Chapter 105
Bang!
A loud shot echoed through the forest, sending birds flying in all directions. At the same time, a single bird dropped from the sky, and the hunting dogs bolted after it.
Only after confirming the hit did Helios lower his gun.
“Youâre pushing yourself too hard, arenât you?”
Vincenzo took the gun from him, eyeing him with concern. Helios licked his dry lips.
“Why? Is there a problem? Iâm doing a great job inspecting the hunting grounds.”
“You havenât slept, Your Highness.”
“Canât slack off when weâre inspecting the hunting grounds.”
“We have time. Even if you slow down a bit, weâll finish ahead of schedule.”
The hunting ground inspection, prepared for an important guest, involved the Sun Knights actively hunting while mapping the areaâ
Marking where certain animals could be found, noting predator zones and dangerous spots to avoid any accidents, ensuring a pleasant and safe hunt.
Usually, this wasnât something the commander himself would do.
Heliosâs presence was more for showâmeant to impress the visiting king of Byzantian.
Even so, from the moment they arrived, Helios had been running on short naps, personally leading the hunt.
“This is still too slow,” he muttered.
Unlike his usual self, he looked rushed. In his haste, he even missed a few targetsâsomething entirely uncharacteristic.
“Weâre moving.”
Helios checked the terrain ahead for hazards and signaled the knights.
Then, without waiting for the others to return with the retrieved prey, he started walking again.
In the past, leaving the palace had always been a welcome change.
Had he received this assignment before meeting Rienna, Helios wouldâve probably spent hours counting ants just to stay out here longer.
But now? All he wanted was to go back.
His body mightâve been in the hunting grounds, but his mindâhis heartâwas still in the palace, beside Rienna.
When she told him it was fine and to go, Helios heard the worry beneath her words.
Sheâd tried to hide it, but nothing escaped his eyes.
The way her hands clung to him when they kissed, the way she leaned in closer whenever he tried to pull away.
She played it cool, but that only made it worse.
Helios glanced down at his hands. He could still feel the exact weight of Rienna collapsing into his arms after the kiss.
The memory drained the strength from him, leaving a dull ache in his chest.
A sense of uneaseâno, something worse. A foreboding that crawled under his skin.
The back of his neck stiffened, and his heart pounded with an unpleasant thud.
“Your Highness?”
Vincenzo held out the gun, but Helios didnât even answer. He mounted his horse in one swift motion.
“I need to check the palace. Vincenzo, finish things up here!”
And with that, his horse took off, tearing through the thick forest.
***
“Whereâs Rienna?”
Helios arrived at the palace, soaked in sweat, having ridden without pause.
The servant who took his reins wore a grim expression.
Something must have happened.
Heliosâs throat bobbed with a hard swallow. He bit down on his glove, tore it off, and tossed it aside as he rushed toward Riennaâs quarters.
Her wing was as quiet as ever. But the quiet felt⌠wrong. Too still. Too heavy. The kind of silence that made your stomach drop.
The air was so heavy, it felt like it was smothering sound itself.
Heliosâs steps quickened, his heartbeat growing loud and erratic.
So loud, in fact, he didnât hear the soft moaning seeping through the cracks of Riennaâs tightly shut door.
He didnât even think to knockâhe just pushed the door open.
The scene inside hit him all at once.
The shape of his dread had finally taken form.
Blood-splattered bedsheets. Rienna, bound and crying. Ebony and Jamie, both biting their lips hard enough to draw blood.
Jamie let out a sharp, stifled gasp when she saw him.
“Your Highness! We sent a message, just moments ago⌔
“What happened here?”
Heliosâs voice was terrifyingly low, razor-sharp in its restraint.
Ebony bowed deeply, only just managing to speak.
“There was an incident.”
“Details,” he said, cold and cutting.
Helios gave the order as he strode straight to Riennaâs side. The first thing he didâwithout hesitationâwas undo the ropes binding her.
“Your Highness, itâs dangerous. Lady Rienna isnât in a stable condition,” Jamie warned.
“Is Rienna an animal to you?”
Helios snapped, his voice so thunderous Jamie instinctively covered her ears.
He pulled her arms free and folded them gently against her side before wrapping her in a fierce embrace.
Her blood soaked into the sweat-drenched fabric of his shirt.
“Explain.”
Helios ran his hand over her skin, brushing over her paling cheekâthen lowered his head and licked the discolored patch.
“Donât, Your Highness,” Ebony urged. “You could be poisoned.”
“Poison? Someone poisoned her food?”
The color draining from Riennaâs skin⌠it was unmistakable. Classic signs of toxicity.
“She was bitten. By a snake.”
