Chapter 41: Bad News

"So, we have less than three weeks before you will attack Valerian's pack, huh..." Henry concluded, sighing as he put the documents on the table and reclined on his seat. He even clasped his hands, looking at me earnestly. "That is quite... fast, Domi."

Since Ismael and I were in Solacia after scouting for the whole day, I sent an urgent letter to Henry this morning. With that, we met in a hustling tavern to hide our meeting. He rented a room there where we could talk freely.

"Can you prepare them in time, Henry?" I asked, sipping on my tea. "I already told Valerian how he would escape from the manor along with the evidence I had gathered."

"I can. I can pull some strings." He glanced at me and at my brother next to me. "Are you certain that he can be trusted?" He looked at him suspiciously.

Sighing, his question was starting to get on my nerves since he had been asking that for the nth time. "I told you. His mate is at risk. If Papa finds out that Ismael already has a mate, his mate will be killed. There is no happy ending in our household, Henry. Remember that."

Ismael looked at him arrogantly. "I already know what will happen if I betray my sister. I care for Airene. Choosing to side with her will make my mate safe, Your Royal Highness." He even arched his eyebrow, indicating that he did not like the way Henry sounded.

Henry looked at him intently. "Good. Because I am going to hunt you and your mate down if this plans fail or you choose to betray her. As far as Domi said, I am more skilled than you, Ismael."

"What?" He looked at him in disbelief. "What the hell? Is that true? Did you assess him? When?"

He looked threatened that there was another person that could surpass his skill. I wanted to smack Henry right now for telling that since Ismael was a paranoid one.

"You do not need to know." I wanted to say that my previous life helped me to assess his skill. Thanks to Valerian for telling me that. I even confirmed to Valerian in this present that if he would compare my skills to Henry, both of us were not on par. I was way ahead against Henry, he said. "Plus, Henry is more cunning than you and me. He even breached one of my stipulations in my contract." I squinted my eyes at Henry who was grinning right now. "Right, Henry? 'Never shall disclose the information about this negotiation to anyone'," I mentioned one of the stipulations I had put in our contract.

"My, my... Are you that mad, Domi?" He slightly tilted his head as if he was trying to feign ignorance at me.

My lips curled up into an empty smile. "I am going to hunt you down, Henricus la Chandelier, once everything is over." I even looked at him menacingly.

Henry kept his furtive smile on his lips. "Come at once, Dominixe Cantavalle. Do not underestimate how cunning I am. Remember that. And I shall never forget that you hurt my assistant so I know that it is worth the risk to breach one of your stipulations."

It meant that there would be a cold war between us from now on.

I giggled before I laughed. Both of them, Henry and Ismael, exchanged glances, bewildered at my action.

"I have never laughed like that in my entire life," I said through laughter. "Ah, Henry... I know why Valerian is looking up to you..." Slowly, my laughter died as I looked at him with a smug smile. "Fret not. I am really looking forward that you are going to breach one of my stipulations. You are not someone who can easily abide by a unilateral contract."

Henry must have been taken aback at my words. "Oh?" He looked threatened somehow based on how he stroked his chin. There was a hint of curiosity lingering in his eyes. "Now, I understand why Valerian is earnest with you. He said that he certainly can and cannot predict you."

I slightly creased my forehead. "Can and cannot predict me?" My heart fluttered with that. Valerian really said that?

Hold on, Dominixe! Do not let those simple words flutter you!

Henry nodded. "Sometimes you are predictable. Sometimes you are mysterious to him." He shrugged.

I snorted, but that fluttered my heart. "He is talking nonsense." Shaking my head, I emptied my cup. I looked at the wall clock before I turned at Ismael who looked bored already. "Let's go."

Ismael flinched. "Already?" He stood up.

"We are going, Henry." He nodded while I eyed him since he was only dressing up in simple clothing.

"Alright. I shall look forward to another update. Tell me when and where."

