Chapter 188: For Him
Viva, recovering from her shock, raised a brow at Eve and whispered, "So you knew?"
"Yes," Eve replied calmly. "How could I not, when Queen Elara has been announcing it throughout my entire kingdom? Sooner or later, the news was bound to reach me, especially since I’m not the only lumen studying at the academy."
Viva scowled. "Then why did you display your affection for Prince Ivan in public?"
Eve tilted her head slightly; her expression remained cold and detached. "Why shouldn’t I? It’s no secret that Ivan and I are together. But me being promised to Prince Valen was a secret....a far bigger one. A secret kept from me not only by your family...but also by my own."
Viva regarded her for a moment before her lips curled into a slow smirk. "So...are you trying to change that fact?"
Eve kept her composure as she replied, "Queen Viva, it seems you’re unfamiliar with a certain law in my kingdom regarding royal marriages. A union cannot take place unless both partners willingly agree to it. So it would be wrong of you to assume I’m trying to change anything, when in my eyes, I’ve never accepted this union....not before my people, and not in any official capacity."
Queen Viva’s lips parted to respond, but Eve took another slow step closer, her voice dropping to a low murmur. "Now...why don’t we discuss this in private, where we can reach a conclusion that benefits us both?"
Queen Viva was momentarily stunned to see the girl attempting to negotiate, though she kept her expression carefully composed. Regardless, this was exactly what she had been aiming for, and now the opportunity was presenting itself on a silver platter. She intended to seize it.
The corner of Viva’s lips curled into a pleased smile. "Very well," she said smoothly. "Let’s go somewhere safe to speak."
She shifted her pale green gaze to the group standing behind Evelyn before addressing the guards, "Take them all into temporary custody."
Evelyn’s eyes widened, and she parted her lips to object, but Viva cut her off with a raised hand. "It is only until we reach a peaceful conclusion," she said, feigning sincerity. "I don’t want my son to be attacked again while I am gone."
Dante let out a low, humourless chuckle at her ridiculous reasoning and flashed her his signature grin. "So this is how it’s going to be...Queen Viva. I’ll remember this."
Viva didn’t flinch. "You didn’t think this would end so easily when your student attacked my son, did you?" she countered sharply. "What kind of message would I be sending my people if I simply let it go?"
"The kind of message," Dante replied evenly, "that the Queen of this kingdom has gravely misstepped in this matter. I look forward to what comes next."
Viva’s expression tightened, but she turned toward Jareld with irritation. "And what have you been doing all this time? Take His Highness to rest. Didn’t you hear me?"
Jareld bowed. "Forgive me, Your Majesty." He stepped toward Ivan to guide him back, but Ivan didn’t move.
When Jareld lifted his head to look at him, he froze.
Ivan still wore that hollow, empty expression...but his jaw was clenching so hard that a vein stood out starkly along his neck from the sheer force he was exerting.
Jareld swallowed hard and instinctively stepped back in caution, completely unaware that every person in the corridor had their eyes locked on him, watching his every movement around Ivan like hawks.
Eve, who had been silently staring at Ivan’s back, wondered what had provoked such a reaction from Jareld. But the thought barely stayed because all she truly felt was the sharp, twisting pain in her chest as she looked at Ivan with an aching longing, as if trying to imprint this moment into her very soul.
She didn’t know what her life would look like from now on. Just yesterday, she had been wrapped in his protective embrace...and this morning, he had held her close.
And now....he looked like a stranger. A hollow shell slipping farther and farther out of her reach.
A crushing wave of regret filled her mind and heart. She should never have left his side. She should never have gone through with her own plan....not when even the slightest possibility of something happening to him existed. She would never trade Ivan’s life for anything in this world.
"Your Highness," Jareld said cautiously, "let me show you your room."
He gestured for Ivan to move.
After several long seconds of utter stillness, Ivan finally began to walk, without looking back at anyone.
Every step he took felt like a knife driving deeper into Eve’s chest.
