Chapter 86: Ch 86. Deeptalk?

Stoner walked down the corridor of the Lion Palace with a sour expression on his face.

The more he thought about Selena—who hadn’t even been able to get up to see him this morning—the worse his mood became.

Over the past few days, even though Selena had been busy taking care of various matters, she had always made time to meet with them. Even when she was exhausted after preparing medicine, Selena still tried to act professionally and finish what she had to do.

However, today was different. Selena didn’t even want to see them.

Stoner didn’t like this change. It wasn’t because he wanted Selena to be in front of him all the time, but he couldn’t accept the fact that someone might have worn her out to the point where she’d lost her ability to go about her daily activities.

What’s more, the person who spent the night with Selena was Dorven.

"Damn it! If he really did something excessive to Selena, I won’t let him get away with it!" Stoner growled.

Several guards stationed along the corridor immediately bowed their heads when they saw the Wolf King pass by. No one dared to block his path.

As soon as he arrived at Dorven’s residence, Stoner immediately asked a servant to tell him where the Lion King was.

"Where is Dorven?"

"His Majesty the Lion King is still in his room. He has just finished his treatment and is resting."

Stoner furrowed his brow. "Treatment?"

The servant nodded. "That’s right, Your Majesty. Last night, King Lion performed a sacred fire ritual to lift his curse. Queen Selena was also there to assist with the healing process."

Stoner stopped in his tracks. For a moment, he simply stared at the servant as if trying to make sure he hadn’t misheard.

"A sacred fire ritual?"

"That’s right."

"And Selena helped him all night long?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Stoner’s expression grew even darker.

So, Dorven and Selena didn’t make love, but the woman had to oversee another healing process that lasted until the early hours of the morning?

Stoner felt a quiet sense of satisfaction. "Where is Dorven’s room?"

The servant immediately pointed the way.

Stoner wasted no more time. He walked toward the room in question, then knocked loudly on the door.

"Dorven! Get out!"

There was no answer until Stoner knocked once more. "Don’t pretend you can’t hear me, you damn Lion!"

The door finally opened.

A tall man with golden hair stood behind it. His face looked paler than usual, while his eyes appeared tired.

Dorven looked at Stoner with a blank expression. "What do you want this early in the morning, Wolf King?"

"I’m the one who should be asking you that!" Stoner snapped immediately. "What did you do to Selena that she had to stay up all night and couldn’t even get up this morning?"

Dorven was silent for a moment. Then, he raised an eyebrow.

"So, you came all this way just to ask that?"

"Of course! Do you think I came here just to enjoy the sight of your face?"

Dorven sighed, not quite understanding why Stoner was already so angry this early in the morning.

"Selena’s fine. She’s just sleep-deprived."

"Lack of sleep?" Stoner almost laughed out of frustration. "You call that ’fine’? Don’t you know she’s still recovering from everything that happened a few days ago?"

"I know."

"Then why did you let her stay up all night?"

Dorven stared at him for a moment before finally answering calmly.

"Because he’s the only one who can—and who best understands—how to oversee the treatment I’m undergoing."

Stoner fell silent. So it was true—the "treatment" wasn’t sex.

Dorven then opened the door wider and stepped outside. He didn’t want their conversation to disturb the people working inside his residence.

"Come in. There are a few things I need to tell you."

Stoner narrowed his eyes. "I didn’t come here to chat with you."

"Whatever. You can just stand there if you want," Dorven replied, turning and walking toward the living room.

Stoner growled softly before finally following the man.

Once they were seated across from each other, Dorven asked a servant to bring them drinks. Stoner, however, wasn’t the least bit interested in the refreshments.

"Explain what happened last night."

Dorven leaned back against the sofa. "I found another method to cure my curse. Selena helped me perform the sacred fire ritual until morning," he said casually, causing Stoner to frown.

"Another healing method?"

"Yes. At first, we planned to try the method commonly used by the Healers of Extinction. However, Selena didn’t want to do it under duress, and I didn’t want to force her either. So, when I found notes about the sacred fire in my treasure vault, I decided to try that method."

Stoner’s expression slowly changed.

