Cedric's voice brought Adelaide back to reality. She quickly took her gaze away from him.
"I wasn't looking at you," her tiny voice echoed, making Cedric chuckle.
Before she could continue, Cedric's voice echoed, "What are you doing here at this time of day? Aren't you supposed to be asleep?"
"I… I am now your wife, so we are to share the same room," she stammered, trying to make sense even though it sounded stupid to her.
Of all the things she wanted to address herself as, being the bride of the king of beasts is the last of them. Not after her mother's warning and her nightmare, which was still so clear in her head.
"If you say so," Cedric muttered before taking his gaze off Adelaide.
Even though a part of him believes what he was doing was wrong, he doesn't want to welcome any doubt.
He doesn't care what or who his mate turned out to be. All he wants is to break this curse that has been torturing him and putting every beast of Eldrid at risk of dying by his hands.
"When you wake up tomorrow morning, you might not find me here. I will go fight off the vampires until my warriors join me," his words made Adelaide blink her eyes, wondering why he was telling her.
After all, he wasn't taking a princess but a tribute.
"Someone from Eldrid will come to take you to my kingdom," he added before leaving for the bathroom.
Adelaide, who felt her stomach tighten throughout their conversation, inhaled deeply after Cedric left.
She walked over to the mattress and lay down, hoping that when she opened her eyes, all of this would turn out to be a nightmare.
And nothing more than that.
**ELDRID**
Lady Dorio's hands tightened around her heavy gown as she walked in on Devric, her son, pinning another ordinary slave to the wall.
"Just keep being a good female, and I will give you everything you want. Even the world if you ask for it," Devric's voice echoed, reaching for the slave's lips without noticing the sight of his mother.
Lady Dorio stood still, trying hard not to fret. Her son making out with an ordinary slave?
The sound of Devric's zipper made her lose it. She released her grip from her gown before walking up to him.
"Mother…"
Devric gasped at the sight of his mother. Without waiting for her to speak, he turned to the female who was already half-naked.
"Leave!"
After watching the female he could have had to relieve himself and his beast, he zipped back his trousers before turning to face his mother, who was now burning with anger, her usual deep frown cast on her face.
"Mother—"
Before he could complete his statement, Lady Dorio, who couldn't just let his actions slide, slapped him.
"This is the reason you have yet to beat your brother! Look at him, even in his mad state, he is far better than you," each word of hers tore Devric apart. "You think this is the time to be having fun… no, to be promising an ordinary slave the world?"
"Lady Dorio!" Devric shouted, unable to take his mother's treatment. He thought she stopped doing this to him ten years ago.
He expected her to stop treating him like a child because he no longer is! Before being her son, he is the king's brother, a prince, and an assistant specially assigned by his brother, King Cedric in his absence.
"Know your place and stop trying to pry into my life. Have you forgotten you were once a slave until father decided to find favor in your arms after losing his mate?" He replied, not holding back this time.
Lady Dorio scoffed at her son's sudden change. She couldn't help but wonder if he has changed because of an ordinary slave.
There is no way Devric is the son she birthed!
"Devric, can't you see the clear handwriting? Every day your chance of getting this throne from your mad brother keeps getting slimmer! And of all things, you want to be like your father?" She chuckled, as if her words were meant to be funny.
Well, they were.
She knew how every beast mocked both her and her son. They still do now, just behind their backs.
"Do you want your son to be mocked because he is an illegitimate son? Do you want that so-called slave you love to be looked down on forever while scheming with her son to take the throne?" Her words, which used to sink deep into Devric, now felt like dust.
He wasn't affected; he just stood still, his gaze fixed on her.
He closed the gap between them before muttering, "I am no longer that young and naive beast," he paused. "I will get my throne myself! I have been doing fine with my plans without you!"
"Well, I hope it is just as you said because a rumor is circulating that Cedric has found his fated mate, and you know what could happen if it turned out to be true," Lady Dorio muttered before leaving, not spelling out the details to Devric, who didn't look confused.
Of course, she would end up like the five others.