Chapter 371: Send Them away
"We swear on our forefathers and those before us!" Lord Elvane began to speak, doing all he could to stop his hands from trembling as he knelt on the ground and bowed his head.
At that point, it was obvious that Zyren was simply picking them out one after the other and killing them because he could. He smiled, but it was clear that he was pissed off as his eyes kept searching for the next target, roaming lazily across the hall like a predator deciding which throat to tear open next.
Lord Elvane’s stomach sank watching Zyren’s gaze land at the far back of the hall where the rest of his family stood huddled together. It sank even more when Arun Duskbane broke.
Even after Dargen was killed, together and collectively they had been doing their best to stem the infection and maybe shift the blame to a couple of people, fully understanding that Zyren was not forgiving.
Which was why, when Elvane noticed the crazed look in Arun’s eyes, he was vastly disappointed—more than when he heard him begin to speak.
"My Lord, we were wrong! You are right! We thought we could go against you but we were foolish!" Arun cried, his voice echoing against the high stone walls.
Elvane’s expression became darker the more he spoke, a muscle ticking in his jaw, until Arun continued.
"...We allowed ourselves to be convinced by the lies of the werewolf king!"
Relief flooded Lord Elvane instantly as he understood what Arun was trying to do. His shoulders eased just a fraction as he heard him continue.
"...We should have known better, and we’re ready to make up for it!" Arun went on desperately, pressing his forehead harder against the cold marble floor. He told Zyren all he knew about the whereabouts of the werewolf king and how he was in the city. He even went as far as to mention that he was sure that King Jared had been the one to release his brother from the dungeons, who was still missing.
Zyren seriously listened without once interrupting, even nodding along with a smile on his face as he fixed his gaze on Arun, who poured his heart out. His expression was almost pleasant, terrifyingly so.
For some reason, Zyren had killed way more of Arun’s people than Lord Elvane’s. Elvane didn’t know if that was a coincidence, but he didn’t care. Aware of the fact that Aira had no love for him—which meant that he already had a lot of things going against him—he could not afford another mistake.
"I swear! That is every—"
He was still speaking when Zyren casually lifted a hand and randomly killed a couple more people. There was no warning, no visible effort. One moment they were alive, and the next they dropped, lifeless, blood pooling beneath them.
Gasps echoed across the hall.
Zyren didn’t particularly care as he watched an expression of deep pain and hatred flash in both Lord Elvane’s eyes and Arun’s as they visibly shook. People cried, but they didn’t dare to do it too loudly. The air itself felt too tight, too heavy to allow it.
Zyren finally opened his mouth to slowly speak.
"Left to me... I’d rather kill all of you to ensure that there are no problems in the future," he began, his voice calm and smooth, which somehow made it worse.
A shiver ran through the entire hall.
"...But Aira doesn’t like too much blood. So indirectly, you owe your lives to her."
At the mention of her name, something flickered in his eyes—possessive and dangerous.
He then went ahead to give a massive warning, one that seemed to change the very air in the room into something suffocating.
"...If ever you act out again, or so much as step out of line, I’ll hang each and every one of you at the city gates and feed your eyes to the crows!"
His tone left no room for doubt. It wasn’t a threat born of rage. It was a promise.
They all vigorously nodded their heads, some pressing their faces even harder to the floor.
It was one thing to know that they were at the edge of the cliff of death, with some having already fallen over only to be cruelly pulled back.
For a split second, Zyren raised his hands again, only to pause, a smile lingering on the sides of his lips as he watched them flinch in terror. Amusement shimmered faintly in his gaze before he lowered his hands once more.
They looked like they got the message, and he saw no reason to linger. He watched them lower their heads even more to the ground as he turned around to leave, his long coat swaying behind him.
Prepared to head back to the castle.
But unknown to him, he would get there—but not fast enough.
At first, Aira didn’t want to be disturbed, annoyed that Vivian of all people would come to see her. She had just opened her mouth to inform the guard to send them off when she paused.
A hint of a smile touched her lips. What could Vivian possibly be up to at such an hour of the night?
It was clear to everyone that Zyren had chosen her and would never choose Vivian.
Moreover, she had heard that Vivian had gone ahead to get Clay, whose face was something she couldn’t help but stare at whenever she saw him, considering the kind of ethereal beauty he possessed.
He looks like something sculpted by the gods themselves, she had once thought unwillingly.
"Send her in!" Aira gave the order, her voice composed.
But the guard instantly shook his head with a disciplined expression on his face. He lowered his head respectfully as he spoke.
"Pardon me, my lady, but I think you should confirm that they aren’t monsters by the door before you are left alone with them."
At first, Aira’s reaction was to dismiss it, irritation flashing across her features. But she paused.
With the amount of Zygon monsters Zyren had gotten rid of recently, it was only a matter of time before they bit back in anger.
They wouldn’t be foolish enough... would they? she wondered.
But what worried Aira even more was the fact that, unknown to anyone else but her, her powers no longer worked according to her will. Sometimes they flickered on unpredictably—but at that moment, when she silently willed them to appear, she wasn’t surprised when nothing happened.
Not even a spark.
A faint frown creased her brows.
Not now... please not now.
"...Maybe they could return tomorrow morning," the guard suggested carefully, seeing the frown flash across her face.
And Aira couldn’t help but agree.
It didn’t help that Zyren was not around and was currently in the council hall.
This worried her, especially because she also had absolutely no business with Lady Vivian.
"Send them away! Tell her I’ll meet with her tomorrow morning," Aira said firmly, giving him the order as she went ahead to sit back on her bed, smoothing the fabric of her night robe over her legs.
The room was dimly lit, shadows clinging to the corners like silent observers.
But the guard had barely lowered his head to show that he understood when loud noises erupted from outside the door.
It was strange.
The large oak door was thick, designed to insulate most sound from passing through. And yet the crash was unmistakable—metal clanging, something heavy slamming into stone, followed by a muffled cry.
Aira shot to her feet.
Her heart began to pound.
That wasn’t normal.
The guard’s hand immediately went to the hilt of his sword as he turned toward the door.
Another loud bang echoed through the chamber.
And then—
Silence.