Ismael was the first one to leave. I could tell how annoyed he was by Henry's presence. So I doubted if he wanted to stay in the same place as the crown prince.

"By the way, Domi."

I was already reaching for the doorknob when he spoke. "What?" I turned my head at him.

"I have a favor to ask from you."

"What favor?" He asked for that? "Wouldn't it be dangerous if you are asking a favor from me? You know... I might ask for the same one the next time I fulfill yours."

Henry smirked. "It's alright. I have come to prepare for that day." He clasped his hands together. "So, would like you to hear it first?"

I twitched my lips, wanting to prolong my decision. "It depends. I shall see if it is within my power or not." I returned to my seat, eagerly wanting to know what favor he wanted to ask from me.

"It is within your power. Fret not." Henry started discussing it.

I listened carefully and smiled meaningfully. That was the time I decided to stand up when I was finished listening to his 'demands' while chuckling. "I cannot make such promises about that. But I shall see what I can do."

"If you do that, I can condone what you did to Lanfrid and to Valerian."

"I do not need it. Shove it to your goddamn mouth." I waved my hand at him when I reached the doorknob. "See you when I watch our household fall in vain."

I left and met Ismael who was waiting outside of the tavern we were at. I creased my forehead when he was talking to one of my henchmen and saw that he looked troubled.

Then our eyes met after that. "Dominixe!" He rushed to me.

"What?"

"We must return to Elmbow right now. Your pet..."

Upon the mere mention of Valerian, my heart started to hammer inside my chest. "Did something happen to Valerian?" I mean, I knew that he was going to be punished by our four siblings, but was there anything bad news right now as to why Ismael looked worried?

"Nolan has dispatched a letter from the messenger hawk." He was talking about one of his henchmen he left behind to deliver some news if anything happened to Valerian. "He said that the House of Porter is extremely dissatisfied with Papa's apologies for the trouble Valerian caused. However..."

"However?" I could feel my chest tighten from anticipation. "Damn it, Ismael! Tell me!" Did something happen to my honeydew already?

"To compensate for the damage, Marquis Porter is demanding to betroth you to his eldest son."

"What?!" I couldn't help raising my tone. He what? Betroth? Damn it! "Are they serious?"

"Not only that, Valerian disagreed with it and wreaked havoc in the mansion again."

I gasped, horrified by the news. "Did something happen to him? If he wreaked havoc, it meant—"

"Papa sent him to the Porter's underground fighting arena to brawl with the rogue slaves. Papa and that marquis have a bet if Valerian manages to defeat all of his contenders, he might consider not to betroth you yet."

As soon as he said that, I could have sworn my heart drop. "No!" I raised my voice, horrified at what was happening to my honeydew. There was no way Papa sent him to the underground fighting arena! Valerian was still full of injuries! "This can't be! I must go!"

I did not wait for him to respond as I rushed to the carriage—no, I transformed into my wolf form since it would be fast that I would be on my paws. I could feel my bones break as my head stretched out into a snout making me crouch down.

I was prepared to use my powerful paws to run away from Solacia when Ismael blocked my way.

"Calm down, Dominixe!" He shook his head.

I barked, annoyed that my second brother was blocking my way. 'We are talking about Valerian here! He needs me!' I said through mind-link, extremely furious since my honeydew was in danger right now.

Please be safe, Valerian! Your honeydew was coming to rescue you! I promised you that I was not going to let you feel the same pain as I did in my previous life.

"That's the point! Papa is beginning to test you!" He hissed, frustrated at my resolve as he blocked my way again. That certainly irritated me.

But wait.

What did Ismael say?

"Papa is... testing me?" I asked when I transformed back to my human form. "What do you mean by that?" I did not know why but I had a bad feeling about this. "Is Papa getting suspicious of me lately?"

Was that it? Did I decipher it right?

Ismael nodded, looking earnest. "He is getting suspicious of your attachment to Valerian. You are getting exposed, Dominixe," he said that shocked me to the core. "Papa has an inkling that Valerian is your mate."