Stolen by the Rebel King
Chapter 451: Emergency Alert

Chapter 451: Emergency Alert

"We’re under attack," the servant briefly explained. "King Calarian has passed instructions to evacuate everyone from the premises to the inner chambers now."

"Under attack?" Daphne echoed, stunned. She wondered for a second if she had been hallucinating the instructions― she wasn’t sure she was awake enough, after all.

However, the servant was still present no matter how hard she blinked. In fact, she seemed even more hurried the more confused Daphne appeared.

"Please, Queen Daphne, you must make haste," the servant insisted, guiding her through a path lit up by light green sigils. Daphne realized nearly everyone was moving in the same direction, as though they were fleeing from a disaster.

"What’s happening? I can’t just leave like this― and Zephyr!" Daphne paused, frantically turning around. "Did you guys take Zephyr?"

"Zephyr’s fine. I have him with me," a familiar voice interrupted Daphne. Daphne whirled around to see Nereus, who seemed less than pleased at being woken up in the middle of the night by blaring sounds.

On his back was Zephyr, who was still unconscious. Daphne’s heart ached; Zephyr wasn’t a deep sleeper, but his body must have weakened so much that he couldn’t even rouse himself when the entire palace was getting evacuated.

"Do you know what happened?" Daphne asked as the three of them made their way to the inner chambers. "I only know that we are under attack."

"We are," Nereus replied bluntly. "Jean Nott has made his next move. There’s a massive sandstorm heading in our direction, threatening to swallow Xahan whole."

Jean Nott again! Daphne hissed in pain as her head began to throb. It was almost ridiculous how her body had detested Jean Nott so much that even the mere mention of his name could conjure a headache.

"How could he do such a thing?" Daphne asked, but then she realized it was a foolish question. Jean Nott could do anything he put his mind to. That man’s propensity for senseless cruelty was deeper than the ocean.

"I’m not too sure," Nereus said as he hefted Zephyr higher on his back to prevent him from slipping down. This damn bird wasn’t holding on well at all, but Nereus didn’t want to resort to carrying him bridal style if he didn’t have to.

"I felt tremors in the ground while I was resting in the oasis. Before I knew it, I could smell the faint hint of putrid smoke in the air. Then, King Calarian called for the evacuation, claiming that his scouts had detected a rolling storm. He said it looked to be one of the worst ones."

"I see..." Daphne pursed her lips as they hurried the last of the way down. Apparently, the inner chambers were underground, so they would be safe from the sandstorm.

Daphne entered and was quickly joined by Queen Lavinia, her three children, and Cordelia, along with an older girl, barely on the cusp of womanhood. Daphne was not introduced to the stranger, but she had King Calarian’s hair and Queen Lavinia’s eyes.

This must be Princess Nesrin. She gave the princess a polite nod, only to be greeted with an angry scowl. Daphne blinked in surprise; Queen Lavinia hastily pulled her daughter back, giving Daphne an apologetic look.

"Queen Daphne, Nereus," she greeted politely, the very picture of tranquility, yet Daphne didn’t fail to notice the slight trembling of her fingers as she stopped her young sons from lunging for Nereus’s legs.

"I’m glad to see you have arrived safely. I’m sorry that you might have to share closer quarters than usual; there’s not enough room to go around for us to indulge in propriety."

She led them to a certain corner of the room, where there were a few cushions strewn on the floor, along with a handful of children’s toys and crystals, and a cot for Bianca. The twins didn’t seem to realize anything was wrong, they merely leaped back to playing. Meanwhile, Nesrin was still scowling at her.

Queen Lavinia cleared her throat in warning. Her daughter rolled her eyes and plastered a polite smile on her face. "Queen Daphne, I haven’t introduced you to my oldest child yet. This is Princess Nesrin."

"Nice to meet you," Daphne greeted her.

"It’s nice to meet you too," Nesrin said, sounding as enthusiastic as someone held at knifepoint. "Unfortunately, I wish you never showed up to begin with, since all you bring is misfortune."

