Chapter 98: Manipulation
Ruby’s POV
As Killian stepped into the hall, an eerie silence took over. Those crimson eyes darkened, growing cold as ice. When he looked at me, it was like a predator preparing to strike. My breath caught in my throat, and an uneasy sensation coiled in my stomach. It wasn’t just anger in his eyes. There was something far worse. Betrayal.
Leonidas, standing beside me, tensed. His sharp golden eyes flicked between the King and me, wary of the storm brewing
in the air.
“What happened?” he finally asked, crossing his arms. “And what’s with that look, Your Majesty?”
I also opened my mouth to speak, but before I could form any words, Killian’s voice cut through the thick air like the blade of a guillotine.
“That’s what I should be asking,” he said darkly, his deep voice laced with ice. “Explain yourself to me, Ruby.”
Explain myself? I blinked, confusion flooding my mind:
“Killian,” I began cautiously, “What do you mean? If this is about my meeting with Leonidas, we were just-”
Suddenly, Irwin stepped forward, satisfaction radiating from his face. Leonidas and I were both stunned by his presence. Whatever Irwin was doing here, it couldn’t mean anything good. And I desperately hoped Killian wouldn’t be swayed by his relative’s words. I glanced at Leonidas. He looked furious, ready to tear Irwin apart.
“Why is this bastard in my chambers, Your Majesty?” Leonidas gritted his teeth.
“You’ll find out soon enough once you shut up, Leonidas,” Killian replied in a deadly tone.
“Shall I offer my tribute, my King?” Irwin said smoothly, holding up a set of parchments in his gloved hands. “I have strong reason to believe that our dear Luna has been engaging in activities that threaten our kingdom.”
My blood ran cold, my knees felt weak, as if I might collapse. What was that man planning this time?
Killian’s expression remained unreadable as he tilted his head slightly, allowing Irwin to continue.
“I come bearing testimony alongside my group,” Irwin announced. “We have eyewitness accounts, as well as documented evidence, that Ruby Lucienne has been sneaking out of the palace without the Supreme King of Sundrench’s permission and,”
He paused for dramatic effect, his lips curling into something that was almost a sneer.
“Engaging in communication with enemy factions.”
“WHAT? I never did such a thing!” I practically shouted, the words spilling out on instinct.
Leonidas let out a scoff of disbelief. “Do you actually think anyone is going to buy this nonsense, Irwin?”
“No,” Irwin replied smoothly, handing the parchment to Killian. “But all the evidence is right here, Beta Leonidas.”
Killian took the parchment and, with a flick of his wrist, began to read. The silence that followed was deafening. The tension in the air was suffocating, a noose tightening around my throat with every passing second.
I stepped forward, my heart pounding as I clutched his arm with both hands.
“Killian, you know me. I would never betray you or this kingdom. This is absurd! I only left to-”
“To do what?” Killian’s voice was as sharp as a freshly honed blade. “You always evade me whenever I ask, and you think I’ll show you mercy for it?”
Tears welled in my eyes. “I had a good reason, and I just needed time to talk to you about it!”
“Oh? You mean your betrayal, Ruby?” he growled, his voice seething with fury.
Leonidas, who had been watching our argument, finally decided to step in. He moved closer to Killian, standing
s side.
“These accusations are ridiculous, Your Majesty. She is not a traitor, and you know that better than anyone,” he asserted firmly.
Killian’s fingers tightened around the parchment, his knuckles turning white. His gaze returned to me, searching for truth, for lies, for anything. I could see the battle in his eyes, the war between logic and rage. He wanted to believe me. But Irwin’s presence and the so–called “evidence” had poisoned his mind.
“I trusted you,” Killian said, his voice calmer no bat no less dangerous
Successfully unlocked!
now I find out you’ve been lying to me?” Surface. “Whatever Irwin gave you, it’s nothing but
“I did not lie to you!” I snapped, frustration and heartbreak ris manipulation. You’re smarter than this, Killian. Look at me!”
Killian’s jaw clenched. He turned to Irwin. “Is the witness present?”
Irwin’s lips curled into a cruel smile. “Of course.”
