Chapter 182: Convenient Threat

Azura turned her head in his direction, a dark look on her face. "You lots are always up to something. I wouldn’t kill Vaughn. Virgil wouldn’t like it."

"But you couldn’t spare my father."

Azura’s left eye twitched. "An unfortunate incident, as we have established. Which wouldn’t have happened if you all never took my daughter. Thankfully, I have her now. Vaughn’s death serves no purpose to me."

"We know that," Claude replied, and his dark circles became a little more pronounced. He crossed his legs, resting his ankle on his knee.

"We have reasons to believe Vilhelm did, but he is rallying up the troops, saying you did it." He kept his gaze on Azura as he spoke.

"Vilhelm?" Her jaw tightened. "If Vaughn is dead, and maybe at the hands of Vilhelm, it is then safe to assume Vilhelm murdered his brother Virgil and took my daughter."

"Yes," Claude replied. He looked like he was about to say more but held his tongue. "She doesn’t know?" He asked, looking at Maya.

She shook her head and glanced at her mother. "I only just woke up moments ago."

She was surprised at how she felt. She didn’t feel tired or drowsy. One might say she felt a little lighter. At least her body, her heart on the other hand felt like a metal stone in her chest. It was hard not to think about what she lost.

However, there was something else she couldn’t quite place her finger on, but it didn’t feel like a cause for concern. Just that something was quite different.

"We haven’t had time to discuss family matters due to your interruptions. You still haven’t stated why you are here."

"Vilhelm has declared war!" Claude broke the news.

Azura chuckled. "War? Surely you jest."

"No," Eleanor said. "My father is dead. Why would you think this a joke?"

"I apologize that I do not have sympathy for your dead father, but Vaughn didn’t have to go to war with my kingdom. He could have believed me and spared me nearly two decades of pain. Instead, he winds up dead."

"Vilhelm was right. You are a Mad Witch!" Her body shook as she stared daggers at Azura, pointing her index finger at her.

"Comparing me to both your father’s and maybe your uncle’s killer is quite cruel, isn’t it?"

"We didn’t come here to fight," Claude said.

"I can’t say the same," she replied. "I have half a mind to send you all out of here."

"Mother," Maya called.

"It’s alright," she said and gently placed her hand on Maya’s shoulder. "I can see they are important to you. Very well. Claude, was it? You say Vilhelm might attack."

"Might? He is rallying the troops. He claims you kidnapped his daughter."

"Rudor," she called. "Has there been any suspicious movement?"

"Not in our terrain, but I’ll place men to keep an eye out."

"Do that."

"Yes, My Liege."

She turned to Claude. "I have no desire for war—not again. All this would be over if you had dealt with Vilhelm as soon as you discovered. Instead of running to your enemy kingdom with your tails between your legs."

Claude narrowed his eyes, and Eleanor stared at Azura with a dumbfounded expression. He couldn’t argue with her logic.

Taking out Vilhelm was the quick and less bloody approach, but he had arrived at the castle a little too late. Vilhelm already had his little plan in motion and had put everything in place.

With the King dead, he had immediately put the kingdom in a state of emergency, with every resource targeted toward the threat: Queen Azura.

What a convenient threat she was. Coupled with her attack on Verlassen and her record of being a Mad Witch, he had all the proof he needed.

He didn’t need to explain the logic of how she got to the King’s privy chambers, and witnesses’ reports also didn’t matter. He had already made himself temporary King until the threat was dealt with.

"What would you have us do, Queen Azura? Execute him?" He asked. It was simply a jab, and he allowed himself a little smile when her expression fell.

"Ha. Funny," she replied with a blank stare. "If that is all, you may leave my kingdom."

"We cannot," Eleanor blurted out. "Word would have reached Vilhelm that we came to you. We risk being executed as soon as we arrive. He killed my father; I am sure he would not hesitate to kill me."

"Mother," Maya called. "Please let them stay. It is too dangerous for them anywhere. Eleanor is also the heir to the throne; Vilhelm would certainly see her as a threat to be eliminated."

Maya didn’t like the taste on her tongue after she said his name. With the new information she had gotten, there was no doubt that the High Alpha knew exactly who she was. He might have been the one who left her in the orphanage.

He had also ordered her not to use her powers after he adopted her. She had a feeling it was to prevent her mother from finding her.

"Fine! You may stay, and yes, Vilhelm has to be defeated, but it is not my priority. I have my daughter." She turned to look at Maya, smiling.

"That he wants to take!"

She scoffed. "I’d like to see him try."

Claude narrowed his eyes, shaking his leg resting on his knee. "Don’t you want revenge? This man took your daughter for two decades and killed your husband! Don’t you want to aveng—"

"Shut up!" She yelled as her eyes turned icy. "Don’t talk to me about that. What do you know?"

"Exactly what it feels like to have someone important to you die at the hands of an evil man. We all do."

Eleanor gripped the handkerchief she held tightly. Despite the redness of her eyes, determination filled her gaze. Azura grabbed Maya’s arm and squeezed tightly.

"Despite the fact that you killed my father, it doesn’t change the fact that Vilhelm manipulated him. If you want no part of this war, leave your troops to me."

"What?" Azura asked, laughing. "You want me to let you lead my army?"

"Yes, and there is nothing funny about that. My absence would be a deadly blow to Vilhelm. We can even take the castle."

"No!"