The Blood King's Blade (Book one) COMPLETE ✅

An Enemy Revealed (Chapter Eighteen)

Cora weaved through the crowd, chasing after a boy with a long red braid. He quickly glanced back at her. There was no doubt about it this was Prince Lyon.

"Lyon!" Cora cried out.

His pace quickened upon hearing his name.

Cora sped up desperate to catch up to him.

He darted down a dark alleyway and Cora followed.

After what felt like a labyrinth of twists and turns she finally caught up to him.

He leaned up against the wall gasping for air "Prince Lyon!" Cora cried out as she ran over to help him.

"You shouldn't have followed me her he snapped!"
Before she could question why heavy footsteps approached from behind her. She turned to see... Dimitri? He grabbed her by the neck and forced her into a sleeper hold. She tried to pry his arms off of her but her attempts were fruitless.

She woke up seated at a long banquet table. The only light in the room was the faint glowing of the fireplace.

"Sleeping Beauty is finally awake." Prince Lyon stood by the fire holding an open book in his hands.

"What happened to Dimitri?" Cora asked though she was afraid to hear the answer "Don't worry, I took care of him you'll never have to worry about him again."

Why would Dimitri try to hurt her? They hadn't talked much recently but how could someone change so much so fast? She needed answers. She tried to stand but then she realized her hands and feet were tied to the chair.

"Untie me," she said, her voice was firm and demanding.

"Calm down. There's nothing to worry about," he walked towards her and picked up a goblet off the table. "You look thirsty you should have a drink." He placed the goblet on her lips. It was filled with a bright pink liquid. The scent was vaguely familiar to her. The taste was sweet and warm, it was intoxicating ,the more she drank the more she wanted. Her tastebuds were overwhelmed by the flavor of cherries.

In an instant everything made sense. She spat out the the drink back into the chalice.  "You've been using a love potion on me!"

"Where would you get  a ridiculous idea like that?" Prince Lyon laughed, but you could hear a twinge if nervousness in his voice.

"You've been putting it in the tea the whole time, haven't you? You've been trying to seduce me!"

He threw the goblet against the wall in a brief moment of rage. His eyes flickered a shade of yellow. "You didn't respond to my threats so I had to make you talk a different way."

Prince Lyon was the King of Shadows? Didn't the King of Shadows attack him on Mt. Nevado?  Right now she needed to focus on calling backup. He had forgotten to take her earpiece, but she couldn't reach the distress button. She needed to stall for time.

She felt a steal blade brush up against her neck. "Honestly, I was hoping you'd be a good girl and I wouldn't have to kill you, but now you know too much. I should kill you now, but I'd much prefer to make the Blood King watch helplessly as you perish. You aren't the first woman I've taken away from him, but you will be the last."

Cora forced herself to put on a brave face.  "Who are you?"

"I suppose there's no harm in you knowing the truth it's not like you'll live to tell the tale. My real name is Galen Rivero, but you may also know me as the King of Shadows and I'm here to make the Blood King pay for his sins."