CHAPTER 39: DUKE TERION

"IT HURTS! DAMN IT!"

"NOOO! TAKE IT OUT!!"

"TAKE IT OUUUT!!"

The repeated screams made Sylas worry. He quickly stood up and limped toward the door.

"Alvaro? What’s happening?" Sylas shouted, pounding on the door.

"AARRRGHHH! SYLAAAS! I’M GOING TO DIE!!!"

Sylas froze. "Lord Vlad, what are you doing?!" he shouted, banging harder on the door.

"SHIIIT! AH!"

Alvaro’s screams faded.

"ALVARO!!"

His voice disappeared.

"ALVARO!!" Sylas shouted again, even more concerned.

A few moments later, he heard Alvaro’s voice again—but this time, it was weak. Instead of a scream, it sounded more like a moan.

Sylas stood still, staring at the door. What the hell is going on in there?

"ALVARO! ARE YOU OKAY?!" he shouted again.

Alvaro’s moans became clearer, mixed with soft cursing.

Sylas looked at Kai, who seemed frightened. From the sound of those moans, Sylas didn’t know if he should still be worried. The image of Alvaro being assaulted by Vlad made his face heat up.

This situation felt wrong. He wanted to bang on the door again but hesitated. Vlad wouldn’t kill Alvaro... right?

Sylas stood frozen in front of the door until it finally opened.

Startled, Sylas stepped back. Vlad appeared with his usual calm smile.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting, Your Highness."

Sylas didn’t care about formalities right now. He pushed past Vlad into the room. Alvaro looked like he had just finished getting dressed.

"Alvaro, are you okay?" Sylas asked, walking to the bed. He noticed the messy sheets and caught a faint smell of semen in the air.

What... is this?

He looked at Alvaro, who appeared pale and exhausted.

"I’m okay," Alvaro said briefly, his face turning red as he avoided Sylas’s eyes.

"Let me take you to your room," Vlad said, passing by Sylas and carrying Kai in his arms. The slave looked tense.

Sylas quickly followed, still limping. Alvaro noticed it right away.

"What happened to your foot?" Alvaro asked, moving to the edge of the bed. But when he stood up, a sharp pain shot through his backside. His legs shook.

Sylas paused, unsure whether to help Alvaro or follow Vlad. But Alvaro motioned that he was fine.

"What happened?" Sylas asked again.

Alvaro looked embarrassed. He didn’t know how to answer. He already felt humiliated, and telling Sylas would make it worse.

"Why is your leg like that?" Alvaro asked again, pushing past his own pain to help Sylas walk.

"I stepped on something in the forest," Sylas replied.

Alvaro immediately felt guilty. How could he let the prince get injured? If King Adrien found out, there would be consequences.

"It’s okay. I’m fine," Sylas said, seeing the guilt in Alvaro’s eyes.

"No, you’re not okay. I’ll ask that bastard to give you some medicine," Alvaro said, holding onto Sylas for support.

Vlad, of course, had already arranged everything. John came up the stairs carrying a box. He glanced at Sylas and Alvaro and gave a polite smile.

The old man led them to the room where Sylas would be staying. Alvaro still felt annoyed with him—he hadn’t forgotten about losing all that hair.

When they reached the room at the end of the second floor, they saw Kai sitting quietly on the bed. Vlad was nowhere in sight.

"Where is Lord Vlad?" Sylas asked.

John replied, "He had some business to take care of. Please rest here after I clean your wounds."

Alvaro sighed. "You’re so polite to him, but you treat me like dirt?"

John looked at him and smiled. "Was I ever rude?"

Alvaro said nothing. The man wasn’t rude, just extremely annoying.

John turned to Sylas. "Please sit on the edge of the bed." Then he knelt down and carefully removed the bundle of blood-stained clothes.

"I’ll bring some clothes. After this, take a shower and change," John said.

***

Meanwhile, at Duke Terion’s residence.

The man in his fifties looked startled when he saw Vlad stepping onto his balcony in the middle of the night. But he didn’t say anything. He remained seated in his chair, holding a book.

"Still having trouble sleeping?" Vlad asked as he walked closer.

Terion still looked handsome and stern. The lines on his face gave him a dignified, charismatic look. His eyes were sharp and clear.

"I thought you were dead, Vlad," he said.

Vlad chuckled. "Not before you, Your Grace."

Terion sighed and lowered his book. It had been a long time since Vlad had addressed him formally when they were alone. Then again, it had been years since they last saw each other—probably three.

"What’s going on?" Terion asked.

Vlad leaned against the balcony railing, his smile never fading. "I need your help bringing a child home."

Terion raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you care about children?"

"Let’s just say, you won’t be able to ignore this one."

"I have a bad feeling about this."

Vlad chuckled. "It’s not so bad. He’ll bring you good news. Prince Sylas is at my house. I need you to bring him back to the palace."

Terion was shocked, nearly leaping from his seat. "Prince Sylas?"

"Yes. He’s not in the best condition, but if he doesn’t return to the palace soon, things will get ugly. Virouse is gathering his forces. And you know what that means."

Terion fell silent, his mind spinning.

Valigria had three major regions outside the capital: Rhovan, led by Prince Virouse; Thalden, which Terion governed; and Westmere, led by Duke Marcellus.

Everyone knew Virouse despised Terion. His loyalty to King Adrien had blocked Virouse’s path to the throne for years. And now, with the king’s health declining and Virouse closer than ever to seizing power, Terion was a prime target.

If Virouse took the throne, Terion would be the first one eliminated.

Prince Sylas, Terion realized, was the key to everything. The prince was the one being hunted, and the only way to stop Virouse was to prove his innocence. For that, the prince had to return.

"How did he end up at your house?" Terion asked.

"I heard the general sent troops to hunt him down. Looks like Virouse’s forces are also trying to block his return to the palace."

Terion wasn’t surprised.

"I’ll escort him back to the palace before His Majesty’s condition worsens," he said. He’d been anxious for days, but this gave him hope.

"I’ll pick him up tomorrow morning. Please let Prince Sylas know."