Thorin, his posture rigid with the formality befitting a lord of his stature, turned towards Asher.

His voice, cool and detached, broke the silence, “Is there anything else I can help you with, Your Majesty?”

Asher, the corners of his lips tugging upward in a satisfied smile, replied smoothly, “That will be all, Lord Thorne. I shall return to my place now.”

With a final, meaningful glance toward Esther, whose discomfort only deepened under his knowing gaze, he turned to leave. The subtle curl of his lips spoke volumes, leaving an air of unresolved mystery swirling in his wake.

“Fufu…he really did it,” Sabina whispered under her breath, her voice a silken thread laced with intrigue. She alluringly licked her lips, her eyes sparkling with mischief and anticipation.

No sooner had Asher’s silhouette vanished through the grand archway of the castle than Esther, driven by a surge of urgency, hurried to intercept Thorin. Planting herself firmly before him, her voice carried a mix of anxiety and demand, “My lord, what did you two discuss in there? Did he make any compromise?” Her eyes searched Thorin’s, seeking clues to the surprising calm that had settled over him since Asher’s departure.

Thorin, his back straight, hands clasped behind him, met her gaze with an unreadable expression, “A compromise? Maybe, but from both our sides. Our House will see better days than ever. This is what we are going to do…” He began to detail the discussions held behind closed doors, his words methodically unfolding the layers of their agreement. Esther listened, her eyes flickering with disbelief as the implications of their conversation sank in.

By the time Thorin finished, Esther’s voice wavered for a brief moment, “How could you accept that? This is unprecedented, and what about Edmund? What about his future?”

His expression unmoved, cold as the stone beneath their feet, Thorin replied, “He brought it upon himself, and it’s up to him to pull himself up, not our House. We have to do whatever’s necessary for the sake of our House, and Asher already proposed a way that would compensate for everything he took from us in a way. It’s the best outcome for our present scenario.”

Her expression remained the same, though her fingers slowly began to curl, reflecting her inner turmoil. Knowing Thorin’s decision was final, she turned sharply, her steps quick and heavy as she exited the castle silently.

Sabina, who had been quietly observing the exchange, rose from her shadowed corner with a sly grin, “This is getting even more interesting, fufu…” she murmured, her voice low and full of dark delight as she trailed after her mother, eager to see what was going to happen.

—

The Hellbringer Tower loomed ominously as Asher entered its grand dark hall, his steps relaxed yet purposeful. The walls, carved from the darkest stone, swallowed light, leaving only the faintest glimmer to navigate by. Just as Asher reached the midpoint of the hall, the massive doors behind him burst open with a resounding clang, causing an echo to ripple through the vast space.

A figure, clad in an off-shoulder dark blue elegant dress, her long silver hair cascading down her back like a frozen waterfall, strode in with urgency. Her pale red eyes scanned the shadowy expanse until they settled on Asher’s back. Halting abruptly, she then composed herself and began to walk towards him with measured steps.

“A royal alliance? So all this time you were planning to use my daughter to cover up your schemes?” Esther’s voice sliced through the silence, as cold as the stone encasing them.

Despite the strategic gains of the deal Asher made with Thorin, a knot of vexation tightened in Esther’s stomach, inexplicably souring her mood. Logically, things finally looked better for her House since Asher was not only the king but also a genius with unimaginable potential. No king in the history of this kingdom had ever proposed such a royal alliance out of worry letting any House other than House Drake gain too much power and influence.

She could see why Thorin even seemed to forget whatever Asher did all this time.

And since his bloodline seems to be miraculously compatible with those not of his alien race, there wasn’t even much worry if Sabina would be compatible with him. But despite all this, why wasn’t she feeling good about this?

Asher turned slowly, a slight curve to his lips, his gaze piercing, “What’s wrong? It’s not like your daughter doesn’t want this. If you ask her, you will know that she is to blame as well.”

Esther halted, her voice laced with a hint of unease, “What are you talking about? She doesn’t even know about this yet.”

