Chapter 150: The Choice
Rhaegar whipped around toward the carriage, his eyes widening in disbelief as Lorelai burst out as though it were on fire.
Naveen, startled by her queen’s abrupt awakening and the chaotic frenzy that followed, hurried after her. But Lorelai sprinted toward Daro as if an invisible, unyielding force was pulling her to him.
"Lorelai, no!" Rhaegar shouted, bolting after her. Yet, something in her wide, terror-stricken eyes made him freeze mid-step.
Her face, usually so serene and radiant, was now twisted in an expression of raw terror and frustration, warping her beauty into something almost unrecognizable.
She moved like a wounded animal, wild and desperate, trying to protect itself even as it ran toward danger. Her bare feet, already bloodied from the sharp blades of grass, seemed to ignore the pain in their frantic flight.
Something was terribly wrong, and Rhaegar couldn’t piece together why.
"Everyone, halt!" he commanded his men, who had started forward, ready to intercept the queen. His voice rang with authority, though his heart hammered with unease. He turned toward Naveen, his expression desperate for answers.
But the witch simply shook her head, her face pale with resignation. "No," she mouthed silently, closing her eyes as if surrendering to an inevitable truth.
In that moment, Rhaegar understood. Althea had succeeded.
"Your Highness!" Daro’s cheerful voice rang out, slicing through the tension like a blade. The sound jarred Rhaegar, rattling his composure as if the ground beneath him had shifted.
"You’re safe now, don’t worry!" Daro called out, his grin wide, his tone mockingly protective. "I’m here to protect you!"