Chapter 184: Chapter 184 Plans Buried In Dust
The four of them had nearly reached the gates when distant battle sounds echoed through the air. This was the perfect moment for Reginald and Darius to eliminate Allen—his death would serve them far better than keeping him alive.
Then terror struck without warning. The earth trembled violently after a deafening explosion, leaving everyone frozen in confusion.
*What’s happening?* Fiona’s panicked voice cut through the mindlink to Darius.
*I have no clue,* came his uncertain reply.
What followed hit them like lightning. No amount of preparation could have saved them—they were too close, and escaping death seemed impossible now.
*The ground’s moving!* Reginald’s mental shout rang out. *Fall back!*
——
**Perry’s POV**
The explosive blast sent shockwaves through the ground beneath my feet. I scanned the area, tracking the source of that devastating sound.
My suspicions were forming, but I couldn’t accept what seemed obvious. Who could have orchestrated this?
Someone had actually thought to use explosives against the mountain? I’d never shared this strategy with anyone except... Phoebe.
Could it have been her?
Impossible. She wouldn’t have gone through with something this dangerous. How could she have accessed the battle intelligence and executed this plan?
She wasn’t supposed to know the combat details—no one would have listened to her suggestions anyway.
Yet circumstances could have pushed her toward this desperate choice.
Where was she now? Please let her be safe in the palace. If she was anywhere near this battlefield, I’d completely lose control.
I remained in beast form, as did Turner, who was gasping for air after following me relentlessly. He looked relieved when we finally stopped so he could catch his breath.
We’d been running for hours without pause. I wondered how much stamina reserves I actually had left.
But Turner had also noticed the trembling earth.
He followed my gaze toward the black smoke rising from the explosion site.
*What is that, my king? Was that... an explosion?*
"Yes." I pressed my claws against the shifting ground. "We retreat."
*Retreat?* Turner clearly wanted to question why we’d pull back when the explosion was so distant and we were practically at the gates.
He didn’t get the chance to ask. The ground shook again—harder this time. And it wasn’t just shaking anymore. It was sliding.
Without hesitation, Turner followed my lead, struggling to match my pace as I leaped from stone to stone while the earth kept moving beneath us.
Damn! What the hell was happening?
Adrenaline surged through Turner’s system, temporarily erasing his exhaustion as survival instincts kicked in. He still had a baby to get home to.
Meanwhile, I maintained at least a five-meter lead. I moved with fluid speed, as if fatigue hadn’t touched me.
It was a landslide.
The realization hit Turner just as he lost his footing.
——
Reginald’s head pounded mercilessly when consciousness finally returned. Something wet dripped onto his face, followed by Fiona’s broken, desperate voice.
"Oh, Reginald, I thought you were dead. I thought I’d lost you too. Oh, I can’t..." Fiona cradled his face with trembling hands, pressing kisses to his forehead, his eyes—any part of him she could reach. She needed to touch him, to feel proof that he was truly alive.
"I’m fine..." Reginald groaned, attempting to shift his body. Sharp pain shot through him, forcing him to stop with a shaky breath.
"Don’t move. A massive rock crushed your back—your healing will need extra time to handle that injury," she said, panic threading her voice.
Reginald’s eyes found Darius’s still form lying nearby.
"What happened?"
"There was a landslide. I don’t know all the details, but I think the explosion triggered it..." Fiona wasn’t entirely sure—this wasn’t her area of expertise.
"Darius?"
Fiona’s sobs intensified at Reginald’s question. Her breathing became ragged as she pressed her forehead against his.
"He died protecting me from a boulder that would have crushed me." The words tore from her throat. Her stomach churned with the reality she couldn’t accept. He’d been like a second father to her—she had no idea how to function without him.
That’s why the thought of losing Reginald too had nearly driven her insane. Thank God she could still feel his heartbeat.
"He’s... dead?" Reginald felt no grief over Darius’s death, but this would drastically alter their plans. His brow furrowed. "Allen?"
If Darius was gone, Allen had to survive. Whatever he’d done to Fiona didn’t matter now—Reginald needed his support and the Valerium forces.
"He’s... I think he’s alive..." Fiona said reluctantly. "I don’t know for sure. I didn’t check. He’s over there." She pointed to her right, wishing he had died instead. She never wanted to see him again.
He represented her humiliation in human form.
If she had the strength, she would have killed him herself. She’d love to flay him alive, torture him, and humiliate him exactly as he’d done to her.
But Reginald’s next order caught her completely off guard.
"Go check his condition. He cannot die. Make sure he’s breathing."
"You can’t be serious."
