Chapter 93: Doris

Their eyes narrowed as they wondered who would dare to make a deal with a creature like Zeke. Whoever this mysterious person was, they clearly knew something about Caius’s secret chamber, and that alone made them dangerous.

Zeke noticed their expressions and chuckled.

"Surprised? Caius, you’re powerful, but you aren’t the only powerful person in this world. And witches aren’t the only ones interested in what’s hidden inside your chamber."

His gaze shifted toward Caius, and his smile became cruel.

"Do you really believe your mate will trust you enough to sacrifice so much for you after everything you’ve done to her? I know females. Once they feel betrayed, they can become even more stubborn than their mates. Perhaps she’ll end up hating you more than you expect."

Caius’s expression remained unchanged.

"I don’t care who you’re working with. You’re nothing but a pawn, and sooner or later, your master will discover how useless you are."

He turned around and began walking toward the entrance, making it clear that he had no intention of wasting another moment listening to Zeke’s nonsense.

"If I see you corrupting my race again, or if you come anywhere near my mate, you won’t get another warning."

Just as Caius reached the doorway, Zeke’s second-in-command suddenly raised his hand and released a dark spell toward his back.

The attack moved like a shadow, twisting through the air with enough power to destroy anyone who stood in its path. Alexander immediately turned around, but before he could react, a bright blue flame appeared behind Caius and swallowed the spell.

The dark magic reversed direction and shot straight back at its sender.

The demon barely managed to raise his arms before the spell struck him, sending him stumbling backward as the hall filled with a burst of dark smoke.

A woman appeared behind Caius, her eyes glowing with bright blue light.

Rita.

She stood with one hand raised, looking completely unimpressed by the attack. Before the demons could make another move, the blue light around her grew brighter, spreading around Caius, Ethan, and Alexander.

In the next moment, all four of them disappeared.

The Demon Lord stared at the empty doorway, unable to hide the shock on his face. For several seconds, nobody dared to speak, until one of the demons finally approached the throne.

"Your Highness, that woman is the witch guarding the secret door. She’s extremely powerful, and she’s also completely crazy."

Zeke slowly turned his head toward him.

"A royal Light Witch?" he murmured, his expression growing darker. "I thought the Light Witches could no longer have children."

His thoughts immediately turned toward his second-in-command, Zuki, who had been sent to investigate the strange activity surrounding Caius’s secret chamber. Zuki was still dealing with the task Zeke had given him, but the situation was becoming more dangerous than expected.

Zeke rose from his throne and stared toward the entrance, his fingers tightening around the armrest.

"No matter what happens, we cannot allow Caius to succeed in whatever he’s planning."

His voice grew colder as he remembered the Werewolf King threatening him in front of his own people.

"That man is more stubborn than the moon goddess herself. If we let him finish what he’s started, we may never get another chance to take what’s inside that chamber."

The demons lowered their heads, but Zeke’s mind was already working on his next move.

Caius had a mate now, and that meant the Werewolf King finally had something precious enough to protect.

Perhaps, Zeke thought with a cruel smile, it was time to find out just how far Caius would go to keep her safe.

...

Doris stood in front of a large painting, her eyes moving over every detail as a small smile appeared on her face.

The painting showed Caius standing in a dark forest, dressed in black clothes with his long white hair falling over his shoulders. His silver eyes looked cold and dangerous, just like the man himself, and even though it was only a painting, his presence was strong enough to make anyone feel as if he were standing right in front of them.

She tilted her head and stared at his face for a little longer, remembering the days when she could walk into the palace without being stopped by guards.

Things had changed so much since then, and Caius had become even more difficult to approach than he used to be. Still, seeing his face after such a long time made her feel strangely happy.

"You’re still as handsome as ever," she whispered, reaching out to touch the edge of the painting before pulling her hand back. "I wonder if you have changed at all."

The sound of approaching footsteps made her turn around, and the moment she saw the woman entering the room, her face lit up with happiness. "Mom!"

Doris rushed forward and threw her arms around Lady Mira before the older woman could say anything. Lady Mira was surprised for a second, but she quickly smiled and wrapped her arms around her daughter, patting her back with obvious joy.

"Sweet Heart!" Lady Mira exclaimed, holding Doris a little tighter.

Doris laughed softly against her shoulder before pulling away to look at her face. "I missed you so much Mom."

Lady Mira held both sides of Doris’s face, studying her as if she wanted to make sure her daughter was truly standing in front of her. She had missed Doris more than she could explain, and seeing her looking healthy and smiling brought a great sense of relief to her heart.

"Let me look at you properly," she said, moving her eyes over Doris’s face and body. "How are you feeling now? Has your body fully recovered? You should have told me before coming here if you were still feeling any pain. I would have come to see you myself."

"I’m fine, Mom. You don’t have to worry about me anymore." Doris smiled and held her mother’s hands. "Look, I’m completely fine now."

She raised her right hand and turned it over, showing Lady Mira the back of it.

A dark scar stretched across her skin, standing out against her otherwise smooth hand. It looked frightening at first glance, but the wound itself had completely healed. There was no blood, no open skin, and no sign that the injury could trouble her anymore.

Lady Mira’s smile slowly faded as she stared at the scar. She reached for Doris’s hand and examined it carefully, her brows drawing together.

"That scar is still there," she murmured. "Does it hurt when you move your fingers? Have you tried using your energy since the wound healed?"

"No, it doesn’t hurt at all." Doris moved her fingers to prove her point. "I can move them perfectly, and my energy is back. The scar is just a scar, Mom. It won’t stop me from doing anything."

Lady Mira released a quiet breath, although she still looked worried. She knew how dangerous Doris’s injury had been, and even though she was relieved that her daughter had recovered, she didn’t like the thought of her carrying such a dark mark on her body.

"You should still be careful," she warned. "A wound caused by dark energy isn’t something you should take lightly, even after it has healed. If you notice anything strange, you must tell me immediately."

"I will, Mom. I promise."

Lady Mira nodded, finally allowing herself to relax. However, just as she was about to ask Doris where she had been all this time, she noticed someone standing a short distance away from them.

It was a young human girl with long hair and a bright smile on her face. She had been watching the reunion quietly, and when she noticed Lady Mira looking in her direction, her smile widened as she gave the older woman a polite greeting.

Lady Mira glanced at Doris, then back at the girl.

"Who is she?" she asked, wondering why a human was standing so comfortably inside the palace. Humans were rarely allowed to stay in places like this without a good reason, and the fact that Doris had brought one along made her even more curious.

Doris followed her mother’s gaze, and a small smirk appeared on her lips.

"Oh, that’s Anita," she replied casually, as if there were nothing unusual about bringing a human girl into the palace. "She will be staying with us."