Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Poison And A Nightmare
Phoebe’s POV
The vial felt icy against my palm, yet somehow the tiny container seared my flesh. This was the delayed-action toxin my father had entrusted to me.
I found myself wondering how much time would pass before the poison finally claimed the king’s life. A month, perhaps?
Two months? Maybe an entire year?
How ready were those conspirators to overthrow the monarch?
My mind churned with countless questions, but ultimately, I faced only one real issue; I craved Perry’s death for the torment he’d inflicted upon me.
I’d be eternally grateful if he simply left me be, yet he persistently returned, subjecting me to fresh anguish.
He mirrored Kevin perfectly.
And perhaps, though the odds remained virtually nonexistent, someday I might get the opportunity to eliminate Kevin as well.
For now, though, I’d handle the king first.
I shifted my position, then gazed at the king, who continued sleeping next to me. I tucked the vial back into the same hiding spot. I’d discover an opening to slip him a drop or two, accelerating the process. The war meant nothing to me.
The world would improve without his presence.
That’s what I convinced myself while studying the king. His eyebrows drew together, suggesting even his slumber brought him no peace. The nightmares must be pursuing him relentlessly. Perfect. I wondered what horrors plagued his dreams. I hoped they were absolutely terrible.
"No, don’t kill her..."
Initially, I couldn’t decipher the words the king muttered, but he continued repeating the same phrases repeatedly with that anguished expression.
"No... don’t. It’s not her fault. Stay away from her..."
I scowled. Who was ’she’? I strained to hear as he mumbled the same pleas. Occasionally, he’d utter something different, but I couldn’t make out his words.
"Don’t touch Cordelia... Not her..."
Cordelia? I wondered who this woman might be.
As minutes passed, Perry grew visibly more agitated. He clenched his jaw, and his hold on my body turned uncomfortably tight, making me flinch.
The king became increasingly restless, as though battling demons in his sleep.
When the king seemed oblivious to the pain he was causing me, I attempted to rouse him. I shook his frame and called his name.
"Wake up, it’s just a dream." I noticed perspiration beading his forehead, and his complexion had turned ashen. "My king, wake up."
Suddenly, however, Perry seized my wrist and rolled me beneath him, his talons extending. He hovered mere inches from tearing out my throat.
His gaze blazed with hatred as a bestial snarl rumbled from his chest. The lethal look on his features told me he fully intended my death.
He was about to kill me—I was certain of it. Murderous intent radiated from him powerfully, his entire being emanating fury and vengeance.
Everything blurred together. I might die without him even understanding what was happening, since his claws already bit into my skin, and crimson seeped from the gashes.
But fortunately, before the wounds deepened to a fatal degree, Perry snapped back to awareness and halted himself just before severing my head completely.
He appeared bewildered briefly, then horror dawned when he grasped what he’d nearly done. Instantly, he sprang away from me.
Pulling his lethal razor claws from my bleeding throat.
Without hesitation, I bolted upright and pressed my palm against my neck. I could feel the warm stickiness of my own blood, which made my breathing quicken slightly. When I pulled my hand away, I saw the crimson staining it.
I didn’t cry out—shock still held me captive. I hadn’t even registered the pain yet.
Meanwhile, Perry shook his head as if trying to clear his thoughts, seeming unable to believe what he was witnessing. He creased his brow, apparently questioning whether this was yet another nightmare.
A moment later, when the fog in his mind lifted, he could see what he’d done to his mate.
He swore quietly and approached me with a grave expression.
I widened my eyes in terror. My instincts screamed at me to run, but the king wouldn’t allow it. He grasped my waist, then slipped his other arm beneath my knees. Perry lifted me from the bedroom.
Blood continued dripping from the injury, since I possessed no healing abilities, which left me vulnerable.
I could potentially die from blood loss at this stage.
Perry sprinted down the hallway, and several guards grew alarmed when they spotted the blood trail marking the floor.
"Helen!" Perry bellowed the healer’s name as he placed me on the bed. "Get in here!"
Helen arrived immediately and assessed the situation.
She looked stunned. "What happened?" Despite her question, she immediately began treating my wounded neck.
She stemmed the bleeding first, because my face had grown deathly pale. I gazed at Helen with terror in my eyes, but I made no sound.
I lay on the bed like a lifeless thing, and when Helen began working on my injury, I stared at the ceiling expressionlessly, as if I were simply lying there about to drift off to sleep.
The pain would be excruciating, since the wound ran quite deep, though it wasn’t life-threatening.
At least, provided I received swift treatment before bleeding to death.
Minutes crawled by as Helen worked desperately to remedy the situation, while the king stood nearby. His gaze remained fixed on my blank expression as he leaned against the wall with folded arms.
It seemed like an eternity before Helen finally rose and informed the king that I would recover. I simply needed time to heal, and she would prepare a remedy for me.
"However, I believe it will leave a mark on her skin," Helen said, looking genuinely sorry about this news.
Perry seemed indifferent about the scarring. If he lacked his remarkable healing capability, his skin would be covered in scars. You wouldn’t find an unmarked inch of flesh on him.
But the advantage of being a shifter, particularly royal bloodline, was that his wolf spirit was exceptionally powerful, so you couldn’t detect any scars on him whatsoever.
After Helen departed, Perry came closer to me. He settled into the same chair Helen had occupied moments before.
"I didn’t mean to hurt you," Perry said. He watched me until I met his gaze. My expression remained unreadable, but my eyes held no emotion, as if I were looking straight through him. "I promised you I wouldn’t kill you. That was completely accidental."
I remained silent.
