The viscount caught off guard by the sudden hostility, stuttered in response as he raised his hands defensively.
“I—I assure you, my lords, I have no knowledge of this! I am as shocked as you are!”
His eyes darted between the furious dukes and the visibly shaken viscountess who stood beside him. Her heart was racing as the gravity of the situation sank in.
Julian’s laughter echoed in the back of her mind. It was a chilling reminder of the chaos he had just unleashed. The viscountess felt a wave of nausea and fear wash over her as she realized that her husband was now entangled in a mess that he had no knowledge of.
The room was charged with tension as the dukes prepared for a confrontation. Their loyalty to the crown was unwavering, but the possibility of the Viscount’s involvement, whom they had trusted, was both surprising and infuriating.
Duke Hans’s voice boomed in the tense atmosphere, filled with fury.
“You better provide us with a reason for this, or we will lay the whole city to waste!”
His words hung in the air causing the viscountess to tremble with fear. The viscount realizing the gravity of the situation quickly fell to his knees as his forehead touched the floor in a show of submission.
“My lords, I swear to you, I do not know who would dare to commit such an act within my castle!” he pleaded.
His heart raced as he felt the weight of the dukes’ collective gaze down on him.
Duke Hans stepped closer, his anger visible in his aura. “Someone tries to assassinate His Majesty in your castle, guarded by your maid, and you say you don’t know? Do you think this is a game, Viscount?”
Duke Alden who was more measured but equally concerned crossed his arms. “This is no trivial matter, viscount. We require answers, and if you fail to provide them, it will reflect poorly not just on you but on the entire city of Azazel.”
The viscount’s heart sank as he realized the depth of his predicament.
Duke Ethwer’s eyes scanned the room for any thing that was out of place.
“Where is the maid who was standing outside the room?” he asked.
A sense of urgency gripped the family of Azazel as they began searching around but despite their efforts, there was no sign of her.
Suspicion rose in the hearts of the king and the dukes as there was no sign of the maid. It was as if the assassination was a planned attempt carefully crafted to kill the king.
Duke Ethwer’s patience soon reached its limits and he turned sharply towards the viscount.
“What is the meaning of this?” he said.
The viscount, kneeling on the floor, felt the weight of the duke’s glare and hurriedly replied, “My lord, the maid was carefully selected by us! She has served us faithfully for ten years and would never dare betray us or the kingdom!”
Duke Ethwer’s gaze intensified. “And how will you explain her sudden disappearance?” he asked, his voice low and threatening.
The viscount found himself at a loss for words and as he bowed his head, fear tightened around his heart like a serpent.
Duke Alden turned to the king and asked, “Your Majesty, How powerful was the attacker”
“The attacker was of the Sacred Realm,” the king declared.
“They likely thought they could finish me off while I dozed.” The implications of this revelation sent a chill through the assembly.
Duke Ethwer turned sharply to the viscount “And what was the realm of your maid?” he demanded, his tone leaving no room for evasion.
The viscount and viscountess exchanged horrified glances.
With fear seeping into his voice, the viscount uttered, “My lords, she was of the Sacred Realm.”
In an instant, the dukes’ auras erupted with raw intensity as it filled the chamber with a suffocating pressure that shattered the roof above them. Debris rained down as the sheer force of their fury manifested in mythical creatures that were the symbols of their respective families.
The viscount and viscountess, along with the members of the Azazel family all bowed and kneeled. Their bodies were trembling as they submitted to the overwhelming might of the lords. Fear gripped their hearts knowing that their loyalty was now in question, and the fate of their city hung by a fragile thread.
The Duke of Ethwer’s voice rang out as he said “So, you mean to tell me that someone of the Sacred Realm attempted to assassinate His Majesty, and coincidentally, the maid who was stationed outside his door—who also possesses the power of the Sacred Realm, vanishes without a trace? And you claim to know nothing about it?”
Each word dripped with disdain, as the implications of the viscount’s incompetence settled heavily in the air.
Duke Alden’s expression hardened with disappointment etched across his face.
“I did not expect this from you, viscount. You have held a position of trust within this kingdom, and yet you allow such a dangerous situation to unfold under your watch. This is more than mere negligence, this speaks to a deeper issue of loyalty and security.”
As the viscount knelt before them, his heart raced with dread. He could sense the rage building among the dukes, each one ready to unleash their wrath.
The very foundation of his authority trembled, and he knew that his failure to provide satisfying explanation could lead to catastrophic consequences for him and his family.
The viscountess’s gaze locked onto Julian and she caught the sly grin on his face. A chill ran down her spine as she recalled their earlier exchange where she had declared that power and status held no sway over her.
Now, faced with the chaos unfolding around them, a horrifying realization settled in. This chaos, the assassination attempt on the king, and the treasonous suspicion cast upon her family—it all seemed to be Julian’s twisted response to prove her wrong.
Her heart raced with fear as she thought, This is his doing, to show me what he’s capable of.
