Chapter 217: Savior II
"Return?" Oliver echoed, his eyes wide with confusion. "To the palace? Now?!"
"But Sire," Landon tried to say. "We’ve already traveled thus far―"
"Thankfully, not far enough," Rafael said, cutting Landon’s words off before he could continue. The man dutifully kept his lips pinched shut and shrunk back, his head lowered.
Rafael then turned to Oliver, his eyebrows crumpled tightly together and his expression grave. He said, "Lead the men towards our destination. We will rendezvous there. Do not attack or expose your position until I return. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Your Highness," Oliver immediately said.
"Good."
Without sparing his men the luxury of another word, Rafael tugged at his horse’s reins, urging the stallion to turn back. It neighed loudly, its front legs rising into the air for a split second before it turned sharply. Then, in a cloud of dust, Oliver and the rest of the party could only watch as Rafael’s horse went galloping back the way they came.
They hadn’t ventured far, thankfully. They had barely even left the capital, and it should take no time for Rafael to return to the palace. However, every ticking second could be the difference between life and death.
Rafael clenched his jaw hard as he further urged his horse to go faster. He prayed he had mistaken the feeling that the ring had relayed to him. There was a rush of fear, followed by panic and hopelessness. But that wasn’t what frightened Rafael.
No.
It was the sense of relief that he clearly felt rushing through Soleia. There was only one way that would happen, and that would be her last moment before death. He highly doubted his brothers would be so kind as to offer her their assistance, especially since they were most likely the reason why she was in danger― at least, not without coming at a cost.