Chapter 7 Chapter 7
Cassian stood at the door, his dark eyes fixed on Isabella.
The temperature in the room plummeted, a heavy chill settling over everyone. His face carried a striking resemblance to Kade, though his features were older, sharper, and far more mature.
He cast one last warning look at Isabella, as if silently telling her to behave without uttering a single word, before turning on his heel and walking out.
Only after his footsteps faded did Isabella glance down at the sharp glass trembling in her grip.
The remaining maids, except for the Omega, glared at her with pure fury. Their eyes screamed, "Look what you caused."
The silent blame hit her like a punch, and she burst into fresh tears.
They took a cautious step toward her, but she moved back, holding up her hands. "Please," she whimpered, her voice raspy and her eyes swollen. "I just want to be alone. Please go away."
She sounded like a spoiled princess, but she could not help it. She had lived her whole life getting her way, but now a cruel prince controlled her fate, and the sudden powerlessness crushed her.
The Omega maid stepped forward, her movements slow and calm. She gently reached out, slid the piece of glass from Isabella's trembling fingers, and set it far out of reach.
"Don't worry, I will handle her," the Omega assured the others, her voice steady despite the tension. "If anything goes wrong, I will take full responsibility."
The moment those words left her mouth, Isabella watched the other maids storm out, eager to escape. It felt as if they wanted nothing to do with her.
Once the door shut, the maid wrapped her arms around Isabella, pulling her into a tight hug and patting her back. She seemed older than Isabella, and her warm embrace brought an immediate wave of comfort.
Isabella had never known sisterly warmth. Her own sisters resented her for reasons she never understood, treating her like a disease and keeping their distance.
She had grown up completely isolated, relying on timid servants, her private journal, and romantic novels for company.
"It's okay. You are safe now," the maid whispered. Isabella noticed the tears gathering in the maid's eyes as she ran a soothing hand through her unevenly cut hair. "It's fine, my lady. Just let me help you bathe."
Isabella allowed herself to be guided into the bathroom like a calm, obedient girl.
The maid carefully unlaced her dress layer by layer before removing it completely from her body, letting it fall to the floor.
Then she led her to a steaming bath already prepared for her.
Isabella sank into the warm water, letting out a long breath as the heat soaked into her tired body. The maid dipped a soft cloth into the water, gently wiping down Isabella's skin before washing what remained of her hair.
When she finished, she wrapped Isabella in a fresh towel and helped her out of the tub.
"What is your name?" Isabella asked softly, the fear in her chest finally easing.
"Lydia," she offered with a faint smile. "I am not supposed to speak with you, princess, but seeing you like this, I see so much of myself in you."
She dried Isabella off and led her back into the bedchamber.
Isabella saw Lydia pause as she noticed the messy clump of chopped hair scattered across the floor. She watched Lydia let out a frustrated sigh while looking back and forth between the mess and her.
She quickly understood that the maid was unsure of what to do next.
"Don't worry, I can dress myself," Isabella said, catching the worry on her face as Lydia brought over a plain white gown from the wardrobe.
"Are you sure, my lady?" Lydia hesitated.
"Very sure. Go ahead, Lydia," she assured her.
With this, Lydia hurried out, returning a moment later with a small broom and a tray to clear the mess.
When she was done, she picked up a broad sheet of stiff paper, fanning it gently to help dry Isabella's damp hair while the princess dressed.
Isabella looked up, her pulse racing. "I have a request," she began softly.
Lydia nodded, signaling for her to continue.
"Can you be my friend?" She asked, tears spilling over her lashes once again. "I know it is risky, but please, it is the only way I will survive this place. My father was my only friend, and that monster took me away from him," she explained bitterly.
Lydia's expression softened into deep empathy. "Of course, princess. I don't have any friends either." She reached out, gently wiping a tear from Isabella's cheek with her thumb. "Just promise me you will stop crying."
Isabella nodded quickly, wiping her nose.
As the night wore on, fear kept the princess awake. Whenever Lydia made a move to leave, Isabella would beg and convince her to stay for a little while.
She could not bear the thought of sitting alone in the dark waiting for him.
After a moment, Lydia reluctantly agreed to stay.
The two spent the entire night talking, as Lydia told her the important things she needed to know about the castle.
When exhaustion hit Lydia, she fell asleep on the grand bed while Isabella stayed awake, sitting near the window and watching the doorway in terror.
Every slight sound made her heart leap, expecting Kade to burst through the door at any time, but he never did.
Only when the morning sun began to bleed through the curtains did Isabella finally close her eyes, certain he was not coming.
In the grand dining hall, Kade casually walked toward the long table, and as expected, his father was not around.
Kade immediately noticed that Isabella wasn't at the table, and this bothered him.
He had intended to visit her room the night before, but he suddenly went into heat because of the close contact he had with her at the werewolf kingdom.
The urge had been overwhelming, and he knew that if he stepped foot into her room, he would lose control.
So he stayed away.
He pulled out a chair beside his brother, Nytharion, who immediately flashed an annoying grin.
"Look who is finally getting married," Nytharion taunted, nudging Kade's arm with his elbow.
Kade ignored him, his jaw set in a hard line.
"Where is your bride-to-be? She missed dinner last night as well," their mother, Queen Nyssara, remarked casually, cutting into a thick piece of steak.
Kade's dark brows drew together, a sudden wave of irritation washing over him. "She didn't eat last night?"
"Not a single bite," Nytharion chimed in cheerfully.
He reached over with his fork, deliberately dropping a slice of fully cooked steak onto Kade's plate, well aware that his brother only ate raw meat.
Kade's eyes narrowed. "Get this off my plate while I am still asking nicely," he grunted out, his voice dropping into a dangerous pitch.
He motioned to a guard standing nearby, leaning in to whisper a swift command into the guard's ear. Turning back to his food, Kade let out a slow breath and used his fork to flick the cooked meat off his plate, forcing himself to keep his rage in check.
"I thought you'd bite me instead," Nytharion sneered, reaching out as if to ruffle Kade's hair.
Before his fingers could touch a single strand, Kade snatched Nytharion's wrist in midair, his grip like a vise.
"Do you have a death wish?" Kade growled out, slamming his brother's hand down onto the wooden table with brutal force.
Kade was not only a mythic serpent; his core species was a Viper. Just as werewolves had Alphas, Betas, and Omegas, his kind had their own hierarchy and nature.
For a Viper, the head is the most sensitive part of the body. The touch of another's hand burns like fire against their scalp, which is why Kade reacted so aggressively as Nytharion reached out to touch his hair.
Cassian cleared his throat loudly from across the table, casting a sharp look at Nytharion, who merely smirked but immediately stayed put.
The guard who had left earlier returned and whispered to Kade, and shortly after, Lydia stepped into the dining hall with her head bowed in deep submission.
Kade turned his full attention toward her, his gaze burning with cold anger. "I hear you are the maid who spent the night with her and let her starve," he said, having found out through the guard.
Lydia froze, her eyes stretching wide in sheer panic.
"Are you trying to kill my bride before the wedding?" Kade demanded, his voice echoing off the stone walls.
Lydia stood still, unable to blink as Kade stared at her as if he intended to rip her apart where she stood.
