistair’s fury vanish from his face, thoroughly replaced by surprise, Eugene laughed even harder. "I am a very wanted man, you know. I might not be able to afford to stay here for too long. Especially not if all of the world’s rulers come running after me."

"How did you know?"

"What do I not know?" Eugene countered. "If I can promise you an arm back, what else can’t I do?"

"Then what are you even doing in Reaweth?" Alistair asked, his eyebrows tightly knitted. He folded his arms across his chest, leaning against the wall. "It can’t just be for my wretched sister, can it? What do you even see in that brat?"

"She’s pretty," Eugene admitted honestly.

"That’s it?"

"Has there ever been more of a reason for you to cheat on your wife?" Eugene retorted. "Word on the street is that Lady Hazelle is, in her own right, a magnificent beauty. She deserves more than your negligence and random venereal diseases, don’t you agree?"

Eugene raised a hand and the woman that had been massaging his temples quickly stepped back. She bowed once in Alistair’s direction before taking her leave, quickly scuttling away behind the curtains and out of the room.

"What’s more," Eugene said, "I am an unmarried man, unlike you. I think that it’s well within my right to court a beautiful woman."

"You are mad to go after a woman that belongs to the mad king of the North," Alistair said.

"At least I plan on treating her with love," Eugene snapped. "Unlike you, a member of her supposed family, who has shown her nothing but mistreatment ever since her return from Vramid."

Reaching into the pockets of his coat, Eugene pulled out a small glass vial. He chucked it in Alistair’s direction, causing the latter to scramble for it. He barely even caught it, his hand grasping on the glass vial right before it could land on the floor and smash into smithereens.

If it had, Alistair was done for. He couldn’t miss a dose― not until he was fully recovered. Until then, he had no choice but to obey Eugene Attonson’s every will and whim.

Once his hand had fully grown, Alistair swore to get rid of this eyesore.

"Your next dose is due in a week," Eugene said. "Bring Daphne to me alive. Otherwise, you will not be receiving what you require. If you’re late..." The corners of his lips tilted up into a stretched grin as he shrugged. "Well... You will just have to deal with the consequences yourself."

***

Daphne was feeling rather lost. She had been dragged into a shed far out in the forests of Reaweth, prepped with no picnic materials or anything of the like. Instead, Jonah stood on her left while Atticus walked on her right, serving as bodyguards as they escorted her across the land.

"We’re not going home, are we?" she asked, frowning as she glanced up at the sky.

It had been sunny just moments prior but the sky was starting to darken. Storm clouds gathered ominously on the horizon as shades of deep gray and indigo began to blend and swirl, obscuring the tranquil blue. The air grew heavy and even just by breathing in, the smell of musk and dew told Daphne that it was soon to rain.

"Not yet," Atticus replied. "But there is something you need to see."

"Out here?" Daphne asked incredulously. "In the middle of nowhere?"

"We can’t keep him in the palace of Reaweth," Jonah said. "It would be difficult to explain to King Cyrus. Furthermore, it would be better if your father refrained from stepping in to handle this."

"’Him’?" Daphne echoed.

It couldn’t be Zephyr; Daphne had just seen him in one of the banquet halls a few hours ago. Her father was also well aware of his presence― the winged angel that had saved Reaweth from the fires of hell. Atticus hadn’t been too happy about that title.

"You’ll know it when you see it," Atticus said. "We’re here."

They stopped in front of an old abandoned shed — she realized that there were way too many creaky old houses that were left in the middle of nowhere — and Atticus promptly opened the door. Inside, there wasn’t any light. With the remaining sunlight from outdoors, the thin rays of light barely illuminated the scarce furniture. Daphne spotted a table and two chairs, as well as a couch that was placed against the wall.

On the couch, a man sat there, his long blond hair shielding half his face. He looked unconscious.

"Prince Nathaniel?!"

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