Chapter 262: Chapter 262

I could feel my blood boiling. My heart thumped so hard that I thought it would tear out of my chest. The moment Adrik walked out on me, I lost it.

"Damn you!" I screamed, hurling the nearest cup across the room. It shattered against the wall. The sound only fed my rage. I grabbed a vase next, throwing it down hard, watching it burst into pieces. My breath came in short, sharp bursts.

How dare he? How dare Fridolf use Adrik like that?

I snatched the chair by the fire and kicked it over. The wood cracked, echoing my fury. My chest hurt, my hands trembled. I didn’t care. I wanted to scream until the walls cracked.

"Uncle Fridolf!" I shouted as I stormed out of the room. My steps echoed down the hallway. Two guards at the corner tried to stop me, but one look from me made them step aside. My eyes were burning, my hair falling over my face.

When I got to Fridolf’s room, I didn’t knock. I pushed the door open so hard it slammed into the wall.

He was sitting by the window, going through some maps. His calmness only made me angrier.

He lifted his head slowly. "You look like a storm, Belinda."

"Don’t play with me!" I yelled. "Why did you put Adrik up to seduce me?"

Fridolf leaned back in his chair, his face blank for a second before he scoffed, that infuriating smirk tugging at his lips.

"Seduce you?" he repeated mockingly. "You really think Adrik has that kind of power? You’re the one who went after him. You always have been... ambitious."

"Don’t twist it!" I snapped, pointing a shaking finger at him. "You knew what you were doing! You made him get close to me just to spy, didn’t you?"

He chuckled, resting his chin on his hand. "Belinda, please. You think too highly of yourself. You think every man who touches you is sent by me? You’re not that irresistible."

I clenched my fists. "You don’t trust me, do you? After everything I’ve done for you....after everything I’ve risked!"

He stood up slowly, his tall frame casting a shadow across the room. "Trust?" he said coldly. "You and I both know this isn’t about trust. This is about power. You play your little games, and I play mine. The only difference, my dear, is that I’m better at it."

My throat tightened. "You think this is a game?"

He smirked again. "Everything is a game. You just hate losing." The rıghtful source is noⅴelfire.net

I bit my lip so hard it almost bled. "You think I won’t fight you, Uncle?"

"You already did," he said calmly. "And look where that got you."

Before I could reply, the door opened and one of his guards stepped in. He bowed his head immediately.

"Your Highness," the man said, panting slightly.

Fridolf waved his hand. "You’re late."

"I came as fast as I could," the guard said, still kneeling.

Fridolf gave him a cold stare. "You may speak."

I folded my arms. "No. I’m staying. Whatever he has to say, I’ll hear it too."

"No," I cut him off, stepping closer. "I’m not leaving this time. All information must pass through me, too."

Fridolf exhaled slowly through his nose, then motioned lazily with his hand. "Fine. Speak."

The guard swallowed hard, eyes flickering between us. "I went after Lisa."

"And?" Fridolf asked.

"She’s... not ordinary," the guard said slowly. "The way she moves, the way she hides her tracks, it’s almost unnatural. She doesn’t leave a scent for long. I followed what I thought was her trail, but it vanished near the east border."

Fridolf’s brow furrowed. "So you’re saying you found nothing?"

The guard hesitated. "That’s... correct, Your highness. I have no idea where she went. She could be anywhere."

Fridolf’s voice hardened. "That’s not what I asked. I asked what you found. Not what you didn’t find."

The man flinched. "T-that’s all, Your highness. But... there was something else."

Fridolf raised a brow. "Go on."

The guard hesitated again, glancing at me before speaking. "While passing through the northern border, I saw Luna Belinda’s father. He was being dragged through the main road... handcuffed by the palace guards."

Everything in me froze. My ears rang. "What?" I breathed.

The guard looked down. "I didn’t get close, but it looked like he was being taken to the palace prison."

My chest clenched. "No....no, no! What the fuck! They took him instead of me?" I yelled, stepping forward.

"Belinda!" Fridolf barked.

I spun around, shaking my head. "No! They took my father! My father!" My voice cracked. "I have to go to the palace...I have to..."

Before I could rush out, Fridolf grabbed my wrist hard.

"Where do you think you’re going?" he demanded.

"Let go of me!" I shouted, pulling against his grip. "They have him, Uncle! My father’s there! I need to save him!"

Fridolf’s face darkened. "Are you stupid, or are you just pretending to be?"

He stepped closer, his eyes sharp as knives. "Do you not see what’s happening? They didn’t take him because they wanted him. They took him because they want you to come running!"

Tears stung my eyes. "I can’t just sit here and do nothing!"

He scoffed. "You can, and you will. Because if you walk into that palace now, you’ll ruin everything we’ve planned. Damon may be weak, but Kael and Rowan are not. Do you want all our efforts to go to waste because of your emotions?"

My lips trembled. "He’s my father..."

"And he’s a pawn," Fridolf said coldly. "A small one. Don’t forget that."

"You talk about my father like he’s nothing!" I screamed. "You used me, you used Adrik, and now you want to use my father as well? What the hell is wrong with you, Uncle?"

He didn’t even blink. "What’s wrong with you is that you let your heart rule your head."

My hands shook. "I hate you sometimes," I whispered.

He smiled faintly. "Good. Hate makes you sharp."

"Stop talking to me like I’m one of your soldiers!" I snapped.

He turned away from me, walking to the window. "If you were one of my soldiers, you’d at least follow orders."

I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms. "I swear, when this is over..."

He cut me off. "When this is over, you’ll thank me for keeping you alive. Now sit down, Belinda. You’re not leaving this base."

I stared at him, breathing hard. My heart was still racing, my mind torn between anger and fear. I wanted to fight him. I wanted to run. I wanted to scream.

But deep down, I knew he was right. They took my father to bait me. And if I went now, I’d walk right into their trap.

Still, the thought of him, alone, handcuffed, scared, burned through me.

"Uncle," I said quietly. "If they hurt him..."

He turned, his expression unreadable. "Then they’ll pay. But not today. We wait, we plan, we strike when it matters."

I bit my lip, tears falling silently. "You don’t understand."

He walked closer, lowering his voice. "I understand better than you think. But the world doesn’t care about your tears, Belinda. It only respects power."

"Maybe that’s why no one ever really loves you," I said bitterly.