Provoking a Graceful Bloom Novel

---- Chapter 99 Yuvan stood outside the window, speaking in a low voice, "My lady, something happened at the palace tonight. It seems Prince Elias was injured and had to be carried back inside." Selena's heart tightened. "Someone tried to assassinate him?" Elias currently resided in Concord Palace. Though it lay near the outer edge of the grounds, it was still very much within the palace walls. That someone could attack him there meant Aurensia couldn't escape blame. Yuvan continued, "The details are still unclear. | heard he was carried in from outside. Earlier, Mr.

Walsh and the others pursued whoever was responsible. After nearly half an hour, they returned with Prince Elias." "Has His Majesty sent anyone to investigate?" Yuvan shook his head. "No." Selena frowned. "No?" It was such a serious matter. Why hadn't Wilfred sent someone to investigate? "On Prince Elias' side, no one has been held accountable. He claimed he was injured by accident and asked His Majesty not ---- to make it public. Few people know of it at all. It was only because a guard | know happened to see the prince being carried in that | learned of it.

Otherwise, | would've had no idea," Yuvan explained. Palace guards rarely revealed whom they served, but everyone always had a few people of their own stationed there, so they could find out about palace affairs. Still, under the king's watchful eye, no one dared pry openly. So, news could only be learned in bits and pieces The guards on duty tonight happened to be familiar with Yuvan, but it was purely by chance. "From what | heard, when Prince Elias was brought back, he was. covered in blood. His injuries appear serious," said Yuvan gravely.

Selena wasn't the only one who couldn't make sense of it, Yuvan was baffled too. Who had the courage, or the madness, to attack Elias right under Wilfred's nose? Were they trying to bring disgrace to Aurensia and stir trouble between the two kingdoms? The strangest part was Elias insisting that no one pursue the matter, making it all the more perplexing. "Lunderstand. You should return and rest. Consider this matter forgotten for now, and don't tell Seb. He has endured enough today. Let him have a proper rest," said Selena.

---- As Yuvan prepared to leave, Selena added one more instruction, "For the time being, don't inquire about palace affairs." "Understood!" he replied. After an incident of this magnitude, the palace would surely redeploy guards and increase its security measures. If anyone tried to dig for information now and the king's men found out, it would surely be linked to Elias' injury. Then, it would be impossible to predict who would bear the blame or how severe the punishment would be. Once Yuvan left, Selena sat at the edge of her bed, mulling over the events. She still couldn't understand.

Who was so brazen as to beat up Elias until he was covered in blood, yet the prince himself refused to seek justice? Unable to puzzle it out, she decided to set it aside for the night. She extinguished the candle again and prepared to rest, But just as she settled onto her bed, her striking eyes snapped open once more. She rose and crossed to the window, throwing it wide with a sharp motion. The night wind carried a coppery, bloody scent straight to her. There, under the moonlight, was a shadowy figure that looked like some god or demon.

He sat beneath a tree, his robes so ---- dark that it was impossible to see where he had been wounded. However, the stench of blood was so strong that she knew his injuries were surely severe. A massive broadsword lay carelessly on the ground, its steel glinting with a chilling menace. Selena's gaze lingered only briefly before she slammed the window shut. Perhaps now she understood the question she had just been pondering. The Demon Lord had attacked Elias. However, it was equally clear that said Demon Lord had not emerged unscathed.

If she ignored him and pretended not to see, perhaps he would grow bored and leave on his own. She couldn't possibly host the injured prince here, and she had no intention of getting the Duke of Blackmoor's household involved in this matter. Could Nathaniel just leave quickly?