"Nesrin!" Cordelia and Queen Lavinia scolded simultaneously, but Princess Nesrin stood firm and crossed her arms, tilting her chin arrogantly at Daphne.

Daphne felt a muscle twitch in her eyebrow at the disrespect shown to her. This girl was around Blanche’s age― how could she know so little about social graces?

"What? I’m not wrong. We’re all in this mess because of Queen Daphne and her husband," Nesrin growled out.

Her voice rose as continued to rant, despite Queen Lavinia warning her to keep quiet.

"Because they are here, they led Jean Nott straight into our doorstep and into our home. And now we are huddled here like rats, praying that we can survive this ordeal, praying that we will still have a functional kingdom afterward, while hoping the sandstorm he caused doesn’t kill us all while Father has to clean up their mess. So forgive me if I’m not feeling very charitable right now!"

Nesrin’s voice echoed through the room, causing more than one curious glance in their direction. She hurriedly wiped away the wetness in her eyes and stormed off to another corner.

Queen Lavinia sighed. "My apologies. My oldest is simply overwhelmed by these unforeseen circumstances. She is very worried about her father and her friends, who are working to evacuate the rest of the capital."

"I understand," Daphne said numbly.

Nesrin’s words had clawed at her skin, drawing blood. Guilt welled up inside her. If Jean Nott was responsible for the sandstorm, it was depressingly understandable for Princess Nesrin to treat her with such contempt. They were probably the most troublesome guests any royalty had the misfortune to host.

If their places were swapped, she might have done worse. Jean’s obsession with her was causing massive ramifications for innocents.

Just as Daphne was wondering if there were other Xahan citizens who felt the same way, she felt several judgemental eyes glare in her direction, along with muttered grumblings that echoed through the room.

"Cursed I tell you..."

"Misfortune never comes singly..."

"Never a day of peace since they arrived..."

Well. That answered it. Thankfully — or sadly — it wasn’t the first time Daphne had heard less than friendly words directed towards her person. Compared to the citizens in Vramid and Reaweth, the people of Xahan were considered so polite in comparison!

"That’s still no excuse for rudeness," Cordelia retorted, grabbing Daphne’s shoulder in a comforting squeeze.

Daphne jumped in surprise.

"Uncle was the one who invited the both of you here. It’s not as though Daphne was the one who blew up nearly every iron meteorite mine and caused this mess to begin with. Not even her monstrous husband did that. The fault lies entirely with Jean Nott."

"Jean Nott blew up the mines?!" Daphne exclaimed, not even caring about Cordelia’s description for Atticus. If Daphne was suspicious of Atticus’s motives, Cordelia was downright distrustful, constantly giving him suspicious glances from the corner of her eyes whenever they visited Daphne.

"Oh, you didn’t know?" Cordelia asked, and then she shrugged. "Well, now you do. He’s a right bastard, that man. Uncle is going to rip him from limb to limb once he gets his hands on him, assuming your husband doesn’t get there first."

Daphne closed her eyes. Oh god. Jean Nott had effectively robbed Xahan out of their most valuable export, possibly crippling their kingdom. And Daphne and Atticus had indirectly played a part in helping him by leading him straight to the source.

And now thousands of innocent people were roped into their conflict.

"I’m so sorry," Daphne said weakly. "I know words are superfluous, but I am truly apologetic for the trouble Atticus and I have caused you. We will make up for it as much as we can."

Queen Lavinia’s eyes flashed. "I’ll hold you to that, Queen Daphne. I hate to say it, but we’ll need help with reconstruction when all this is good and done. Speaking of which, with so many people, it’ll be good to have another skilled healer here in case things go awry. Where is Healer Sirona?"

"Is she not here?" Daphne asked in confusion, gazing around the room for a tell-tale sign of curly black hair.

"No, I haven’t seen her, and I was the first one to arrive with my children," Queen Lavinia said. "Did she not come down with you?"

"No," Daphne said, her face paling. "When the servant woke me up, she was already gone so I thought she left without me. You mean to say she’s not here?"

"Oh dear,’ Queen Lavinia muttered. "I hope she is alright."

***

Sirona was not alright.