The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 469: Heartbroken Emotion

Chapter 469: Heartbroken Emotion

’Prang!!’

The sharp, brittle sound shattered the tranquillity of the chamber, shocking Luke, Garin, and Drystan into immediate alertness. They jumped to their feet in unison.

"What the h*ll is that?" asked Drystan, alarmed.

"Something broke. It’s coming from His Highness’s bedroom," Garin replied, his sensitive hearing picking up the distinct sounds of chaos.

’Prang!! Crash!!’

A series of crashing noises confirmed Garin’s claim. The knights exchanged worried glances, a silent agreement passing between them as they hurried toward the bedroom door to investigate further.

They reached the threshold, their high-paced steps halting as they heard more smashing sounds from within. Then, it quietened down. After a moment of silence, Garin, taking the lead, twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open.

The dim light of the room, illuminated only by the faint glow of garden lamps filtering through sheer curtains, revealed a scene of utter destruction.

The once-cosy bedroom was now a chaotic mess, with shards of glass glittering on the floor and the remnants of vases and pillows strewn about as if a storm had swept through.

In the shadows, they spotted a figure slumped against the bedside with his back leaning against it. The grand duke had awoken, and the devastation of the day’s events was apparent in his actions. He had unleashed his fury, throwing anything within reach, leaving the room in disarray.

Garin, Alex, and Drystan hesitated at the doorway, acutely aware of the depths of Kyren’s anger and despair. They exchanged glances again, the unspoken question lingering in their expressions—what should they do?

After a moment of devastation, a profound stillness enveloped the bedroom. Kyren sat alone on the floor, staring blankly towards the window, his expression a haunting blend of anguish and emptiness.

The cold night breeze brushing against his face from the shattered window failed to soothe the storm raging within him.

However, no more objects were thrown this time.... no voice broke the silence... and no tears fell from his eyes.

Just a hollow stare, as if the weight of his emotions had rendered him utterly paralysed.

The knights stood at the threshold, grappling with their concern for their lord. They knew that if they made the wrong move, they could easily become the next ’items’ to be thrown by the angered grand duke.

Regardless, they couldn’t let Kyren be continuously consumed by his rage.

"Your Highness..." Alex took a deep breath, summoning the courage to begin, but before he could continue, Kyren’s growl cut through the tension like a knife.

"Get out!" he barked.

"Please calm down first, Your Highness," Garin urged, trying to reach the man they knew beneath the fury.

"I said, get out!" Kyren repeated, his voice dropping to a lower, more dangerous tone that sent chills down their spines.

"But—"

"Take one more step in and I swear I’ll kill you!"

His warning was sharp and unmistakable, a threat that silenced the knights.

They stood still, the seriousness of the situation pressing down on them. Garin raised his hand, signalling for his companions to retreat. If they provoked Kyren again, there was no telling what would happen next.

The trio took a step back and carefully closed the door, the sound echoing in the eerie silence that followed.

"Oh, my God! This is terrible! What should we do?" Drystan exclaimed, anxious about the situation.

"Leave him as he is! At least he isn’t spilling blood," Garin replied, trying to maintain a level head.

"Not yet..." Alex interjected. "The last time he smashed things like this was after a big fight with Lady Raychard at the mansion, but it wasn’t as severe as this."

"Shush!!" Garin hissed, placing a finger to his lips. "Could you please not mention her name right now? His Highness might hear us! What if he suddenly storms out and goes after her? Do you really want our lady killed?"

Alex quickly sealed his mouth, feeling guilt wash over him. Kyren could go berserk again at any moment, and if that happened, they would be in deep trouble.

With only three of them, it would be nearly impossible to stop the grand duke if he charged out in rage. The situation was critical, and they had to tread carefully, as if walking on eggshells.

For now, they were relieved that Kyren had chosen to remain silent after venting his anger by smashing things in his bedroom. If, God forbid, he came out and unsheathed his sword, they might need to raise the alarm and call for help.

Just as they contemplated their circumstances, the main door of the chamber swung open. Eric walked in, flanked by Noah and Luke, all wearing serious expressions.

"Sir Navin! Thank goodness you’re back!" Garin exclaimed, relief flooding through him at the sight of the second-in-command knight and his comrades.

The trio hurried over to them, moving away from the bedroom.

"Did something happen?" Eric asked, his keen instincts picking up on the charged atmosphere.

"His Highness has awakened," Alex reported.

"He’s conscious already? How is it going?" Eric asked, concern etched across his face.

Drystan shook his head slightly, pressing his lips together.

"Not so good. He wrecked his bedroom and warned us not to come in when we went to check on him. So, we backed off. But at least he hasn’t come out and made a ruckus... yet," Garin reported.

Eric acknowledged with a nod. "Let him be alone for now."

"Are you sure that would be fine? He threatened to kill us if we stepped into his bedroom. He seems dangerous, Sir Navin," Alex pointed out, his concern growing.

"His heart is filled with rage, and he hasn’t pulled himself together. Right now, he believes Lady Raychard has betrayed him, and that belief is overwhelming him. Even if you tried to talk sense into him, it wouldn’t help and might only worsen things. He didn’t want you to see him like that, which was why he warned you. It’s best to let him be," Eric explained, understanding Kyren’s emotion.

"But His Highness hasn’t eaten anything since he arrived. Don’t you think we need to serve him a meal?" Luke asked, glancing anxiously at the door.

