Chapter 86 - The Warning
Chapter 86 – The Warning
At dawn, Hugo and the mad wolf pack finally returned to the palace. A few important individuals of the empire, including Daniel, Cora, Garrett, Tomas, Percival, Silas, and Alice, welcomed him back to the palace. Their eyes landed on their brother's towering figure with his cape draped over his right shoulder.
"Ah… that bloodthirst," Cora mumbled as she scanned Hugo's figure from head to toe. His brother was covered with blood and his red eyes were glowing under the light of the half-moon. Just the sight of him sent this chill down her spine — something she wouldn't get used to.
"Did he kill the prince?" Alice wondered while rubbing her chin, glancing at Daniel. They were all in here to welcome Hugo as people with official positions in the empire. They heard about this unofficial meeting of Hugo and the fourth prince of the Hendrik Empire.
This meeting was important since it could mean the news Hugo brought back was about a war between both empires. A war between vampires and werewolves. Two existences in this world that were born to be arch enemies. Although the races stayed in each other's ways after the great war in the past, the royal family of Ronmin knew that a war against the vampires would rise again.
It may happen in their generation or the next, but they knew, deep down, it would happen eventually.
"What do you think, Daniel?" Alice glanced at Daniel, who fixed his eyes on Hugo's approaching figure. "Do you think I will have to march to the Hendrick Empire tonight?"
As Alice inquired, Cora also shifted her attention to Daniel. The order should be asked to the emperor, but since Daniel was training to take the throne at the emperor's behest, his orders also bore the same weight as Deimos. The life and death of his siblings that were also warriors of the empire lied in his palm.
"I don't think so," Daniel answered after a minute of silence, waiting for Hugo to stop in front of them. "You didn't kill the fourth prince, did you? Hugh?"
Hugo stopped three meters away from his siblings that were at the entrance of the palace. His gaze gloss over them before setting his crimson eyes on Daniel.
"I wished I did, but there is no reason." He tilted his head down as a slight greeting gesture to the crown prince. "I'm tired, Your Highness, the Crown Prince. I wish to rest and report tomorrow to your office."
"Then, I guess… you should." Daniel nodded, and Hugo didn't idle as he strutted past them. After a few seconds, Daniel looked back at Hugo's figure.
"I'm glad you returned in one piece, brother."
Hugo snickered as an arrogant smirk appeared on his face. "Well, of course, I will come back in one piece. That's why I am the one who went there." He cocked his head back and glanced at his other siblings.
"If it's someone else, we will all be wearing black tomorrow," he added arrogantly before resuming in his steps.
"That arrogant rascal." Cora clicked her tongue in irritation but didn't argue with him. Instead, she looked back at Hugo's pack and saw them dragging their feet in exhaustion. Although those people in the mad wolf pack looked like a bunch of simpletons, the blood that tainted their clothes spoke a thousand more words about their contribution to this continent.
"My husband, please assist the mad wolf pack to better quarters. They looked all so tired… and it seems they just fought another troublesome foe."
"Yes, my wife." Garrett nodded and immediately jogged towards Hugo's people who deserved some rest after a seemingly exhausting fight.
Meanwhile, Daniel just stared at the door where Hugo disappeared to. In his mind, Hugo's news was something important. But for him to use the excuse of exhaustion and delay it for a day… only meant it was something only for Daniel and Deimos, the emperor, to hear.
"Dan, are you alright?" he snapped his eyes when Alice inquired.
"Yes." Daniel smiled. "Rest for today. It is good that our brother returned. You can now rest for tonight in peace."
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Meanwhile, Hugo stood in front of Rinnie's room. Just as he reached for the door, he stopped upon seeing his hand, which was covered with blood. In the past, whenever Hugo would go home covered with the blood of his enemies, it never bothered him. He would even sleep even without cleaning himself.
But now… with these same hands that touch her, he couldn't stomach to show himself to her in this state.
"Your Highness, shall I prepare you a bath?" one butler approached him from the side. Normally, Hugo would refuse him. But he would still ask him, just in case.
Hugo's eyelashes fluttered as he gazed at the door. "Yes."
With that being said, Hugo followed the butler to wash up first before checking Rinnie. After they ran him a bath, Hugo carefully dip his body in the tub. There were evident wounds across his body, coloring the water with red.
Hugo leaned his back against the tub, cocking his head back to look at the ceiling. "Azazel, the fourth prince, and Niall, the crown prince… and Daniel," came out a whisper, revisiting the memory of his encounter with the fourth prince of the Hendrick empire.
He closed his eyes along with his deep exhale. As he did, his memory brought him back to the secret meeting with Azazel.
They stood meters away from each other, deep in the woods that surrounded the borders of the Ronmin Empire. Hugo couldn't see half of the man's face as it was covered with the hood of his cloak.
All Hugo could see was the long silver hair and pale lip as if all the blood left his body. Even so, Hugo's guards were all up, as he could feel the man's aura. His instincts told him this man named Azazel was someone he couldn't underestimate.
"You're the mad dog of the Ronmin Empire, the infamous Grand Duke of Belcoot, Hugo Tempest?" as Azazel spoke, an eerie gust of wind blew past them. "Is she with you?"
"She?" Hugo raised a brow.
"The runaway princess of Everfell. She."
Hugo snickered and repeated. "She?" — he found it hilarious that this man wasn't speaking her name as if he knew what could trigger him.
"Yes. She… who holds the power to destroy Hendrik and Ronmin." The space between Hugo's brows wrinkled at Azazel's remarks. "I asked to meet you to tell you something important. If you take her in under your wing, make sure my brother the crown prince, or your brother the crown prince, will never get a hold of her, Your Grace."
Azazel paused as he studied the confusion in Hugo's eyes. "Just like how the queen and king of Everfell kept her, you must lock her up where none of those I mentioned could touch her. Unless…. you want to lose your people in a great war that your ambitious brother and my aggressive brother will start."