The Crown's Seduction
Chapter 205: Late

Chapter 205: Late

"He didn’t even say goodbye..."

Mineah sighed as she woke up early to prepare herself to travel to Cordon. Looking at the empty spot beside her, she could only assume that Nikolai had left her yet again before she could even see him. And she was sure that he came back to sleep beside her too, seeing as her lips still tingled with the kiss he gave her in her dreams.

"Then again, I can’t really blame him..."

Letting out another sigh, she decided that she would just have to put her thoughts aside in favor of getting ready for the coming journey. Wizard Lurio could arrive at any moment, and she best gets ready before that happened.

Before long, she was ready to leave, and there was nothing else for her to do as she waited for her means of transport aside from just staring out the balcony and ruminating on her thoughts.

It was... She deserved it, but she still wished that Nikolai would finally forgive her.

"Your Majesty."

Mineah’s ears perked up as she heard Wizard Lurio’s voice enter her room. Turning around, she saw the wizard’s portal shimmering against the dark as he waited for her to come to him.

"Ah, I’ll be right there," she advised him as she grabbed her things. Making sure that she didn’t forget anything, she was just about to go through the portal when she asked, "Wait, can we... make a detour somewhere?"

"Within reason, Your Majesty," Wizard Lurio nodded. "So long as it won’t tax my energy reserves, we can make a quick stop wherever you wish."

"Good. Can we go to the southeast border of Valcrez?" Mineah asked. "I just want to see something for myself."

"Certainly."

With a nod, Wizard Lurio modified his spell, the portal shimmering as its destination was changed. Stepping in, Mineah felt the immediate change in weather as she found herself facing the sea right in front of her. She was on a cliff, and right in front of her on another selfsame cliff, she saw her husband hugging a woman with long wavy blonde hair who she could only assume to be Dahlia.

"So that’s Dahlia," she whispered to herself as her grip on her belongings tightened.

She knew she shouldn’t feel jealous, but a part of her couldn’t help but feel it as her eyes narrowed the longer she watched them hugging. Her gaze lingering around the cliff, she spotted another man that was staring right at her. Lord Fritz, she presumed.

And that was all the sign she needed to leave.

"Let’s go," Mineah blankly stated as she turned around. "We’ve overstayed our welcome."

With a tilt of his head, Wizard Lurio changed the teleportation spell yet again, this time now leading to Cordon just before they stepped right in. Sure enough, they arrived at the Cordon Arena, and just in time before the battle was about to begin as well.

"Good timing," she muttered to herself. "Now, where are they..."

Stepping into the massive arena, she squinted her eyes as she tried to find where her family was currently seated. Thankfully, she quickly spotted them sitting just by the private balcony.

And of course, she couldn’t help but smile as she saw her brother Ezekiel alive and well as if nothing had even happened to him.

Hastily making her way there, Mineah smiled as she greeted her parents before taking her own seat. She made sure to sit beside Ezekiel, having wanted to talk to him about everything that had happened.

"Mineah," her mother greeted her with a warm smile. "You’re just in time for your sister’s final battle."

"I’m glad I didn’t miss it then," Mineah chuckled. "I wouldn’t want her being pouty at me for missing her greatest moment."

"You really know how she is," Ezekiel chuckled. He then changed his tone, his words now in their secret Haein language as he stated. "Also, before you ask, I already have complete control of the dragon inside me."

Mineah eyes widened as she began speaking the same language. "Truly?"

"Indeed," her mother replied in the same tongue. "We’ve all made sure that he’s fully in control before we even came here. As such, we no longer have to worry about a big bad dragon razing everything in its path."

"That’s a rather morbid joke for you to make, Mother," Ezekiel sighed before he turned to Mineah. "But enough about me, how are things with your husband, Mineah?"

"I’m curious about that as well," her father added. "I expected him to be with you. Did something happen?"

Mineah flinched as she felt her family’s gaze land all land on her. Clearing her throat, she did her best to remain calm even as her thoughts quickly roamed to the image of Dahlia hugging her husband.

"Valcrez was attacked recently, and he had to remain behind to make sure that things are alright before he comes here," she neutrally replied. "He’ll be here shortly, I’m sure."

In truth, she couldn’t help but doubt that he’d show up in the first place. Sure, she knew that he’d come, but with everything that just happened and what she just witnessed earlier before her arrival, she had this feeling that Nikolai might prioritize Dahlia.

’Surely, that wouldn’t happen,’ Mineah reassured herself, making sure to hide her inner turmoil with a passive expression. ’We know our affection for one another, and he wouldn’t want to upset me by not showing up even if he’s upset with me.’

Taking a deep breath, Mineah composed herself as she decided to simply watch what was happening below her. A part of her was worried, sure, but just before she could truly start panicking, a familiar presence suddenly made itself known to her.

Nikolai had arrived, and he was already sitting beside her somehow.

"Apologies for being late," he casually bowed to her parents and her brother, his gaze lingering on the latter for a second longer before continuing. "I was held up by other matters."