Before she realised it, another warm tear slid down her cheek. She kept her eyes fixed on him...on the man she had fallen in love with deeply, madly, unconditionally...until his figure vanished from view.
That was when the queen finally exhaled in relief and turned back to Evelyn. She smirked at the girl’s pitiful expression and said mockingly, "Shall we, Princess Evelyn?"
Eve slowly turned her gaze toward the wicked woman, and the sorrow in her eyes began to burn away, only to be replaced by something far darker. The longer she looked at Queen Viva, the more hatred she had never known before flooded her shattered heart.
Her hands started to tremble, whether from restraint or from the unbridled fury threatening to tear out of her chest, even she couldn’t tell. ’She... she is responsible. She took him away from us...’ An ethereal voice that sounded raw and tormented echoed through Eve’s mind. Her eyes flared a brilliant gold.
The queen’s smirk vanished instantly, and she stumbled back a step, as alarm flashed across her face.
Eve watched fear gleam across the queen’s face and tilted her head slightly. "What’s wrong, Your Majesty? Did... something scare you?" she asked in her icy voice.
Her chilling tone made everyone’s attention snap back to Evelyn at once.
Eve took a small step forward, her eyes still glowing gold. "Of course, you have nothing to fear...as long as Ivan remains untouched. And when I say untouched, I mean not even a single strand of his hair should be harmed." Her voice dropped to a chilling whisper. "Otherwise, I don’t know what I might do next..."
She then swept her icy golden gaze across all the guards, making several of them swallow nervously. "The same goes for every one of you. If any of you dare handle them roughly and..." her gaze flicked to the structure around them, "...I cannot guarantee this building will remain intact."
With that, she turned back to the queen. And in that moment, the way Evelyn spoke, the way she openly threatened her, Viva felt a cold shiver crawl up her spine. She had committed many cruel acts in her life, but she had never once felt this intimidated by anyone...until now.
Viva felt, for a fleeting moment, as though she were speaking to a superior being, an infuriating sensation that bruised her pride. The fact that this young girl could make her blood run cold stung her ego deeply. Regaining her composure, Viva forced her tone steady.
"Of course. Why would I harm anyone here? Not unless they do something else to disturb the peace of this castle."
"Hm...I believe it’s a little late for that," Eve replied fearlessly. "Let’s finish this. I want my people out as soon as possible."
She then turned to her friends, her determined golden eyes meeting each of theirs as if silently urging them to trust her. They all looked deeply worried, but she reassured them softly, "I won’t take long."
Eve’s gaze shifted behind Damien, and she realised someone was missing.
Alex.
She wondered when he had managed to slip away under everyone’s watchful eyes. But the thought eased a small part of her heart. If Alex had vanished, it meant he had likely followed wherever Ivan had been taken.
Just as she was about to turn back around, Damien’s voice called out to her.
"Evelyn."
She faced him, and he said, "I’m trusting my sister to keep the bugs away."
Eve’s eyes widened slightly before a small, soft smile touched her lips. She gave him one last nod, then turned and walked toward the queen.
The guards immediately surrounded Damien, Cece, Edward, Professor Dante, and Professor Seira. As Seira finally lowered her barrier, they were all escorted away toward what they could only assume was the dungeon.
In the queen’s study, the very place Ivan had been led to, Evelyn now stood in the same spot he once occupied. The dark, oppressive energy seeped from every nook and cranny of the room. The air was so thick with sinister power that she couldn’t decide whether she should hold her breath or inhale deeply just to reassure herself that her lungs were still functioning.
Queen Viva moved ahead and sat leisurely behind her desk. "Do take a seat, Princess," she said, gesturing toward the visitor’s chair positioned in front of her table.
But Eve had no intention of sitting down for a polite conversation. She stood rooted where she was. She needed this over with and fast. The longer she stayed in this room, the more the darkness gnawed at her nerves.
So instead of replying to the queen’s "goodwill", she asked, "How about we get to the point as to why we are here. Like I said, I don’t want my friends to stay in a dirty place for long."
