Chapter 176: The Devil’s Handshake
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With that, the queen shifted her attention to the one who was the source of why she was putting up this entire charade.
Eve gracefully stepped forward, confidently brimming in her eyes as she finally lifted her beguiling blue eyes to meet directly the queen’s pale green ones and spoke in a soft, composed voice, "Princess Evelyn Lumeath Starforged, of the kingdom of Luminear, greets you, Your Majesty."
Excitement coursed not only through the Queen’s veins but also through Prince Valen’s. Their eyes glinted with greed and obsession, emotions they failed to conceal from those with keen eyes. The air grew heavy with intent, yet Eve held her ground, even as unease coiled within her under their watchful stares.
The Queen quickly schooled her expression, her red lips curling into what she believed was a warm smile. "Princess Evelyn, I am so glad you could come to our kingdom, given the close relationship we share with the Kingdom of Luminear. We last saw you when you were just a child, and I must say, it pleases me greatly to see what a fine young lady you’ve grown into."
Then she shifted her pale green eyes to her son and brushed his arm lightly as she added, "I’m sure Prince Valen is equally pleased to see you here. Why don’t you go and greet the princess?"
Valen flashed his mother a bright smile before turning his pale green eyes toward the princess. At last, Evelyn lifted her gaze to meet his. Her stone-cold eyes were neither warm nor welcoming. His, in contrast, were brimming with a hunger so raw that it made her stomach twist. The longer she held his gaze, the more she felt the chill of revulsion creep through her veins, like she was being devoured in silence.
Clenching her hands into tight fists, she watched the repulsive man take each purposeful step toward her. But the longer she looked at him, the more she was reminded of her own family’s betrayal, especially her father’s. Not only had he gone behind her back to promise her to someone, but he hadn’t even chosen a decent family. Her eyes hardened as the realisation struck of just how little regard her father truly had for her.
The thoughts swirled in her mind like a restless storm, and with every passing second, her hatred for Valen deepened. His expressions were so assured, so possessive, that it made it look as if he were about to claim a prize that already belonged to him.
Valen, however, was too immersed in his own sick and twisted world, already thinking about what all he had planned for this soon-to-be wife of his. In his mind, she was already his...an exquisite beauty handed over to him by fate. The mere sight of Evelyn made his mouth water, and he just wanted to touch her...in whatever way possible, whether she was willing or not.
He stopped in front of her and extended his hand, a faint smile curving his lips. "Princess Evelyn, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you," he said in a velvety, husky voice, one that sounded far too intimate for a formal greeting.
Everyone present watched as the prince all but drooled over Princess Evelyn with his lustful gaze. Though discomfort rippled through the crowd at the sight of his shameless behaviour, they all knew one thing....this man was courting death.
He was so enamoured by Evelyn’s beauty that he seemed to have forgotten about the God of Death standing right beside her. The realisation made several people hold their breath as they waited for the inevitable. Even the two professors subtly braced themselves for what was about to come, though Professor Dante hardly seemed concerned. In fact, he looked mildly entertained. He would have gladly paid to watch the arrogant human prince be beaten to a pulp, a faint smirk already tugging at his lips.
As Eve’s icy gaze shifted from his face to his extended hand, a wave of revulsion crawled beneath her skin, like insects skittering just beneath the surface at the mere thought of touching him. Before she could even think to lift her hand, a tall figure stepped forward and firmly caught Prince Valen’s outstretched hand in a strong grasp.
The sudden movement made Eve instinctively step back as Ivan positioned himself squarely between them, his presence cold and commanding like a silent barrier the prince hadn’t anticipated.
Prince Valen’s eyes snapped at the audacious figure who interrupted him just as he was about to touch the beauty. As he did, Valen blinked in surprise for just a moment before his lips curled into something that might have been a smile. But the tension in his jaw gave way to the irritation he was feeling.
Then an icy, deep voice cut through the silence. "Prince Valen, I believe Princess Evelyn doesn’t need to be greeted twice."
Ivan’s hand tightened into a crushing grip, and Valen fought hard not to let a sound of pain escape. Seeing him struggle, Ivan’s sinful lips curled into a wicked smirk. "So I thought, since that’s the case," he drawled softly, "it was high time I introduced myself."
Swallowing both his pain and rising irritation, Valen forced a cold smile onto his face and finally spoke in a condescending tone, "And who... might you be?" he asked even though he already knew the answer.
"Prince Ivan Ignia De Ashen," Ivan replied evenly, his voice carrying the weight of quiet authority. "Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Versailles."
"Well, well...I didn’t know I’d get to meet the infamous prince in my own kingdom," Valen said, deliberately emphasising ’my own kingdom’, as a subtle reminder of whose ground Ivan currently stood on, using that fact as a means to intimidate him.
But who was Ivan? The strongest man on the continent, someone capable of erasing an entire kingdom if he wished. A truth that Prince Valen, in all his arrogance, couldn’t quite grasp with that small brain of his.
"Infamous?" Ivan echoed quietly, and the smirk on his lips widened. "Hm...quite rightly so, I suppose. Considering just how many vermin these hands have sent six feet under."
He tilted his head ever so slightly, and in the next instant, the smirk vanished. His molten red eyes locked onto Valen with an icy intensity that could have frozen hell itself.
Valon let out a chuckle, "Well then...I guess we have something in common, Prince Ivan."
"Is that so?" Ivan’s tone was deceptively calm as his lips curved ever so slightly. "I only hope they were people who deserved it....and not some fragile, innocent beings." The jab hit its mark as everyone could make out that it was a veiled reference to the mysterious disappearances of women within Demos itself.
Valen’s smile faltered, and his eyes narrowed as he regarded Ivan in silence, trying to gauge whether the vampire prince had somehow uncovered the truth.
The clash between the two princes was so palpable that onlookers could almost see sparks flying through the air, as if the men were locked in a silent battle that no one else could possibly comprehend.
Eve could feel Ivan’s volatile emotions, and her heartbeat spiked in alarm. Fear crept through her, afraid that he might lose control should this continue. Her worried eyes shifted toward Damien beside her, silently pleading for him to intervene. He met her gaze calmly and let out a quiet sigh before stepping forward.
On the other side, Queen Viva’s composure also began to crack as she watched her son continue to provoke a man far more dangerous than he could ever imagine. Internally, she fretted over Valen’s safety. She had a plan to deal with Prince Ivan in an off-handed and calculated approach, because she knew very well that in a battle of sheer power, they stood no chance. But before that plan could unfold, she needed to rein in her reckless son...before he destroyed himself first.
She herself was about to intervene when Damien moved first, stepping forward to stand beside Ivan. An amused chuckle escaped his lips, breaking the silent hostility that had left everyone holding their breath.
"Well, well, well...I thought this was a formal introduction and not a contest of body counts."
He placed a hand casually on Ivan’s broad shoulder while meeting Valen’s gaze in a relaxed manner, "Though I must add," he continued smoothly, "my brother here has a habit of serving justice only to those who deserve it...and not to random innocents."
He smiled brightly as he spoke, the warmth of his tone doing nothing to mask the sharp truth in his words. It was a statement that left no room for comparison, especially for a prince whose moral compass had long since gone astray.
Prince Valen heard Damien loud and clear, and the sly smirk returned to his face as he replied smoothly, "Of course. You can expect the same from my end, Lord Damien."
But Damien wasn’t done; the smile on his face didn’t waver, but the dangerous glint in his eyes sharpened.
In a voice loud enough for everyone present to hear, he said, "Though I might add, on my brother’s behalf, that it’s a known fact he doesn’t take kindly to people getting too close to those he considers his.
