Chapter 42: Chapter 42

TRISTAN:

‘That boy… He’s no ordinary wolf.’

I didn’t need Albus to tell me that. I could clearly see what he meant.

I was worried what that cocky prince would tell Dahlia, so I projected Albus using my powers to eavesdrop on their conversation. Little did I know that this blasted prince will discover him.

As far as I know, only a sorcerer could recognize his kind… If that is the case, that prince maybe more special than he seemed.

I pondered for a while. When I made my investigations about him back then, he didn’t seem to be of suspicious origin.

His father, King Maurus Lyon, was of noble birth. They had headed the White Fang Pack for generations now, and their family never married to any outsiders...

Then, does it mean that this prince’s ability to sense magic would be innate, wouldn’t it?

‘Let’s just be careful around him from now on. He saw us use my powers from before, and he could sense your projected form as well… We cannot afford to be caught,‘ I told Albus and Arthur inside our heads.

After making sure that Dahlly was feeling alright, I went out to get through my business for the day, and the first on my list was talking to Samalah.

I summoned her while I was alone in the carriage on the way to the palace. She materialized effortlessly in front of me.

“Is everything alright now? You found the girl?”

I nodded towards her.

Despite being the only one who could see her, Samalah donned herself in a royal blue dress akin to the fashion worn by women in the capital. I began to wonder if she ever missed being a part of the city.

“I thought this will suit your taste,” she said breaking into a wide grin. “Isn’t this what that girl you took in would usually wear?”

I have no clue why she said what she just said… It’s not like our relationship was on that level that she had to care about my tastes…

Samalah and I go a long way back. Once, she was also a part of this glamorous kingdom they call Talandor. She’s a hybrid – her mother being a water fairy and his father a pure-blooded werewolf.

However, this kingdom had a long, hard tradition of loving nothing but its own kind, and the dominant pack – the White Fangs had the upper hand in all these ridiculous policies.

Samalah’s parents then had to conceal hers and her mother’s identities. Fairies are skilled when it comes to magic, so for a time, they were able to live in peace.

One fateful day, however, their secrets were discovered. Samalah’s father was dragged away in prison for concealing identities and harboring power-wielding creatures, and Samalah and her mother were driven away and sold as slaves.

The Samalah before me was hardened by life since she was little. Our common backgrounds and hate for this kingdom run deep… That is what bonded us together since the beginning.

“The potion, have you finished making it?”

She produced a small vial with a reddish liquid inside. She was about to hand it over to me when she took back her hand and smiled in a coy manner.

“Ah, but Tristan, I’m just curious… Why would you need it this badly?”

This intricate plan of revenge was hers to begin with. My plan only involved infiltrating the enemy’s political structure and bringing it down, killing and shaming everyone that were ever involved with my family’s death in cold blood. She was the one who coaxed me into the idea of seducing Lady Hurst.

Now, I have gotten myself in too deeply… I can’t possibly tell her that her idea had backfired lest she kills Dahlia… I should be careful.

“What made you think I was desperate for that potion?”

“Well, you are behaving a little odd last time we spoke… And also, you never summoned me like this… You know I never liked entering the capital,” Samalah spoke in a singsong voice.

“I don’t like being influenced by your magic more than I should,” I said curtly.

“Hmm, I see… You’re not falling into that Dahlia Hurst for real, are you?”

“Why would I,” I lied, “You, of all people, should know how much I hate her…”

The wolves within me were baring their teeth. I ignored them.

“You know you’re a terrible liar, Tristan… Maybe making her fall for you wasn’t a good idea after all…”

I sniggered. “Just give me the damn potion… You know your magic was the cause of these conflicting things inside my head!”

“Very well, but under one condition.”

“And what’s that?”

“Promise me that after all of these are over, you have to kill Dahlia Hurst with your own hand...”

I internally hesitated. The original plan was to have Dahlia be sent away so that his father could feel the pain of having someone he loved dearly so near yet so far away from his grasp.

“Alright, alright… I’ll do whatever,” I said. This talk was positively giving me a headache.

She finally gave me the vial, which I immediately took.

“You have to take one vial every week to counteract the potion. Are you on the way to the council now?”

“Yes,” I replied.

I was summoned over to the council meeting as the new head of Crohmwall District. I didn’t choose a random district to purchase after all. I chose it because it is one of the places heavily ravaged by rogues and vampires. It’ll be a perfect place to get me a seat at that important meeting.

Today, of all days, the peace talk meetings with the Blasted Ones will be done. I wonder how that’ll go…

Even after a few minutes had passed, Samalah’s potion still had a detestable bitter taste that lingered in my mouth. I remembered Dahlia’s face as she drank her own bitter medicine a few hours ago…

My heart beat raced… I just took a potion that was supposed to numb my feelings for Dahlia, and it didn’t seem to be that effective… Maybe I needed something stronger…

“Well then, your stop is near… See you in a week.” Almost as immediately as she appeared, Samalah vanished into a wisp of smoke into the air.

I was unaware that Samalah had just tricked me at that time and that she was on her way to sabotage whatever I was trying to build between me and Dahlia.