He never expected Dorven to choose an alternative just to avoid something Selena objected to. After all, they all knew that the relationship between the five kings and Selena was far from good.

If Dorven really wanted to use his position as her husband, he could have insisted on following the lovemaking treatment method.

But the man didn’t do that.

"Did the ritual work?" Stoner finally asked.

"Partially." Dorven raised his hand, examining his own palm. "I’m not fully healed yet, but something has changed."

"What?"

"I’m starting to feel something I’ve never felt before."

Stoner looked at him intently. Dorven fell silent for a moment, as if still trying to understand the change taking place within him.

"Last night, when my curse reacted to the holy fire, I felt fear."

Stoner raised an eyebrow. "Fear? You? A Lion King feels fear?"

"Yes." Dorven looked at him. "I don’t know how to explain it. Up until now, I’ve always understood fear as something that’s supposed to make a person want to avoid danger. But last night, I truly felt it. There was a moment when I wanted to escape from that vessel, but at the same time, I also wanted to know what would happen if I stayed."

Stoner fell silent.

"And that’s not all," Dorven continued. "I’ve also started to remember something about my mother."

This time, Stoner’s expression turned serious. "What does that have to do with your curse?"

"I don’t know yet. But I’m starting to suspect that this curse isn’t something that arose naturally."

Dorven then described the figure of a woman who emerged from the black smoke, including the words he heard during the ritual.

Stoner listened without interrupting. The more he heard, the more serious his expression became.

"So, you’re not just trying to heal yourself, but you’re also exploring the possibility that someone has been hiding the truth about your mother’s death?"

Dorven nodded. "That’s what I’m thinking."

Stoner folded his arms.

"In that case, you should investigate it further. Don’t let this issue drag on just because you can’t remember the past."

"I intend to do that." Dorven paused for a moment, then looked at Stoner with an even more serious expression. "But there’s one thing I’d like to ask you."

"What?"

"Have you also started to notice a change since Selena came back?"

Stoner immediately furrowed his brow. "What kind of changes?"

"I don’t know. Something different." Dorven rubbed his face before continuing. "For years, I never felt the need to know what others were doing as long as they didn’t interfere with my business. However, since Selena returned, I’ve started thinking about various things I never considered important before."

He looked at Stoner.

"I even feel uncomfortable when I see her having to do something she really doesn’t want to do."

Stoner didn’t answer right away.

For a moment, his mind drifted to Selena, who had refused to meet with them that morning because she was exhausted. He also remembered how he’d immediately felt angry upon learning that she hadn’t been getting enough rest.

Was that the change Dorven was referring to?

"I don’t know," Stoner finally replied. "I just know that I don’t like seeing Selena treated badly."

Dorven nodded slowly. "Me neither."

They both fell silent.

They weren’t close friends who were used to talking about their feelings. In fact, for years, the relationship among the five Kings had been marked more by rivalry, political maneuvering, and their own individual interests.

However, for the first time, they were discussing something unrelated to their territories or power.

The same woman. A wife whom they had long considered useless. But now she had risen to become a Healer of Extinction—a role that turned out to be far more complex than they had imagined.

Meanwhile, Selena was still fast asleep in her room. She had absolutely no idea that her two husbands were discussing her elsewhere.

For Selena, sleep was far more important right now than trying to figure out what was going on in the Kings’ minds—thoughts she might not even be able to understand.

However, that peace didn’t last long. As the sun began to rise higher in the sky, Vee entered her room again to check on the Queen.

"Your Majesty?"

Selena merely mumbled from under the covers. "Mm..."

"Your Majesty, would you like something to eat?"

"No."

Vee paused for a moment. "How about some warm soup? I can ask the chef to prepare it."

Selena opened one eye. "Vee, if you keep bothering me, I’ll sleep until tomorrow," she threatened, causing Vee to immediately shut her mouth.

"All right, Your Majesty. I won’t bother you anymore."

She was about to turn away when Selena suddenly called out to her.

"Wait."

Vee turned around immediately. "Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Is anyone looking for me again?"

"No one. Just the kings, who are still waiting for you to wake up and occasionally send their personal guards to check if you’re awake yet."

Selena nodded indifferently. "In that case, let them keep waiting."