Dragon King's Harem Chapter 548. Blindness
Dragon King's Harem Chapter 548. Blindness
The dinner dissolved slowly, like thick stew settling at the bottom of a cauldron. One by one, nobles excused themselves. Laughter faded into corridors of stone. Music softened. Torches burned lower.
We were escorted formally to our assigned chambers.
Assigned.
I almost snorted.
The dwarven chamberlain cleared his throat nervously when I told him we would require only one suite.
“One, Your Majesty?” he asked, glancing between Evelina, Marissa, and Sela.
“Yes,” I answered smoothly. “I am in need of an heir. Urgently. I do not waste nights.”
Silence.
Then several dwarven servants looked away politely.
Acceptable excuse.
Even respectable, in a primal, political sense.
No one questions a dragon king prioritizing bloodline.
But the truth?
Had nothing to do with lust tonight.
Well.
Not primarily.
The real reason sat heavy in my chest.
We stepped into the chamber once the doors closed behind us.
Large.
Stone walls carved with mountain sigils. Thick rugs. Iron braziers burning steady heat. A balcony overlooking the lower city.
Too many corners.
Too many shadows.
Evelina immediately moved first.
She crossed the room with silent efficiency, fingertips brushing along the stone surfaces.
I activated it again quietly.
“Observation.”
[Walls: No embedded toxins.]
[Air Quality: Stable.]
[Furnishings: No immediate contaminants.]
[Hidden Compartments: None detected within visible radius.]
Evelina’s voice cut softly through the silence. “Clear so far.”
Marissa knelt near the fireplace, touching the stone grate.
“No hidden vials,” she murmured. “No scent of venom.”
Sela stood near the balcony, arms folded tightly across her chest.
“Sela doesn’t like this.”
Her voice wasn’t loud.
It was low.
Sharp.
Honest.
Evelina raised both hands slightly and began tracing sigils in the air using hovering ward crystals.
Mana shimmered like faint frost.
“Ward of Silence. Ward of Detection. Ward of External Disruption.”
The air thickened faintly as her spells settled into place.
[Magical Barrier Established]
Good.
Now we could speak freely.
Marissa stood up, brushing dust from her hands. “What should we do?” she asked quietly. “I have the powder to neutralize poison, yes. But this palace is enormous. We can’t spread it everywhere.”
Sela turned sharply. “Sela only care about the people. Sela doesn’t care about the king.”
Her jaw tightened.
“If the king dies… then he dies.”
I stepped forward immediately.
“Sela. Lower your voice.”
She froze.
Then inhaled slowly.
Silence stretched between us.
I understood her rage.
Durharn had blood on his hands.
Personal blood.
Her childhood friend.
Trusted noble.
Dead because of jealousy and insecurity.
And her family also ended up the same.
I stepped closer to her.
“Sela.”
Her eyes lifted to mine.
There was fire in them.
Raw.
Unfiltered.
“You are right,” I said quietly. “If he falls because of his own blindness… that is his burden.”
She blinked.
Surprised.
“But,” I continued, “if chaos erupts, innocent people will die first. Not kings.”
Her shoulders tensed.
Marissa nodded slowly. “The servants. The guards.”
Evelina added softly, “And the other delegations.”
Sela’s fists clenched tighter.
“Sela does not forgive him.”
“I know,” I replied. “And you don’t have to.”
She swallowed.
The rage didn’t vanish.
But it steadied.
Marissa crossed her arms, thinking. “If Seranaya is willing to manipulate Durharn with control powder… then tomorrow won’t be passive.”
“No,” I agreed. “Tomorrow will be decisive.”
Evelina glanced at me. “You believe the Nymph Queen is already here. And she may not only be targeting Durharn.”
“Yes.”
The word felt heavy.
If they were bold enough to influence a dwarven king openly.
Then expanding their influence during a gathering of monarchs would be tempting.
A phoenix.
A dragon.
A fairy queen.
Multiple tribal leaders.
One well-placed control network…
The balance of Igixar could shift overnight.
Marissa paced slowly near the edge of the bed. “We can’t warn Durharn.”
“No,” I said immediately.
“He would defend her.”
“Violently.”
Sela muttered, “He would accuse us of jealousy.”
Evelina nodded faintly. “Or sabotage.”
I exhaled slowly.
This was the problem with subtle domination.
The victim becomes the shield.
I walked toward the balcony and looked out at the dwarven city below.
Lanterns glowed warmly against the dark mountain slopes.
So peaceful.
So unaware.
Behind me, I heard Marissa shift again.
“So what’s the plan?” she asked quietly.
The moment.
They were looking at me.
Not as wives.
Not as lovers.
As their king.
I turned back toward them.
“We do not expose her,” I said calmly.
Sela frowned slightly.
“Yet. She will expose herself tomorrow.”
Marissa tilted her head. “Then?”
“We observe.”
Evelina crossed her arms. “And if she moves?”
“Then we intercept.”
Sela stepped forward. “Intercept how?”
I walked back to the center of the room.
“We don’t need to cleanse the entire palace. That would alert them.”
Marissa nodded slowly. “So targeted?”
“Yes.”
Evelina’s eyes sharpened. “Focus on the high-risk points.”
“Exactly.”
Food preparation area.
And, most importantly…
The wedding ritual itself.
If Seranaya intended to anchor control publicly…
It would happen during vows.
Sela’s voice lowered. “You think she will bind him?”
Marissa inhaled slowly. “In front of everyone.”
“And make it look like love.”
Silence fell again.
The weight of it pressed gently against us.
Evelina stepped closer to me.
“And you?”
I raised an eyebrow.
“If they attempt to influence you?”
There it was.
Her worry.
I smiled faintly.
“They would fail.”
But she didn’t smile back.
“You already broke one curse,” she said quietly. “You don’t need another subtle thread.”
I reached out and brushed my fingers lightly against her cheek.
“I won’t let myself be handled.”
She held my gaze for a second longer than usual.
Then nodded.
Marissa cleared her throat slightly. “I can prepare neutralizing powder for our goblets tomorrow. Hidden in rings.”
“Good.”
“Sela can monitor the lower servants. Sela knows palace routes.”
Evelina added, “I will reinforce subtle wards near the ceremonial platform. Quietly.”
“And I,” I said softly, “will watch Seranaya.”
Sela’s lips curved faintly.
“Oh, I’m sure you will.”
I gave her a flat look.
“This is not flirtation.”
She lifted her hands in mock surrender.
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
And for tonight… It was Al’s job to move.