Giselle didn't move a finger, but she was able to force Fabian and Marsella to take a step back. Surely, she deserved her spot in the council.
"Lord Miguel." Her tone was as quiet and calm as ever. Even though her eyes were shut, Aries could feel the woman's gaze on her. "Deploy your men around the Royal Palace."
Miguel frowned. "I refuse. The ceremony is our top priority right now."
"I'm afraid I have to do the ceremony all alone." Giselle paused, taking a deep breath.
Deep lines appeared between Miguel's forehead upon sensing something agile was approaching the great hall. Miguel instinctively wielded his sword.
Within a second time frame, the window shattered as a person catapulted into it. Everything happened so fast that the only thing everyone saw was when two swords clashed against each other.
CLANG!!
The blades rattled against each other, their pair of eyes shining in crimson red. The side of Miguel's lips twitched, gazing at the person across the blade.
"Vandran," he breathed out, pushing the sword away, but in turn, Miguel slid several meters back. "Hah…"
Miguel laughed monotonously, watching Dexter stand before Aries. The latter had his back in front of Aries.
"Lord Miguel Rothschild. We met again." Dexter assessed the man from head to toe. "Though I sensed something different from you."
He didn't dwell on it though as he looked back at Aries. His eyes instantly softened the moment his eyes fell on the chains binding her.
"Are you alright, Dani?" he asked worriedly, reaching for the metal bands around her wrist only to stop before he could touch them. His face turned sour, clenching his hand.
"Yes, Brother." Aries smiled warmly. "Although these chains are getting heavier every passing second, I can bear with them."
"I'll take them off soon." Dexter looked her straight in the eye while nodding reassuringly. "Can you wait until then, Dani?"
Before Aries could respond, Miguel's burst of laughter echoed across all corners of the great hall. The little bit of warmth on Dexter's face instantly disappeared, looking over his shoulder.
"Dani?!" Miguel laughed. "Aime, is this the person you call family now? He doesn't even call you by your real name, but instead, named you after his dead sister."
Miguel ground his teeth, eyes directly at Aries. "You're choosing this man over me, your brother?!"
"You're not Davien —"
"Aries Aime Heathcliffe!" Miguel's voice thundered. "How have you fallen for you to stoop so low? You, the beloved child of our father and my precious sister, the woman who pledged to serve her people, find comfort in replacing a dead person's spot in this lowly man's heart? Unbelievable!"
"Did he snap? Can't he hear himself right now?" mumbled Marsella on the side, unable to stop herself from raising a brow at Miguel's remarks.
"Your longing for your family… I understand why you got satisfied with such a disgraceful setup. However, what I cannot accept is you're playing along with this fiasco until now!" Miguel continued, totally enraged.
"Miguel." Sensing his growing repugnance and anger, Giselle called. Her call got ignored, though.
"Aime…" Miguel breathed out through his gritted teeth, gazing at Dexter with murderous intent. "Until when will you defy your brother?"
Dexter snickered. "Now I see clearly what's different. I knew, at first glance, there was something wrong with you." He faced Miguel and assessed the man from head to toe.
"That's why your aura didn't match your actions," continued Dexter. "It's akin to a monster suffering from memory loss, fully convinced he was what he thought he was."
Dexter shook his head. "How disappointing, but at the same time enlightening. This gives me more reason to slay you."
"The feeling is mutual." Miguel sneered, pointing his sword at Dexter. "I now have more reason to slay a despicable man like you."
"Brother," Aries called under her breath, eyes fixed on Miguel. "He's dangerous."
"Dani." Dexter chuckled without casting her a look. "Did you think I am here because I don't know what sort of enemy we have?"
Aries peeled her eyes from Miguel to Dexter.
"When you told me about your plans, we both knew our feet were already in our graves. However, more than my will for our victory, my goal is to go have that man's head," Dexter added. "I cannot allow that man who made you cry for so many nights to live. How can I call myself your big brother if I let that man, who stole your brother's precious memories, breathe the same air as you?"
"You dare speak such noble remarks without knowing your place." Miguel spat out, taking it upon himself that he had to end this man. If not for Dexter, Aries wouldn't need to second guess.
For Miguel, Dexter was nothing but a nuisance. Someone whose longing for his sister runs too deep he convinced himself Aries could replace his sister. Even if Aries agreed with such a setup, it was an insult to Miguel.
Why did Aries need them when he was already here?
"You couldn't protect your sister, Daniella, and even after she was killed, you served the man who killed her," Miguel insulted, bringing up the painful reality Dexter had to live for many years. "Yet now, you are saying you will have my head? Me? Miguel Rothschild? Hahaha! Surely, lowly monkeys like you are foolish and would never know their place until it's time to take your last breath."
"Miguel," Giselle called once again, but Miguel was already in his fighting stance.
"Tonight's coven… will be the night of your death and this place will be your grave." As soon as the last syllable rolled out of Miguel's tongue, he and Dexter disappeared from their vantage point to have a duel.
Brother versus brother.
Who would live? Who would die?
It was a duel that would only end if one of them fell.
But then, something unexpected happened.
Just before Miguel and Dexter could clash swords, two figures appeared right between them.
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