Chapter 433 Unspoken Faith
Naida, her eyebrows still arched in a mixture of surprise and inquiry, asked Asher, "Are you really sure about entrusting such a precious and powerful item to me?"
Asher, momentarily taken aback by his own decisiveness, pondered why he had not given a second thought before offering the hilt to Naida.
It was uncharacteristic of him; typically, he would entrust such an item only to his most loyal confidants like Eradicator or to one of his women.
Yet here he was, offering it to Naida without hesitation.
Of course, his women weren't here, and Naida was stronger than Eradicator. Still, even then, he wouldn't have made this decision before.
It was as if he could already feel a sense of trust and confidence in Naida that was absent before.
He didn't know if it was a good or bad thing, but in a desperate situation like this and considering Naida always put the kingdom's interests before anything and even saved his life at the risk of hers, he felt logically she was the right choice to protect this.
He looked at her, a brief smile playing on his lips, and said with certainty, "There is nobody else more capable to protect this right now. You have after all, mastered the art of letting people see what you want them to."
He also was feeing a strong sense of protectiveness towards his kingdom, especially the desire to keep it safe no matter what.
He already had it before but because of Rowena and for her sake he was willing to do anything to help her protect the kingdom.
But since he had only been living there for a few years, he never truly felt as if he was part of the kingdom or feel attached other than the people living in it.
However, now, it was as he could feel the desire to protect his kingdom gushing forth from his soul. Never before had he felt so worried and concerned about the future of his kingdom. It felt no different than holding one's heart in your hand and having the will to protect it from any harm. The source of this content can be connected to n0v3lb!n★
Naida gazed at the crimson hilt, her eyes reflecting a firm determination as she responded, "Since you are willing to have such faith in me, I shall make sure this key never falls into the wrong hands."
Taking the hilt from Asher, she carefully inserted it into her sleeves, her movements deliberate and secure, "For now, it can stay there. It's really inconvenient that we can't store this key even in a spatial root," she remarked, emphasizing how risky it was to carry it with them.
Asher, his face etched with a blend of resolve and concern, nodded in agreement with Naida's assessment, "I know, but we have to somehow manage it until we get out of here," he said, his voice steady despite the uncertainty of their situation.
Naida's expression mirrored the gravity of their predicament, "Do you have any plans to get out before the celebration? I have a very bad feeling about this. Drakar is not known to play nice. He must need something from you. Otherwise, he would have already had us all killed," she pointed out.
Hearing this from someone whose intuition was honed from years of navigating the treacherous politics of their world made Asher believe that they were even more in danger than he had expected.
His demeanor turned serious, "I have no plans as of now," he admitted, "I wasn't expecting the pact to suddenly fall off the face of the world and put us all at risk. We can't even send a message to our kingdom since the draconians are blocking all forms of communication from leaving this place."
"Then..." Naida's concern deepened, but before she could completely voice her thoughts, Asher continued, "I never thought Isola's worries would come true. But Lysandra is our best bet now. If she really wants to see her son again more than anything, then I am sure she will try to get in touch. Otherwise...we are... let's not even go there," he said, shaking his head with a frustrated look.
Then, unexpectedly, she began to walk towards Asher, her steps measured and deliberate.
Asher's wariness intensified as he watched her movements. His hand instinctively moved towards a defensive position as she suddenly produced a knife.
He frowned as he wondered if she was here to try to assassinate him, though he wasn't worried since his body was still strong as a peak Soul Purger, and she didn't seem that strong.
However, instead of advancing further, the maid stopped in her tracks.
To Asher's astonishment, she turned the blade upon herself, slashing her wrist in a swift, deliberate motion.
"What are you doing?" Asher mumbled with a confused look, his brows furrowed.
The maid, her expression one of respect and solemnity, bowed her head slightly and held out her bleeding wrist towards him, "Please drink this, Your Majesty," she implored.
Asher, still grappling with the surreal nature of the situation, shook his head firmly, "In case you didn't notice, I am no vampire to drink blood," he said firmly, his gaze fixed on the maid, "Who told you to do this?" he asked, his tone demanding an explanation.
The maid, maintaining her posture of reverence, kept her head bowed as she responded, "This is for your own good, Your Majesty. This servant means no ill intent," she said earnestly, her voice steady despite the unusual circumstances.
Asher studied her closely, sensing her genuine belief in her actions and the sincerity behind her words.
He realized she was either unwilling or unable to divulge more information.
Observing the dark blood trickling down her skin, he reasoned that it was unlikely to be poisonous.
It didn't seem like a ploy Drakar or any powerful draconian he knew would use for an assassination attempt – it was too elaborate and unconventional.
Even if it was poisonous, it wouldn't be strong enough to kill him.
Making a swift decision, Asher reached out and grasped her wrist, albeit with a visible hesitation.
The idea of consuming blood was far from his preference, but the circumstances left him with little choice.
Closing his eyes momentarily, he held his breath and pressed his lips against the skin of her wrist, drawing the blood into his mouth.
As he did so, an unexpected sensation overcame him. It wasn't just the metallic taste of the blood or the strangeness of the act; it was the sudden, clear echo of Lysandra's cold voice in his mind.
[There isn't much time or the means to meet you face to face. So, just keep this in mind. Drakar plans to hold the celebration in an old royal building. I don't know what he plans to do with you, but you don't want to stay around and find out. So get inside the carriage that will be prepared for you and your people. Don't ask any questions, and let the carriage take you outside this kingdom. I know you also wouldn't want to attend this celebration. So consider this as a favor I am doing for you. You have no idea how much I am risking to get this message across and to get you out of here alive. So once you are outside, you better keep your promise. Or I swear...there is no place in this realm where you can hide from me.]
The message, laden with urgency and a veiled threat as expected from someone like her, resonated in Asher's mind. He slowly released the maid's wrist, his lips curving into a subtle smile.
It seemed as if most of his worries would be solved by the queen consort of the most dangerous man in this land. Nobody would see that coming.