Chapter 248: The world of mystery - 1

The moment stretched out like an eternity, filled with silence and the chaos of emotions in their hearts. Neither of the two individuals blinked as they found themselves lost in the depths of each other’s eyes.

Zoyar held Lily’s stare, and Lily held his, which neither of them had agreed to, but neither was willing to break either.

Finally, Zoyar’s gaze dropped from her eyes to her lips.

Lily’s throat moved. She swallowed hard, the sound audible in the stillness, her pulse hammering against the thin skin of her neck. She knew exactly what was running through Zoyar’s mind. She could read it the way a person reads a sentence written in letters ten feet tall.

She forced her body to turn away from those burning eyes which were ready to claim her lips any moment if she didn’t move.

She faced Cixi, her body pivoting with desperation. Her bruised cheek burned. Not only from the injury, but also for an entirely different reason, one she didn’t dare to name and did not want to examine too closely.

"L-let’s go to the doctor," Lily stammered in her low voice.

She could not bring herself to turn back toward Zoyar. Yet, she could feel him behind her, watching her carefully like she was his favourite prey.

Lily’s brown eyes found Cixi’s grey ones pleading with her. ’Do something. Make this tension go away. Make my heart beat at a normal speed. Help me.’

Cixi pressed her lips together to stop the giggle from escaping. But she failed.

A small, soundless laugh shook through her chest, contained behind closed lips but visible in the way her shoulders trembled and her eyes creased at the corners.

She knew exactly how Lily felt. To be caught in the crosshairs of a man’s attention so concentrated it made every cell alive and alert.

"Yeah," Cixi hooked her arm through Lily’s and steered her forward. "Let us not waste time."

Only then did Zoyar blink. He turned without a word, his broad back facing both women as he walked triumphantly toward the road. A moment later, a car pulled to the curb in front of them. Another black SUV, identical to the one Mark had driven away with three hooded prisoners in the boot and the dead bodies.

Zoyar took the passenger seat. Lily and Cixi climbed into the back. The doors closed, and the wheels moved.

*

*

*

Far across the city, Cassian Crown sat in the back of a parked car at the airport.

The parking lot was busy. Every corner had a CCTV camera, but that didn’t stop Cassian from waiting. His window was tinted black. Two of his men stood outside the vehicle, positioned at the front and rear. Their postures were relaxed, but their eyes scanned every approaching figure with professional attention.

Not far off, a woman emerged, flanked by two of her bodyguards. She walked with elegance. Her attire clearly reflected the work of a renowned couturier. Her posture was straight. Her stride was measured. Her very presence radiated a sense of royalty.

When she neared Cassian’s car, one of his bodyguards opened the rear door. She stepped inside, one foot first, then the other, lowering herself into the leather seat with composed grace. The door was closed with a soft click.

"Welcome to Demond City, Sashkia Valtham."

Sashkia leaned back against the headrest and drew a deep breath. Her hand drifted to her stomach, settling protectively over the soft, rounded curve beneath her dress. Once she felt relaxed, she turned her attention to Cassian. "Thank you, Cassian." Her voice was smooth, warm, and deceptively soft. "I hope you make my trip worthwhile."

Cassian’s gaze dropped to her stomach, one brow raised. "I wasn’t told that you were pregnant."

"Well," Sashkia’s lips curved. "Now you know. Do not give Raynor a chance to destroy your city."

Cassian laughed at Sashkia’s threat. "He is free to do what he wants," Cassian replied. "If he can face the consequences of starting a war between claimed territories, I do not mind. And above all, he is forbidden to touch one person." His tone shifted, sharpening at the edges. And it changed immediately into a curvy smirk. "Although I must say, it would be fascinating to watch what Syrvoski and the Hawthrone family would do about the war between the Mafia and Valtham royals... if it ever happened." He earned a pointed look from Sashkia. Then he placed both hands over his chest in an exaggerated gesture of wounded dignity. "And your words hurt me, Sashkia. Doubting my capabilities. It truly hurts."

In response, Sashkia rolled her eyes. "I have doubts about your capability," she countered, her fingers still resting on her stomach, "because your attention is diverted to only one person." She didn’t have to say aloud who she meant. "And second, why do I feel you looking forward to a war between the mafia and vampires just to provoke the Syrvoskis and Hawthornes?"

"I want to verify whether the white wings have stripped them of their powers. They have remained silent for decades, even with the rise in crime around the globe." Cassian’s fingers tapped quietly on the car’s armrest.

"You should know they don’t interfere in human affairs." Sashkia peeked at Cassian as if he had succumbed to old age, and his memory was now as fleeting and slippery. "And why not go and bomb their claimed territories to witness their immediate response? Why wish for a war between us to see blood flowing on the streets?" Although she made it a joke, somewhere in the corner of her heart she felt slightly cautious, as Cassian had suddenly developed an interest in the Syrviskis’ and Hawthornes’ bloodline, which their kind typically steers clear of. "I am talking about my safety, and you introduce those white-winged dogs into our discussion?" Sashika shook her head with disappointment.

"Growing mixed, important blood in your belly has made you far more valuable to the whole underworld," Cassian said, and the faint amusement in his voice slowly disappeared. His gaze remained on Sashkia, but there was a sharper attention behind it now. "Did the King visit you to congratulate you? After all, Raynor is his grandson."

Sashkia was silent for a moment, and that small pause told Cassian more than her immediate answer would have.

She looked away, as though remembering the visit itself had left a bitter taste in her mouth. "He was the one who informed Raynor and me that I was pregnant," she said at last. "After breaking Raynor’s shoulder and threatening both of us."

If Cassian had not been paying full attention before, he was now. The casual stillness in his posture remained, but his eyes sharpened with interest. "He threatened his own family?"

"Yes." Sashkia released a tired breath. "First, he does not make an appearance on this planet for a century. Then suddenly he comes to Earth, and after that, he does not seem to stop interfering." Her gaze moved to Cassian with open accusation. "This is yours and Rafael’s fault. If the two of you had not fought like beasts, he would not have come here in the first place."

Cassian did not bother defending himself. Rafael’s name barely mattered to him at that moment. His mind had already moved to the more useful part of what she had said. The King had broken Raynor’s shoulder. The King had issued a warning. The King had involved himself personally over something happening in Valtham.

Interesting!