CHAPTER 254: SPIES IN OUR MIDST

Raegar watched as Dahlia’s amber eyes gleamed with a mischievous spark, her lips curling into a smile that held the weight of a thousand secrets. The garden, still thick with the scent of scorched earth and blood, seemed to hold its breath. Every soldier, advisor, and onlooker leaned forward as the Empress raised a delicate hand to command silence.

’’Raegar Blackwood, son of Alaric Blackwood, Guardian of Drakenwood and my empire,’’ she began, her voice carried across the stunned crowd. ’’Your loyalty, your strength, and your defiance have proven you worthy of more than mere titles or gold.’’

She paused, her gaze locking onto his, a silent challenge, making his heart thud against his ribs. ’’For your final prize, I name you my betrothed, the future consort of the Empire and the man that will help me rule!’’

A collective gasp tore through the crowd, the words striking like a thunderclap. Raegar’s eyes widened, his confident smirk faltering as he processed her declaration. The air around him seemed to tighten, the weight of her words pressing down like a physical force. Drusilla’s hand, still gripping his side, tightened until her nails bit into his skin, her jealous glare now a blazing inferno.

’’Rae,’’ the Dark Fairy hissed. ’’Is she joining the harem?’’

Yuki and the other girls exchanged stunned glances, their mouths agape, while Griffin’s stern face cracked into a look of utter disbelief, his hands twitching as if instinct demanded he protect his grandson from this unexpected twist. The Imperial Guards froze, their blades still ready, caught between loyalty to their Empress and the shock of her announcement.

Alfred sputtered, his face reddening as he stepped forward, his voice trembling with indignation. ’’My Empress! This, this is unheard of! He’s a Count’s son, no matter his deeds, cannot..’’

Dahlia’s head snapped toward the older man, her eyes flashing with a dangerous fire that silenced him mid-sentence. ’’Enough, Alfred,’’ she said, her tone sharp enough to cut steel. ’’I am the Empress, and my will is the Empire’s law. Raegar Blackwood is no common Count’s son. He’s the Fusion King, a being of legend, and his Aether attracts mine when no other has ever come close. Who better to stand at my side?’’

Raegar, still reeling, found his voice. ’’Empress, I,’’ he started, but his words faltered under her piercing gaze. He cleared his throat, forcing a grin to mask his unease. ’’This is... surprising. I’m honored, but I’m not exactly the marrying type. I’ve got Devils to slay and an empire to protect and six lovers."

Dahlia’s laugh rang out, drawing every eye back to her. She stepped closer, her presence overwhelming, her scent, a mix of sweet and something untamed, clouding his senses. ’’Oh, my handsome Raegar,’’ she purred, her fingers brushing against his arm, sending a shiver through him. ’’Make your choice, you can marry a woman who will care for you alongside the others, or you can reject me now, and you’ll still be an imperial knight, but if we combine our Aethers, we can defeat the Old Ones.’’

His eyes widened in shock just as Arthur spoke in his mind. ’My Lord, this woman is related to the old royalty before the world started anew. I never realized some humans survived the Shattered Age.’

Raegar’s curiosity sparked as they locked eyes, Dahlia’s amber gaze glowing with affection and a desire to get to know him better. He glanced at the others, who nodded in approval, except for Drusilla, whose eyes burned due to jealousy, but he reassured the blonde, coaxing a smile from her.

He leaned over and whispered in the Dark Fairy’s ear. ’’I still love you, Dru, so don’t worry.’’

When the blonde heard this, her cheeks went bright red, but she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Following that, Raegar turned to the empress and nodded. ’’Alright then, we’ll see how things go.’’

Dahlia’s face glowed as she stepped closer, her eyes sparkling with unspoken promise. In a sudden, impulsive gesture, she enveloped Raegar in a tight embrace, pressing his face gently against her, her floral scent flooding his senses with a heady rush. Her arms tightened briefly, a silent affirmation of her intent, before she drew back just enough to meet his gaze.

Her voice, soft yet commanding, carried a hint of excitement as she spoke. "Join me at my summer palace in the south tomorrow. I’ll send a Carrier to fetch you and the others at dawn, be ready, my husband.’’

