The Werewolf King's Bride

Chapter 484 The Shadow, Or Just A Kid?

(From Blue's Perspective)

"Why haven't you asked how I got the teleportation device?" I asked after I made us some coffee. "And… why haven't you said anything about my fractured arm? You were so angry in the letter. But now… you don't seem to be angry at Evan. It's not like I am telling that you should. It's just… a little out of your character."

"How do you make coffee with one hand?" he asked.

"That's not the point," I said. "Tell me."

"I was going to," he said. "I just… don't feel any interest in anything anymore. I did not feel like it."

He was never like this. His weakness had taken a troll on him. It was grasping him from the inside.

"It's okay," I said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "You can take your time."

"No, we don't have time. This whole thing… I really am tired. But I will tell you."

"It was the shadow who got you that. He took it from me and gave it to you," he said, going straight to the point. "He stole it, precisely saying."

"… How do you know that? And why did he do it?"

"He said I told him to bring you to me in my sleep," he said.

"What the hell was he doing here when you were sleeping?"

"Well, he is supposed to stay near," he shrugged. "I actually got quite mad at him for doing it, but then again, it wasn't so bad. You seem to be safer here. Funny, isn't it? It's one of those rare moments when a battlefield is safer than home."

"Dem… That time, it was him who actually brought me there and you did not hallucinate? Is it not right?"

"It is, partly."

It was not Dem who replied. I whirled at the entrance of the door. It was a huge man, that man, the shadow. He was wearing a cloak as usual, but the hood was not up. I noticed how untidy his black hair was.

"You were eavesdropping?" I barked.

"I could not help it, when the subject was so juicy," he said. "Your Highness, let me make myself clear today. I do not like to stay a mystery in Your Highness, the Queen's eyes."

I eyed him as he walked towards us and pulled a chair near to sit. Dem looked unbothered. He knew what kind of person the shadow was.

"Both times, at least, you were not dreaming, Your Highness," he said with a smug smile.

"I know that," I said grimly. "I want to know how."

"I am here to tell you that, no?" he said, clearing enjoying himself. I wanted to smack him hard. "I actually can mix dream and reality."

"…"

"I can blend the truth with an illusion. It will be half-truth, half illusion. When His Highness saw you there, you did not even leave the mansion, yet you were there."

"So, was I truly there or not?"

"It was an illusion," he said. "If His Highness or anyone tried to touch you or me, they would touch the air only."

"How is that even…? And what if I tried to touch him?"

"You couldn't," he said. "You were travelling through an illusion. You saw the reality, but you were an illusion. That is what I can do. I can create an illusion and make someone part of it as well."

"But you still deceived us! You deceived me!" I yelled.

"Well, that was quite… amusing," he said. "But I did something you might like."

"Did what?" I asked.

He looked at Dem proudly. Suddenly the look on his face changed. It was like a boy was waiting for his father to praise him and tell others about his accomplishments. Dem looked bored, but actually nodded in affirmation.

"He killed the Queen," Dem said.

I was surprised, but not because the shadow killed the Queen, but because he took so long to do so. Why did Dem take so long to order it? Or, was it me being impatient and… rather ruthless?

"I am surprised. I expected a better reaction," the shadow muttered. "You have been a bad influence on the innocent and sweet Queen, Your Highness."

"When did you do it?" I asked.

"After handing you that device, I did it," he replied.

I stopped using teleportation as I was heavily pregnant. I was not sure exactly how much of my power I could use, but I did not want to take any risk. Then again, I had overworked myself just a few days ago. It was as if when I was in my right mind, I followed a strict rule. But other times, I acted reckless, until someone or my own consciousness stopped me.

"I see," I said. "That said, were you keeping an eye on me the whole time?"

"Well, I have been keeping an eye on you whenever I got time," he said.

"I never ordered him so until now," Dem said quickly. He did not want me to get the idea that he was stalking me in some way. "Only after you were placed in the mansion that I told him to keep an eye on you."

"Does… Luc know?" I asked.

"No one," Dem replied.

"I tried to get rid of the King too. But he is… different. He is also controlled by something, however, it is not the same as the King of Lacuna. There is a masked man with him, as of yesterday," the shadow said. I still could not get used to his structure and his behavior. He acted like a child, telling his father, or hell, his parents about the kind of prank he tried to pull in school.

"A golden mask?"

"Yes. It looked like a golden raven," he said.

"Azure likes collecting masks," I said. "He wears the masks of different animals."

"… Can you kill him?" Dem asked.

"I can kill anyone, Your Highness, but I believe when I will, I would probably lose my life too," he said. "But it looks like a good challenge."

"No, don't do it," I said. "It might not seem impossible to you and look more like a challenge, it is in fact impossible. I suggest you go for the… master of the magic tower of Mazazine. The King will be protected especially, because the King doesn't have an heir as all of his kids are dead now. So, the only person who can be controlled and used as a pawn is the King."

"I heard we are against the most powerful dark mage ever. Then, why isn't he killing the King? If he is really the most powerful dark mage, he won't have to fear three puny kings," the shadow said. I wondered if he did not care, or simply was not aware that he just insulted a King, in front of the King and the Queen.

But Dem did not seem to care. Dem usually did not care when Luc said such things. If he acted the same way with the shadow, it looked like he trusted him completely. I was not so sure. I was having a hard time trusting someone who could walk between dream and reality and trap someone in an illusion.

"He might hold the most power, however, his mana cannot reproduce properly. He has the mana that is stored up in his body, but not the new mana, as his body is almost incapable of doing so," Dem explained.

"Ah, so basically, he is afraid of our Queen," the shadow grinned. Despite his scarred face and body, he looked like a boy. I could not help feeling a relief in my heart. Who knows what life had given him, what kind of harsh treatments he had to endure, at least, he did not lose the ability to smile. "He believes his army or whatever he has will not be enough.

So, he is trying to get the King of Mazazine on his side. At least, one kingdom will be on his side and he will have not just dark mages, but soldiers and mages too."

"The fact that he is so alert about you," Dem said, looking at me, "gives some kind of hope. Your power should be more than any of us can imagine."

I hated to hear it. When he said it, I felt like I was automatically burdened. But then again, it was because of me all of this was happening. Whether I liked it or not, I needed to take responsibility.

"But something still doesn't make sense," Dem said. "He knows you are vulnerable right now. Then, why isn't he just using this opportunity?"

"He doesn't want me dead, nor my child, Dem," I said. "My child will have a lot of power from me for sure. He will never give up something like that. He wants us alive. Perhaps he wants to kidnap us."

Dem thought for a while and then gave a nod. "I see… It looks like we will never be safe unless that bastard is dead," he said and turned to the shadow. "Now, why don't you explain why you didn't warn her before the mages reached the mansion?"

"I didn't notice until it was too late. When I heard about Your Highness's situation, I came straight to the battlefield," he said. "How do you think I heard you talk in your sleep and tell me to bring Her Highness here?"

"And when you went back, you found us in the cave," I said.

"Well, I found the ruined mansion first. Then, I found you," the shadow said. "I took the teleportation device with me as I heard pregnant women are not supposed to use their power if they are mages."

"Yes, but next time you do something without my order when I am conscious, perfectly conscious, you will not be the shadow anymore."

To my surprise, the shadow actually looked concerned. "No, it won't happen again," he said and without a word, leaped out of the back of the tent. I did not know there was another door, except for the entrance.

"So, this is the shadow," I muttered.