Asher scoffed, his disdain palpable in the dim light, “Are you sure or are you just refusing to acknowledge the truth? You were the one who sent Sabina to manipulate me, didn’t you? Ordering her to turn me into a puppet king for you people to control?”

A flicker of tightness crossed Esther’s features at his accusation. After a moment to collect her thoughts, she responded in a controlled, icy tone, “Did Sabina tell you that?”

“Looks like you didn’t expect your daughter to like me so much, did you? I have no doubt that she would be willing to castrate her own brother just to share a night with me,” Asher retorted, his scoff echoing off the walls, a chill in his voice matching the cold of the hall.

Esther’s fists clenched at her sides, her voice a bitter whisper, “You…How dare you. Sabina would never-“

Asher’s laughter filled the cavernous hall, low and menacing, as he interrupted Esther’s protestations, “Never fall in love with my dick like you did? How naive of you. She is your daughter and a daughter is bound to like certain things the same as her mother, right?” His words were laced with a mocking tone, a twist of amusement in his eyes.

Esther’s discomfort was palpable, her eyes shifting in shame and a flood of steamy memories before she responded with a stiff shake of her head, “Never. Sabina might have certain… tendencies and hobbies, but she would never do anything to harm our House, let alone allow anything to happen to Edmund.”

“Of course. She would never do anything to harm her House, as she clearly stated to me. But isn’t she doing a favor for your House? Edmund has been nothing but trouble, torturing me while I was soulless, killing our people during the war with the Umbralfiends for no good reason, and trying to lay his dirty hands on my woman during the Quest of the Worthy. All this is enough for me to put your House into real trouble. How could your produce such a traitorous filth?” Asher retorted sharply, his words slicing through the air with a calculated chill.

Esther’s eyes briefly shook, and they never expected that Edmund was that foolish to go after Asher’s women during the quest. Was he relying on the confidence that nobody else was there to judge his actions? But even if Edmund didn’t do that, the rest of the deeds Asher mentioned made her expression harden as she knew he was right. Yet, the bitter sting came not just from Edmund’s follies but from the realization that Sabina had orchestrated this and helped this alien behind her back, “Sabina might be wiser than her siblings, but she still can make poor judgments, especially when it comes to a cunning man like you. I want you to stay away from her and forget whatever plans you might have had by using her,” Esther declared, her voice firm yet tinged with bitterness and concern for her daughter she didn’t even realize.

“Hahahaha…” Asher’s response was a cold, mocking laugh as he advanced towards her, his presence imposing while Esther subtly frowned.

But in a swift, unsettling move, his figure blurred, and suddenly he was too close, his hand shooting out to grasp her silky silver locks, yanking her head back sharply. Esther briefly winced yet coldly glared at him as his face hovered near hers, his smile chilling, “Stay away from her? Where is this sudden concern coming from? Weren’t you the one who ordered her own daughter to risk her own life by trying to manipulate me? When did you start being such a caring mother?” he whispered beside her ear, making her skin shiver under his hot breath.

Esther’s eyes briefly glazed over as his words struck a chord in her heart. Thinking about it, why was she having this feeling of regret when thinking about the order she gave Sabina when at that time she felt nothing but confidence in her decision.

“Even without considering that, do you think your husband is going to spare you if you mess up again by impeding my new deal with your House?” he scoffed, his words slicing through the tense air.

Esther’s response was more visceral than before, a mix of fear and resolve flashing across her face. Her chin quivered briefly, betraying her emotions, but her spirit remained unbroken. In a swift motion driven by a mix of desperation and anger that she was bottling up all this time, she reached out, grabbing Asher’s collar. Her voice, cold yet trembling with underlying desperation, cut sharply through the room, “What will it take you to leave her alone after she marries you?” Her eyes, steely and direct, feeling that he would probably use Sabina to take advantage of her own House once she becomes his and would no longer be under her protection.

“Hahaha…” The question seemed to amuse Asher, who let out a low, menacing laugh. But then he allowed his face to hover just inches from hers, their breaths mingling in the charged space between them, “Well…since you are asking me like this, how about you become my slave?” he proposed, the words vile and chilling as his smile broadened into a sinister grin.

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