Chapter 67: The Treason Beneath the Bed
Eiren’s POV
"It is done, Your Grace," Fenin, Eiren’s servant announced in a low whisper as he stepped quietly into Eiren’s bedchamber.
Eiren stopped pacing immediately, dropping his hands from his tangled hair. For hours, his mind had been on fire. Ever since receiving the Kaishata curse artifact from the divine assassin of Elysium, he had been desperately plotting how to sneak it into the omega’s quarters.
Hearing the good news brought a triumphant smile to his face.
"Really? You actually managed to place it under his bed?" Eiren asked, his eyes darting warily around the room as if he feared the very walls had grown ears to expose his treason.
Seraphel was going to sleep, and he was never going to wake up. It wasn’t something anyone should hear.
"How did you get in? Are you absolutely certain no one caught you?" Eiren pressed, his chest rising and falling heavily.
If Fenin had been discovered, the trail of treason would lead straight back to this room, spelling absolute doom for them both.
"I won’t be discovered, Your Highness," Fenin replied, bowing low. "The bundle dissolved into invisible, dark energy the exact moment I slid it beneath the frame. Besides, I am the only servant permitted to clean under his bedding, and no one saw me enter. Everything will work out perfectly."
Eiren’s smile widened.
Clenching his fists in victory, he walked over to his bed and lay down. His mind raced ahead to a future without seraphel, the annoying omega he had grew to hate and how he would win back Prince Azriel’s favor and carry the supreme being’s children.
Suddenly, the sharp sound of clapping echoed from the left side of the room.
Fenin spun around instantly, his face draining of color. "Your Grace! Where is that coming from? There is no one here!"
Eiren’s smile vanished. Frowning deeply, he rose from the mattress, already knowing exactly who it was. In this palace, only one person possessed the cunning method to bypass his wards, conceal his scent, and manipulate the arts of invisibility.
Kaevian.
How long had he been standing there in the dark?
A cold sweat broke out across Eiren’s neck as his frustration grew. He had spilled every single detail of his plot right in front of him. There was no wrapping this secret back up.
"What the hell are you even doing here?" Eiren demanded, looking toward the empty space near the wall.
The air shimmered, and Kaevian materialized near the center of the room. He stepped forward, his hands still casually tapping together as a wicked grin spread across his face.
"I must say, Eiren, I never expected you to go through such lengths just to drag Seraphel down," Kaevian chuckled, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "I heard everything."
"What the hell are you saying, Kaevian?" Eiren snapped. "You heard nothing! Get the hell out of my chambers and stop poking around in things that don’t concern you!"
Kaevian let out a light laugh. "Or maybe, I can go straight to the Prince right now and announce your little midnight plan. We can find out whose head ends up on a spike first." He turned his gaze toward the trembling servant. "I am sure your head servant’s skull would make a lovely centerpiece for the gates. Quite beautiful, indeed."
Eiren’s jaw tightened. He knew Kaevian wasn’t bluffing; he would gladly sacrifice Fenin just to get his way.
"What do you want?" Eiren demanded, his voice shaking with suppressed rage. "Fine, you caught me. Congratulations. Now what the hell do you want from me?"
"Now we are finally talking," Kaevian laughed heartily. He folded his arms neatly inside the flowing sleeves of his robe, his sharp eyes locking onto Eiren’s. "I believe we should work together. You want Seraphel gone, and you’ve already set the trap. Trust me when I say I want the exact same thing. That pathetic omega irritates me to my very core."
Kaevian paced closer, his expression darkening with genuine jealousy. "I actually thought I might have a chance to enter the pleasure quarters tonight, only to be informed that His Highness had locked himself in his private chambers with that creature. From what I know of the Prince, he never does that! Prince Azriel has always summoned us to his pleasure room like toys to be used and dismissed. But with this stupid omega, it is completely different. He dotes on him. He protects him. It makes me sick! That luxury belongs to me, to you, and to the rest of the high-ranking Concubines—not to an annoying pest who doesn’t know his place."
Eiren shrugged his shoulders, feigning indifference. "If that’s the case, what do you actually want from me? I’ve already done the heavy lifting. The curse is planted. It’s not like I need your help for anything else."
Kaevian’s grin stretched even wider. "You truly think you’ve done everything, don’t you? What you seem to forget, Eiren, is that the Prince is not an idiot. He is a supreme being. The moment he realizes his precious little omega won’t wake up, he will tear this palace apart. And once he traces that curse back to you, he will kill you in the blink of an eye."
"There is no way..." Eiren’s voice shook terribly, the confidence draining from his chest as cold realization dawned on him.
Kaevian was right.
prince Azriel’s wrath would be absolute, and he would catch on.
"And that is exactly where I come in," Kaevian whispered smoothly, stepping into his space. "Since I am far better at weaving lies than you are, I will construct a perfect scapegoat. Perhaps one of the lesser concubines. After all, everyone has hated Seraphel since the day he arrived, especially now that he is set to become our princess in seven days. We will give Azriel a target for his rage, and we will walk away completely clean."
Eiren clenched his fists by his side. He hated how tricky Kaevian was, but he knew he couldn’t handle the Prince’s inevitable retaliation alone. Just this once, he would have to join hands with him—at least until Seraphel was dead and he could safely secure his place by Azriel’s side again.
"And what do you want in return for this cover-up?" Eiren asked coldly.
Kaevian smiled, turning on his heel and walking gracefully toward the exit. "Before I came here, I already organized a private gathering with a few others of our kind. High-ranking nobles who share our exact agenda. I expect you to join us in this movement."
Eiren frowned, taking a step forward. "What the hell do you mean by that? Who else is involved?"
"You will know the moment you see them, Eiren," Kaevian murmured, his figure beginning to dissolve back into the shadows near the door. His voice echoed in the quiet room just before he vanished entirely. "Come quietly to my chambers. I shall be waiting."