Once Dahlia said that, she stepped back with a grin. ’’Looks like you need to talk to your parents and grandparents, they look like they’re about to have a heart attack.’’

’’No wonder woman,’’ Raegar replied, chuckling. ’’Their son and grandson just got engaged to the Dawnfire Empress. The strongest mage on the continent, I would be shocked if they weren’t acting like this.’’

Dahlia’s laughter danced in the air, a bright, melodic sound that softened the moment. ’’You’re not wrong,’’ she teased, her eyes glinting with playful certainty. ’’But I’ve watched you for years, Raegar, and I see the heart you carry, one that outshines every noble in my court. They scheme and flatter, chasing my favor like moths to a flame. And then there’s you,’’ she said, her voice softening with admiration. ’’Bold enough to call me woman, standing tall without a bow, a king in your own right.’’

Her gaze locked onto his, a silent challenge shimmering in her eyes, beckoning him to bridge the distance between them. Emboldened, Raegar took a confident step forward, standing tall in front of the Dawnfire Empress, his fiancée, their heights now matched, proof of how much he’d grown.

The air between them crackled as he leaned in, his breath mingling with hers, and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, sealing their union. Dahlia’s lips met his with a passion that matched the fire in her eyes, their kiss deepening as the world around them seemed to fade, leaving only the warmth of their connection.

The moment stretched, electric and unbroken, until a sharp glint of steel sliced through the air. Raegar’s instincts flared; he broke the kiss, pivoting as he summoned a dagger in a flash of light, its metallic ching ringing out as it parried the spear tip of an Imperial Guard lunging toward the empress

Fury sparked in his eyes at the audacity of the attack. To Dahlia’s and Alfred’s stunned gasps, he moved like a typhoon, his daggers a blur. The offending guard barely had time to register his mistake before his blades carved through him, reducing the soldier to gruesome fragments that scattered like ash in the wind.

The crowd around them froze, faces pale with shock at the display of raw power. But the assault didn’t end there. More Imperial Guards surged forward, their spears and swords gleaming with intent. Raegar met them head-on, his movements a seamless dance of destruction.

With each swing of his daggers, he wove a deadly scene, killing soldiers so quickly they crumpled before registering their deaths. His breathing stayed even, his focus unyielding, as if the surrounding chaos were a mere whisper of wind. Dahlia’s eyes widened, torn between awe and anger, while Alfred stood frozen, his hand half-raised, caught between intervening.

But with a single gesture from the empress, the treacherous soldiers fell lifeless in an instant thanks to her powerful fire, leaving only a dozen standing. When the fighting came to an end, she looked at Alfred with a blank expression. ’’I told you we had spies in our midst. I’ll have to execute the general for failing me.’’

After that, Dahlia turned to Raegar, who was breathing heavily as he put his daggers away as she approached. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders before speaking in a soft tone. ’’Calm down, handsome, sorry you had to get involved in such schemes, but when you visit tomorrow, it will be over.’’

’’Alright,’’ he said, letting out a long breath.

When the empress departed alongside the rest of the Imperial Court, Raegar found himself alone with his family and the girls. As he turned, he realized every pair of eyes was fixed on him, until Selene broke into a grin. ’’You kissed the empress! Who would’ve thought the boy we fell for would end up charming the strongest mage?’’

Laughter rippled through the garden just as Victoria and Elysia hurried toward Raegar, their faces a mix of excitement and disbelief. Before he could greet them, his mother stepped in, her voice sharp with worry. ’’Rae! Why on earth did you agree to this? She’s twenty years older than you!’’

Raegar blinked at her, then casually pointed toward Yuki, who was trying, and failing, to hide a smirk. ’’She’s only ten years older,’’ he corrected, tone perfectly calm. ’’And for the record, I happen to like mature women. Dahlia, for instance. Or your friends Elara and Cecilia.’’

That earned him a chorus of gasps and stifled chuckles from around the garden, while Yuki gave a dramatic little bow as if accepting an unspoken compliment. His mother, however, looked as though she couldn’t decide whether to scold him further or laugh herself.