Chapter 98: Manipulation
A man, cloaked and hooded, stepped forward. I had never seen him in my life.
“This man claims to have seen Luna visit the black market multiple times. He even witnessed her speaking with a merchant known for dealing with our enemies.”
My stomach twisted into knots, acid rising in my throat.
“I was there for personal reasons. And I had no idea that merchant was affiliated with the kingdom’s enemies!”
Killian’s patience was wearing dangerously thin. “Then why didn’t you tell me?”
I bit my lip, turning my face away as I wrapped my arms protectively around my stomach.
“Because if I had, the outcome would have been exactly the same,” I countered.
That only fueled the ruthless king’s anger further. Killian let out a harsh breath, his voice rumbling with restrained fury. And then, with a single nod, his decision was made.
“Take her to the holding cells.”
The words didn’t register immediately. I blinked, my breath catching in my throat.
“What?”
Leonidas stepped forward sharply, his golden eyes blazing. “You can’t be serious, King!”
“I am,” Killian said, his voice devoid of the warmth I once knew. “She will be placed under watch until I decide whether this warrants a formal trial.”
Panic seized me as the guards approached, their eyes filled with uncertainty. I took a step back, shaking my head.
“Killian, please!”
“Take her,” he ordered, his gaze cold as steel.
Strong hands closed around my arms, and I struggled against them, but they were relentless. My heart pounded wildly as I looked at Killian, desperation clawing at my throat.
“Let me go!” I pleaded, thrashing against their grip.
“Your Majesty! Please, this isn’t what you think!”
“These accusations are lies!”
But the man I loved no longer listened. The ruthless tyrant had returned, and he had just sentenced me to chains. The cold iron of the chains bit into my wrists, their weight sending sharp pulses of pain through my arms as the guards dragged me down the corridors. My feet stumbled against the stone floor, my body weak from the struggle. All that remained of me was silent, broken sobs.
I could hear Amara’s anguished cries behind me, her voice thick with desperation.
“Please! You can’t do this! She hasn’t done anything wrong!” she screamed, but her voice was drowned out by the heavy footfalls of the armored guards escorting me to my cell.
Leonidas was not far behind, his voice razor–sharp with fury.
“This is madness, Killian! You know what Irwin is like! You’re condemning your own woman without even giving her a chance to speak!”
Killian remained silent, his towering figure striding ahead of us. I couldn’t see his face, but I knew exactly what I would find if I looked merciless cruelty, the mark of a tyrant feared by all. His betrayal cut deeper than any wound, but what hurt the most was the realization that he had never broken his promises. That included pain.
‘He hadn’t even given me the chance to defend myself.
The palace corridors felt endless, and as we passed through them, the murmurs of the court trailed after me like a haunting requiem. I could hear their whispers, their wide eyes filled with a mix of shock and intrigue.
“The King’s beloved, chained like a criminal.”
“Wasn’t she supposed to be his wife?”
“Perhaps she was a traitor all along.”
As we reached the entrance to the dungeon, I felt a shift in the air. The damp scent of mold and moss filled my lungs, the cold seeping deep into my bones. The guards pulled open the heavy iron door, and I was shoved forward, my knees colliding with the rough stone floor. A sharp gasp escaped me as pain shot through my legs, but no one cared. “Lock her up,” Killian ordered, his voice devoid of emotion. “She is to be watched constantly. No one is to speak to her without my permission.”
“You’re making the stupidest decision of your life, Killian! Damn it, what the hell is wrong with you?!”
Killian finally turned to Leonidas, his crimson eyes burning with warning.
Chapter 46 Mengin
“Know your place, Leonides. Unless you’d like to jon her
Leonidas clenched his jaw, his fists tightening at his sides. And once the guards had left, he immediately turned toward me shaking his head with fear and desperation
“I’ll find a way to make Killian listen to you”
He swallowed hard, sorrow clear in his golden eyes. I had no strength left to respond exhaustion from my pregnancy draining me completely
“Until then, please, Ruby, Hold on
I wished I could. But somehow, the sun felt too far away to ever see again when the love of your life chose to turn a blind
eye.
E
