Chapter 408: The Forgotten Past - II

Ceri let out a fierce snarl.

The woman raised her hand, her palm glowing with green demonic energy. "Quickly, Lady Hera, step back!"

She was about to unleash her power when Hera shouted, "Stop!"

The moment the command left her lips, a suffocating aura saturated the atmosphere. An unseen force crushed down upon the room, demanding unconditional submission.

Ceri instantly shrank back into a tiny pup, while the woman collapsed onto her knees, the magic in her hands snuffing out completely as she stared up at Hera in sheer shock.

Hera exhaled a slow, shaky breath, pressing a hand over her hammering heart. "That was far too close..."

Turning toward Ceri, she fixed the creature with a sharp look. "You are never to attack anyone within these walls."

Ceri flattened his ears against his head, letting out a pitiful whimper as he pressed his nose to the carpet. Hera’s resolve crumbled instantly.

She leaned down, carefully gathering the trembling beast into her arms.

"Listen to me, little one. This place is my home, which makes it your home as well. You cannot harm those who reside under this roof. Do you understand me?"

Ceri purred softly, prompting Hera to hug him against her chest and stroke his back. "Good boy."

Meanwhile, the woman on the floor watched the entire interaction in utter disbelief. "Milady... did you just..."

Hera turned around, her expression shifting to one of immediate guilt. "Forgive me, Vorra. That must have terrified you. I should have been far more careful."

Vorra shook her head slowly, pushing herself up from the cold floor. "That’s not what concerns me, Lady Hera. That creature is incredibly dangerous, yet you... did he truly just obey your command?"

Hera smiled warmly. "Vorra, meet Ceri. He is my pet now."

"Y-your pet?" Vorra stammered. "Milady, creatures like him are highly dangerous, even to a noble such as yourself. As far as I know, they’re incredibly ferocious, and their bites are venomous. Don’t be fooled by his pup disguise. It’s merely a trick to lure unsuspecting prey-"

Vorra cut herself off as Ceri growled at her again, baring his sharp little teeth as if deeply offended by her words.

Hera gently rubbed the top of Ceri’s head. "Calm down, little one." She then offered a reassuring smile to her friend. "Don’t worry, Vorra. Ceri will not harm me. Right, Ceri?"

The beast chose to ignore Vorra completely and curled up against Hera’s chest.

Hera chuckled softly. "You see?"

Vorra watched the scene in silent shock, a familiar bitterness rising in her chest.

Vorra belonged to an archdemon lineage and was the daughter of Hera’s mother’s close friend. When her parents passed away during a rogue beast attack years ago, Hera’s family had taken her in, raising her right alongside Hera.

They had grown up together, sharing a bond that Vorra had once treasured above all else.

Yet, somewhere along the way, that bond was becoming tangled with envy.

She had begun to resent the very things that made Hera so remarkable... her loving family, her prestigious noble lineage, and her beauty, which could captivate even the most discerning of men.

And lately, there had been something else.

Hera possessed abilities that seemed to come effortlessly to her. She could command creatures with an ease that left others bewildered, and when her emotions flared, even those around her could find themselves compelled to submit to her will.

It had always been unusual, but as Hera’s eighteenth birthday approached, these incidents had become increasingly frequent.

Each time Vorra witnessed it, unwillingly jealousy tightened its grip around her heart.

"So, what was it you needed from me, Vorra?" Hera’s gentle voice snapped her back to reality.

"Ah, yes!" Vorra quickly snapped out of her dark spiral and composed her expression. "Your mother sent me to check whether you had returned. She requests your presence in the drawing room,"

"Thank you, Vorra," Hera said with a nod. "I shall go to her at once."

Setting Ceri gently upon her bed, Hera pointed a stern finger at the pup. "You stay here. No attacking anyone, and if you hear footsteps, hide beneath the pillows."

Ceri purred softly, leaning into her touch.

Vorra frowned slightly. "Milady, what if the household staff enters to clean?"

"I will cast a protective barrier over the room so no one can step inside," Hera replied, turning toward her friend with an earnest look. "Vorra, please... do not tell my parents about Ceri just yet."

Vorra hesitated, her gaze shifting nervously between Hera and the tiny beast curled on the bed and a soft sigh escaped her lips.

"Very well, Milady," Vorra murmured. "I’ll keep your secret. But please be careful. If your mother finds out you’ve brought a high-tier beast into the house, especially so close to your birthday banquet, we’ll both be in serious trouble."

Hera beamed with relief. "Thank you, Vorra! I promise he will not harm anyone," she reassured her, scratching Ceri behind the ears one last time before heading toward the chamber door.

"You know I would never betray your trust," Vorra replied, placing a hand over her heart.

Hera chuckled softly. "I knew I could always count on you."

Vorra offered a sweet smile, prompting, "Now make haste before Her Grace comes up here herself in search of you."

"Right." Hera stepped into the hallway alongside Vorra, raising her hand to weave a protective barrier over her doorway. "Do you have any idea what Mother wishes to discuss?"

"I believe it concerns the return of the Princes," Vorra replied.

Hera’s warm smile instantly vanished. "Right... the Princes. I had almost forgotten."

"You know the royal tradition by now," Vorra reminded her gently. "Every young woman who comes of age must first be presented before the Crown Prince to see if she is his destined mate. Only after he passes her by can she be betrothed to another."

Hera scoffed lightly. "I have always found that custom utterly ridiculous."

"Ridiculous?" Vorra exclaimed. "Don’t you want to be the Crown Prince’s mate? You could rule the Underworld alongside him!"

At once, Hera’s thoughts drifted to the man she had encountered in the forest earlier that day. For some inexplicable reason, the thought of becoming the Crown Prince’s mate no longer appealed to her. In fact, a part of her hoped she wouldn’t be.

"Where did you go?" Vorra asked, nudging her out of her thoughts.

Hera smiled mischievously and nudged her friend in return. "Well, if that’s the case, it could very well be you. After all, you’re turning eighteen just a day before me."

"Oh, an archdemoness like me could never dream of such a fate," Vorra murmured, though a faint blush crept onto her cheeks despite her modest words.

"A mate is a mate, Vorra, so you never know," Hera replied as they continued down the corridor.

While the two friends chatted, Aliana, who had been watching the memory unfold, felt a cold shiver run down her spine. She stared at Vorra in utter shock, dread coiling through her body as the truth struck her.

She recognised that demoness.

Vorra was the very same woman who had taken Cedric’s life on the island.