Witch's Daughter And The Devil's Son

Under the cloak of night, Cian made his return to Abetha guest mansion, his countenance heavy with displeasure. Once again, his pursuit of knowledge regarding that mysterious woman and her group had ended in frustration. Before they could even approach the rendezvous, the smugglers had met their demise elsewhere, leaving no trace.

By the time news reached them, the band herb had been incinerated beyond recovery.

'They are way too familiar with each corner of this kingdom that it's difficult guess from where they would appear and where they disappear.'

Feeling vexed, Cian sought solace at the mountain cliff, a place of childhood memories. There, he gazed into the distance, half-hoping to glimpse the woman with the windmill, yet she remained elusive. His mind churned with questions: to which noble family did she belong? How could he hope to find her without a single lead?

The sole tangible clue, a piece of jewelry, taunted him with its silent mystery.

"Eliot," Cian called for his loyal knight.

Entering the study, the knight responded, "Yes, Your Highness?"

Handing over the jewelry, Cian instructed, "Investigate this. Discover if it holds any significance or belongs to a particular individual. You may enlist the aid of my cousin's men."

Accepting the task, Eliot nodded solemnly. "Yes, Your Highness," he affirmed before departing.

Alone once more, Cian approached the window, his thoughts heavy. 'Why am I so consumed by the desire to find her?' he pondered over. 'I've even resorted to searching the hillside. What am I even doing?'

----

Within the grandeur of Thevailes' guest mansion, a woman glided into the King's study. "Good evening, Your Majesty," she greeted with a respectful nod.

The silver-haired monarch regarded the witch, gesturing for her to take a seat.

Zaria settled into the chair gracefully. "It seems King Samer managed to capture King Drayce's attention today."

Samer met her gaze with a knowing smirk. "The shift in his demeanor upon seeing me confirms the success of our plan. But why reveal your presence to him by allowing him to sense traces of black magic on me?"

"So that he will be compelled to seek me out. In doing so, he'll need to send someone within these walls," Zaria explained, her eyes alight with calculation.

"Are you targeting Prince Arlan's aide through him?" Samer inquired, his curiosity piqued.

"Given the delicate relations between Thevailes and Megaris, direct interactions are unlikely. Thus, he will be compelled to employ an intermediary. We shall merely present him with the opportune moment," Zaria clarified. "Tomorrow, I will ensure that an aide to come to us, allowing me to assess his divine capabilities."

"And what is your plan thereafter?" Samer pressed, his interest keen.

"Having another individual with divine lineage at our disposal only strengthens our position. My current source of such blood, the shapeshifter, she is nearing her end. Acquiring the Queen of Megaris has proven challenging. Until she is within our grasp, securing another reliable source is needed."

"Do as you see fit, so long as it serves Thevailes," Samer instructed.

"It most certainly will," Zaria affirmed confidently. "Once we summon Prince Arlan's aide, the King of Megaris will inevitably take the bait and send them to us again. That gives me ample time to cultivate a friendship with the aide."

"There's a risk of exposing yourself to them," Samer cautioned.

"They lack the means to identify me. Even if they do, there's little they can do while we're here in Othinia," Zaria countered. "King Drayce's powers are inherited from his mother, the Queen of Witches. But he is a warlock and his power is pale in comparison to those of us witches. Furthermore, he doesn't have an ability to stand against the black magic created by me, a black witch.

He can't stand the chance to win against the power of darkness."

Samer swirled the wine in his glass, contemplating. "Do you have a plan to capture the Queen of Megaris?" he inquired.

Zaria smirked. "Impatient, are we, Your Majesty?"

"Just curious to gaze into those rare, captivating eyes," Samer replied with a playful smirk.

"Perhaps you'll have the pleasure during the closing banquet of the summit."

"It won't be as satisfying as beholding them up close, undisturbed by prying eyes," Samer mused.

"Fear not, King Samer. Though we're restrained within Othinia, once they depart the capital, they will fall into our grasp. You can trust me, for this time, I possess something even more potent, something no supernatural force can shield her from," Zaria assured him.

"I'll await the fulfilment of your promise," Samer replied, his anticipation evident.

----

Fifth day of the conference.

As orchestrated by Zaria, Arlan's aide Oriana was beckoned to the guest mansion of Thevailes under the guise of lending her aid as a physician to a distressed servant. With Drayce and Arlan absent, and Yorian off on a clue-hunting mission, no one hindered Oriana's journey there.

Zaria swiftly discerned that this young aide possessed not only divine abilities but was also a black witch, and to her revelation, the very Queen of Witches she had been tirelessly seeking.

Upon Drayce and Arlan's return from the conference, news of Oriana's visit to Thevailes' guest mansion incensed Arlan and left Drayce apprehensive about Zaria's intentions. After a tense exchange with Oriana, they devised a plan to dispatch Oriana alongside Arlan to Thevailes' mansion the following day, albeit after much argument, solely in Drayce's interest.

Drayce sought solace by Seren's side, recounting the events to her.

"I am sorry, Dray. I was not aware when Oriana went to the guest mansion of Thevailes. If I had known before, I would have stopped her," Seren said apologetically, knowing how dangerous it could be for Oriana.

"It's not your fault, my Queen," Drayce assured, "Oriana is willful and has a strong sense of her duty. Even if her enemy is sick, she would keep her enmity away and fulfill her responsibility as a physician."

"Prince Arlan must be furious. Did they quarrel again?" Seren inquired.

"It concerns her safety so ofcourse he is angry, but we have another plan. Tomorrow Arlan and Oriana will both go to the Thevailes mansion."

"Why?"

"To ascertain Zaria's presence," Drayce answered solemnly.

At the mention of Zaria's name, Seren's body tensed. Memories of her abduction still haunted her, and the mere mention of Zaria sent shivers down her spine. She feared this witch would tear her away from her beloved husband.

"Even if she is present, she will never reach you, Seren," Drayce reassured her tenderly. "What happened in the past will never be repeated. She will never lay a hand on you."

Seren embraced him tightly, seeking comfort. "I trust you. I never want to be separated from you."

Returning her embrace, Drayce whispered, "I know."

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