Eric shook his head.

"He will not eat or drink until he regains self-control. Trust me, I know. Thankfully, you withdrew when he ordered. Otherwise, you might have been harmed too."

"How’s the situation with Lady Raychard?" Alex inquired, shifting the focus.

"It almost got bloody. Thankfully, Mr Amares stepped in and mediated before it escalated. Lady James finally agreed to serve her but said she would do it on her own terms for security purposes. Other than her, no one else is allowed to enter the chamber," Luke explained somberly.

"I know it’s frustrating to see our lady treated this way, but it’s better than nothing. If we provoke the situation further, we all might get apprehended. Our movements are already restricted due to the circumstances, so let’s make the best of what we can rather than narrowing our chances to prove her innocence. Please bear with it for now," Eric urged.

"Agreed, but what do we do with His Highness now?" Garin asked, his brow furrowed in thought.

Eric considered the question, then replied, "We will wait. All of us need to be on high alert."

"But what if His Highness sneaks out and gets his hands on Lady Raychard? I remember him saying there’s a secret passage that connects their chambers, which they used to sneak out to attend your party last time. Wouldn’t that be dangerous?" Alex shared his concern.

"He won’t," Eric reassured them. "A man with pride like him won’t go after his target like a coward. Furthermore, this is the palace. He might no longer be the Crown Prince, but he still has the power to roam wherever he wants. Knowing him, if he couldn’t contain his anger, he would charge out at will. We should be grateful for the reason that’s keeping him inside."

"Still, Sir Navin, I’m worried..." Garin said. "What if His Highness does really barge out?"

"He would have done that immediately upon waking if he wanted to. If I’m right, his grief and disappointment outweigh his wrath, which is why he’s chosen to remain secluded for now," Eric explained. "So your prediction is the least of our worries. There is a more urgent matter that requires our attention."

"What is it?" Alex asked, intrigued.

"The situation in the main court is deteriorating. Miss Holt and Miss Mason reported that the news about Lady Raychard’s case has spread quickly. Nobles are gathering, petitioning His Majesty for an urgent trial. They’re making a big fuss, dissatisfied with the fact that our lady is being detained in her chamber and not in prison. They claim His Majesty is being too lenient on such an offence," said the second-in-command knight, his tone grave.

"Not only that," Noah added, his expression darkening. "The rumours are tainted with untrue stories about our lady being promiscuous, saying she likes to be surrounded by men. It’s also being said that during her training, she was swooned and embraced by one of the knights."

"Wait... doesn’t that refer to the incident with Sir Henderson saving Lady Raychard when the wooden sword was about to fall on her head?" Garin asked, realisation dawning.

"Exactly! If he hears this, he will surely be enraged. You know he has quite a hasty temper," Luke warned.

"D*mn! Who would dare spread such wicked slander?" Drystan cursed in frustration.

"Who else can you think of? Isn’t it obvious?" Noah replied, his eyes narrowing. "Lady James has been secretly spying on our activities during that time!"

"That is overstepping boundaries! How dare she!" Drystan exclaimed at the thought of the betrayal.

"Even if we complain about this, it won’t make any difference. She’ll just come up with thousands of excuses to validate her actions. We’re already in a precarious position for keeping the possession incident a secret from His Majesty. If we argue, she’ll surely raise the issue that we are untrustworthy for being silent when we should have reported everything to His Majesty," Noah said, his frustration mounting.

"The situation is getting worse, and our movements to take action are pretty tight now. We can’t do much except try our best to get His Highness Prince Kiev to speak up and tell the truth before the interrogation. According to Miss Holt and Miss Mason, His Majesty is avoiding the nobles, though they attempt to seek urgent audience with him repeatedly," Eric explained.

"Nevertheless, His Majesty won’t be able to ignore them much longer. This matter will likely be brought to the royal court for discussion tomorrow," Alex added, aware of the palace’s protocols. "It would backfire on His Majesty and the royal family if the trial is delayed. He will be accused of being ignorant of moral values and of being an unjust king. Soon, the entire kingdom would know about this."

"We need to gather evidence and confessions before that," Eric said, his expression brooding. "Has Ayden returned?"

"No, not yet, Sir Navin. But can we rely on him? We don’t even know what kind of evidence he’s looking for and whether it’s sufficient to lift the accusations against our lady and His Highness Prince Kiev. Furthermore, we don’t know if he’ll make it in time," Garin doubted, his tone laced with uncertainty.

"I feel the same way," Luke admitted, glancing at his comrades anxiously.

"Pray to God that Ayden won’t let us down. In the meantime, I’ll ensure that Rafael and I gather as much information from His Highness Prince Kiev as possible," Eric vowed.

"Speaking of Mr Amares, where is he?" Alex asked, looking around and noticing the healer wasn’t there.

"I asked him to take his wife to rest in his chamber. I know you’re all frustrated with her for keeping secrets, but she was forced to do so by His Highness Prince Kiev, just like Jessy. Regardless of what happened, I believe she meant no harm to Lady Raychard," Eric replied.

"She might not, but we can’t be sure about His Highness Prince Kiev," Noah interjected.

"I’ll find out about that," the second-in-command knight responded.

His grey eyes darted among the knights as various thoughts swirled in his mind.

But suddenly, he noticed something amiss. They had been so immersed in their conversation that none of them had realised one of their own was absent.

"Where is Sir McQuinn? Why is he not back here yet?"

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