Elena responded, her body trembling with fear:
"Yes, Father... but that's not everything that happened."
Lina tried to calm Caris, knowing that what was happening now was not in their favor. Suddenly, in the blink of an eye and out of nowhere, Caris appeared before Daniel and delivered a powerful kick to his abdomen, sending him flying through the air. Daniel slammed violently against the wall, coughing up blood and vomiting.
Everyone sensed that worse was yet to come. Yet, contrary to what Max, Alex, and even Elena had expected—that their father, Caris, would publicly execute Daniel—nothing more happened.
Caris, whose hand was shaking from his actions, couldn't stop himself. He had always been known for his control over his emotions and was admired as a model of composure.
Then, a sudden flashback overwhelmed Caris a bitter, painful memory from 17 years ago.
A dark room. A beautiful woman lay in bed—golden hair like sunlight, violet eyes once full of fire now dim and fading. She was crumbling beneath the weight of sorrow. Her body, once filled with light, had become hollow.
Next to her, a crying child, weeping as though he understood his mother was drawing her final breath. The woman, Saka—Daniel's mother—reached for Caris' hand and spoke in a faint whisper:
"Please, take care of my child. Don't let your anger consume you and kill him. Promise me this, as my last wish."
Caris, overwhelmed with grief, tears streaming down his face, kissed her hands and whispered through his pain:
"I promise. Just don't leave me alone."
Saka smiled weakly. The last flicker of light vanished from her eyes. Her breathing ceased. Warmth fled her body and was replaced by stillness.
Caris felt the coldness in her hand and released it gently, lifting his tearful eyes to her peaceful, sleeping face. He broke down, heart burning with grief—a fire that would be reduced to ash with time, scattered by even the gentlest breeze.
Returning to the present, Caris saw Daniel struggling to rise, debris from the wall clinging to his back and pinning him down. Caris exhaled deeply, calming himself and regaining his composure before shouting:
"Guards! Enter now!"
Suddenly, the guards burst in, weapons ready. They found the room in chaos, as if a battle had just taken place. Caris issued a command with unshakable authority:
"Restrain this bastard and send him to the dungeon. He will be judged tomorrow for what his hands have wrought."
The lead guard bowed respectfully.
"As you command, my lord."
Two guards seized Daniel by the arms, chaining him, and dragged him out of the room. As they passed through the corridor, they walked by Kara, who stood silently in the hall. The guards ignored her, but her eyes followed Daniel's back. Daniel turned his head slightly toward her, offering a subtle look to reassure her that everything was under control. Kara nodded, but her eyes were full of questions. She could not understand why her master would take such a risk.
Inside the dining hall, silence fell. No one spoke. Max's eyes gleamed with satisfaction and cunning. Alex stared at Elena with concern. Elena remained silent, lost in thought. Queen Lina was still preoccupied with Caris' earlier behavior, but she said nothing.
Caris looked at them all, each lost in their own thoughts. To break the silence, he spoke calmly:
"Everyone leave now. I wish to be alone."
They obeyed. The hall fell into a deep, quiet stillness. Caris sat in his usual chair, closed his eyes, and began to reflect on what had happened today—and what would come tomorrow.
Elsewhere, in a private room, Lina, Max, Elena, and Alex stood together. Lina gave them all a stern look, then let out a deep sigh. She spoke in a firm, commanding tone:
"Now, Max, speak. Who told you to do this? And why did you send Elena into such a situation?"
Her voice made their bodies shiver. She read them like open books—how could she not, when she had raised them since they were children?
Max, knowing there was no use lying to her, admitted the truth:
"I told Elena to go to Daniel... to seduce him, make him lose control, to take his virginity. He's become a threat to us all—and could try to kill us in the future."
Lina's anger surged.
"You know Elena was going through a lot, waiting for her awakening. There were many other ways to strip him of that power. But instead, you sacrificed your sister just to ensure your rival could no longer challenge you. Tell me if it were someone else you feared instead of Daniel, would you still have your sister do this vile thing in your place?"
Max trembled, unable to argue. He fell into silence.
Lina then turned to Elena, who kept her head down, unable to meet her mother's gaze.
"And you, Elena... Do you obey everything your brother tells you? Where is the strong woman I raised you to be? I thought you'd be far stronger than even I ever was. But now? You've disappointed me."
Her words cut deeply. Elena burst into tears, the taste of salt on her lips as she sobbed:
"I'm so sorry, Mother..."
Lina saw her daughter's pain and stopped pressing. Her aim had been to show her the weight of her choice.
She then turned to Alex, whose fear was written across his face.
"And you, Alex... my quiet, clever son. You watched your sister fall into someone's arms and said nothing. Not only that—you agreed to send her to the jaws of the wolf without a shred of protest or compassion. What a noble brother you are... so mindful of others' feelings, so protective of those you love."
Alex bit his lip, silent. There was nothing left to say.