The Hidden King's Stolen Wife
Chapter 66: His Preferred Weapon

Chapter 66: His Preferred Weapon

"Don’t know," Rafael said. "Don’t have it."

"Oh, come on now, Your Highness," Elowyn said with a pout. "There were quite a few fancy jewels strapped onto your horse when it was confiscated. It was a shame there wasn’t a single purple stone in there. But I know you have some attached to your..." her eyes roamed up and down his body, "self."

"You told me I needed to find a high-quality gem," Rafael pointed out, his eyebrow twitching at her blatant perusal. Normally he loved it when women ogled him, but when it was Elowyn, it only made goosebumps crawl over his arms.

He stepped away from her and deliberately wiped his hand on his pants, as though Elowyn contained an infectious disease.

"Unfortunately for you, I do not have anything that passes your rigorous standards. Can’t you nick something from the treasury instead?" He added, exasperated. "Or simply get Orion to get some for you as part of the nuptials? Why extort me?"

"Because extorting you is fun!" Elowyn exclaimed with all sincerity, a twinkle of joy in her eyes at Rafael’s obvious discomfort. She did love to toy with powerful men and leave them helpless in her hands. "It means more if it comes from you."

"I dare you to say that again while Orion is in earshot," Rafael said. "Let him think we’re having an affair."

Elowyn shook her head. "If you want to die, Rafael, there are easier ways to go about doing so. Why, I could end your life right now if I wished. There’s no need for Orion to lay a hand on you."

She smiled viciously and reached out a hand to tilt his chin, her fingernails digging into his throat. Her other hand grabbed Rafael’s, placing it on his waist.

"What on earth―" Before Rafael could pull away, he felt himself flying backward. He landed on his back with a loud thud.

"What’s the meaning of this?" Orion snarled at Rafael before he enveloped Elowyn in his arms. "Ralph, keep your hands to yourself!"

Rafael could only let out an incredulous laugh. "My friend, I’m trying. It’s not my fault that your future wife has a wandering eye."

Elowyn shook her lovely head and her lower lip wibbled. She was the very image of a bullied woman. "Orion... I swear I didn’t... Sir Ralph... " Her voice trailed off into a sob, and she buried her face in Orion’s muscular arms. "I’m sorry!"

"You have nothing to apologize for," Orion declared, casting his venomous eyes on Rafael who was still sprawled ungainly on the floor. "First Soleia, now Elowyn. I knew you were a womanizer, but I assumed there were lines you wouldn’t cross! You’re not the man I thought you were."

Rafael snorted and got up, brushing the non-existent dirt off his pants. "Funny enough, I can say the exact same thing to you. I can swear it on my honor and my manhood that I would never willingly lay a hand on your precious Lady Elowyn."

A muscle twitched in Orion’s jaw. Elowyn tugged at his arm, gazing up at him pitifully with tears beading in her eyes. "Orion! Don’t hurt him. It was just a little touch... I can’t bear it if I’m the cause of your strife."

Rafael wanted to choke on his own spit. Oh, it was certainly just a little touch alright― but Elowyn neglected to mention that she was the one pawing him. If anything, Rafael should be complaining about getting taken advantage of!

Orion responded by marching over to Rafael and decking him in the face. Rafael spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes alight with displeasure. Fine, if this was how Orion wanted to do things, Rafael would gladly oblige, especially since Orion was kind enough to hand Rafael his preferred weapon on a silver platter.

His own blood.

Rafael snarled and threw himself on Orion, all while using magic to draw out the blood in his mouth, condensing them to form tiny knives to fling in his direction, drawing blood. Orion hissed, but he refused to flinch from the assault. He grabbed Rafael by the collar and drew back his fist.

Rafael narrowed his eyes. He tried to draw out Orion’s blood from the exposed wounds, but something felt strange. It seemed almost tainted with a foreign presence.

"Oh dear, don’t do it!" Elowyn called out mockingly, her voice cutting through the corridor before tinkling laughter followed her words.

Clearly, she was too amused at the sight of Rafael being beaten bloody to truly want to put a stop to it, but his pea-brained best friend could not see that. She sidled up and gave Orion a beseeching glance as she stroked his blood-covered knuckles tenderly.

"I don’t want to see you hurt yourself. You’re the man of the house, what will I do without you? Our baby can’t live without you."

Her sweet words temporarily dulled the bloodlust in Orion’s eyes. Rafael took a closer look at his face; there wasn’t a hint of purple in his eyes. Normally, this would be a sign that the enchantment had run its course, but Rafael believed in his skills. Blood never lied.

Somehow, Orion was still under her thrall. His heart raced at the implications.

"But..." Orion turned to Rafael. "He still needs to be taught a lesson."

Rafael scoffed, and in doing so accidentally spat a mouthful of blood onto Elowyn’s face. Orion, who seemed to have calmed down for that brief moment, grew enraged again, as though he was a bull who spotted a red flag. The arm that had frozen with Elowyn’s interruption shifted.

There was a sickening crunch as Rafael’s nose broke. He saw red, in more ways than one. Clenching his own fist, the carnelian jewel in his chest began to glow brightly. Blood flowed and flowed, and Rafael smirked.

"Dear friend, you shouldn’t have done that." He choked out a mouthful of blood, before turning them into fine needles, sending them flying straight into Orion’s face.

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