Chapter 326
Ryker’s POV
“My lord, with all due respect Regina’s voice echoed through the throne room when she and Ryker stepped into his main base.
Of course, the snowy fortress where he’d kept Odessa captive wasn’t his main base. It was far too open, not to mention he wasn’t stupid enough to lead them right to his home.
Ryker paused for only a second, glancing over his shoulder at Regina who was heaving, battered and agitated after the battle.
Her audacity…
Why did you give that witch of the Luminari coven, Lucinda, access to the Vein? Access to our plans?” Regina continued, her voice getting a little shaky.
Completely out of character for her.
Ryker squinted his eyes at first but then continued walking toward his throne room without saying a word.
“Lord Ryker!” Regina yelled out all of a sudden, her voice sharp.
Ryker froze just when he was about to sit on his throne.
Well, well, well…
Regina never calls his name, especially in his presence.
“Looks like someone’s a little Ryker smirked, sitting silently on his throne before fixing his gaze on Regina. “Uptight. So uptight that you’ve forgotten I don’t work with you.”
His eyes flashed with a black light, causing Regina to gasp as an invisible force pressed down on her, forcing her to her knees. She trembled on the floor, her black gown pooling around her while Ryker gazed down on her.
With contempt.
“You work for me, Regina. You and the rest of my artificial hybrids.” Ryker’s voice was colder than a glacier, sharper than a blade.
He didn’t even flinch when he saw his left hand, one of his most trusted soldiers, panting helplessly for something as simple as breath.
“You live to serve ME. Or have you gotten so blinded by whatever softness you’ve seemed to grow to remember that?” Ryker finally let go of her, watching with a stoic expression as her shoulders relaxed again.
Regina raised her head, her lips trembling with… Defiance?
Interesting.
“Looks like someone’s getting a soul.” Ryker sniggered, shaking his head. “You’re hundreds of dead bodies too late for that, though. Don’t you think so?”
“Luna Queen Janelle. The energy she… Used during the battle.” Regina rasped, finally getting on her feet, her eyes never leaving Ryker. “It’s the same energy I saw Caroline use during our—”
“Passionate encounters?” Ryker completed the sentence with a knowing smile. “So?”
Regina shook her head, disbelief in her eyes. “You told Lucinda what it meant. Janelle is a child of Selene, a descendant of the moon goddess herself… And so is Caroline. Isn’t she?”
Ryker drummed his fingers on the armrests of his throne, his expression showing his boredom. “I still don’t see the point you’re driving at?”
Regina suddenly took a single step forward, causing Ryker to raise an eyebrow.
“I spent four months. Four months spying on Caroline to find out what she is.” Regina shook her head, betrayal clear in her voice. “And you’ve known all this time? You watched me—”
“I watched you make a fool of yourself and wanted to see how long the charade would last.” Ryker interrupted, clasping his hands together. “Wanted to see how long before you lost interest in your… Toy.”
Regina was about to speak again but Ryker had had enough. He raised a hand, causing her lips to shut against her will.
“You’re lucky I haven’t incinerated you already for letting the Vein’s born escape.” Ryker’s voice was cold, his silver eyes shifting to black all over again.
The shadows in the dimly lit throne room twisted into unnatural shapes, the once still air getting chillier by the second.
Regina’s eyes widened with terror as Ryker continued:
“I’ll let you off but you better pick yourself back up. This is not the Regina I took under my wing.”
He looked away from her finally, closing his eyes.
Hell, he had no time for this.
Suddenly, he felt a tug in his mind that caused his eyes to widen.
He knew what that feeling was all too well.
Another of his artificial hybrids had died.
He was connected to each of them, hence he could sense their deaths. And this one…
“Looks like Marcellus is in a sticky situation He remarked casually, rubbing his forehead. “Cullen is dead.”
Regina seemed stunned, blinking with exasperation.
But that wasn’t all…
“Marcellus seems to have escaped, seriously wounded.” He continued, squinting his eyes as he let his mind slither into Marcellus’ eyes, seeing what he saw.
Marcellus was in his living room, which was now covered with blood, ash and debris all over. Rubbles filled the place and Marcellus seemed to be struggling for breath, gazing at someone pinned with a glowing magic spear through her stomach and into the marble.
Caroline.
“Well… This is quite sad.” Ryker sniggered, disconnecting from Marcellus’ mind and fixing his gaze on Regina. “It seems you no longer have to worry about any distractions.” Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on
Regina frowned. “W–What are you talking about?”
Ryker remained silent for a bit, slowly rising from his throne. He turned around, staring at the black mirror etched on the wall behind it.
“Caroline, your plaything… Is dead.” He said casually, walking to the mirror with slow and steady steps. “Killed by Marcellus.”
The second he said that, even though he was no longer looking at her, he felt something break in Regina.
Her heart? All these years he thought she didn’t have one.
There was a long, drawn-out silence. Until…
“Anyway. We have a lot of things to prepare for so if you’ll be Ryker turned his head to her but paused.
She was gone, her magic lingering behind.
Teleportation.
“Pathetic.” He shook his head, bringing his gaze back to the black mirror. “I’ll let her mourn for now. There are bigger things to focus on
Suddenly, a black energy began swirling within the mirror like a vortex. It rippled, revealing a live image of Kaelos and Odessa rushing out of the mansion and heading straight for Marcellus’ house, followed by guards.
The determined look in Odessa’s eyes, even after everything she’s lost tonight… Ignited something in the lord of the North.
“You will be mine someday.” He whispered, brushing his fingers on her reflection. “And when that day comes… The world will bleed.”