Chapter 3 Who Could She Be

DARIUS

“What have you noticed lately in the place?” I asked my eunuch as I sipped my wine.

He exhaled dramatically, as usual, before speaking up.

“Yesterday thirteen female maids were employed—two from each clans, but only one from the human clan.”

I nodded, already aware of the one human he was talking about. It was the little human I had seen an hour ago.

“What’s the name of the human?” I asked, because I'm damn sure I had seen that face before… but where exactly?

“Her name is Evelina. She’s nineteen years old and—”

“Enough. I only asked for a name, not her informations,” I cut him off instantly. Why should I care about a human—and not just any human, but a maid? Something felt off about everything.

And why the hell had I just asked about her? I never asked about maids.

“I’m sorry, my king,” he said instantly.

I sighed and raised a hand, silently ordering him to keep his mouth shut.

The chalice still rested against my lips. Evelina… Who could she be, and why did she look so familiar? The question wouldn’t stop nagging at my mind.

“Queen Valeria requests to see the king,” the guard outside announced sharply, pulling me out of my thoughts.

My brows furrowed in disbelief.

Queen? I had no queen.

I turned to the eunuch. “Queen? Since when?”

He cleared his throat. “The lady’s father has assured everyone to address his daughter as your queen since she is your betrothed.”

My fists clenched. That damn old man. How dare he make a decree without asking me? He had done it before, and I had forgiven him because of my late father—but he still kept pushing his luck.

Even if Valeria is my betrothed, I could not mate her if Vhalek, my dragon, could not bond with her dragon, Azura. Without that, there would be no true bond. That was the ancient bonding law.

“Let her in,” I said flatly.

“The king accepts seeing Lady Valeria,” the eunuch announced.

Instantly the door clicked open.

Valeria stepped in with that little maid trailing behind her like a scared puppy.

I couldn’t help but chuckle. She is so scared… how cute.

Instantly, it hit me like a heavy punch. Had I just thought a maid was cute? That was impossible. My fist tightened at how this human was getting into my head.

“Wait there. Don’t come closer to the king,” Valeria said to her sweetly.

The little maid nodded instantly.

I sighed, exhausted by her repeated orders to her maids. This was like the tenth maid she had brought with her since the beginning of the new moon—different maids, the same order: always stay far from me and kill them if they don't obey.

She believed I could be easily seduced. That was absolutely wrong. It was up to Vhalek to choose the female who could ride on his back. Only then could I truly desire the woman, and she would become my queen.

My dragon terrified Valeria, and he always wanted to rip her dragon apart whenever it dared come closer to him.

He had always been ruthless, even as a hatchling. The witches had revealed the reason: he had not yet met any female he liked.

“Can you excuse us, Zaus?” Valeria said softly to my eunuch.

“He will stay, Valeria. Speak. Why are you here?” I commanded, clearly disgusted by her authoritative tone, as if she were already ruling the palace.

She swallowed hard, her fists tightening as she stared at my eunuch.

No matter how hard she tried to hide beneath that veil of harmlessness, it would never change the fact that she was a vicious and greedy woman.

“Darius, it’s almost two months since I arrived here, yet I still haven’t been summoned to your chamber,” she started carefully.

I raised a brow, waiting for her to continue.

“My father has arranged our bonding ceremony and my coronation, but I asked him to wait while I make sure I can actually bear you a child,” she said, as if expecting me to appreciate her thoughtfulness or as if it were up to her father to make a decision.

I chuckled softly, placing the chalice on the table. My gaze fixed on her.

“Valeria, I gave you a simple task—to make my dragon accept yours and let you ride on his back. That seems very difficult for you.”

Her gaze lowered to the floor. She knew where I was going.

“Have you forgotten the ancient ritual, my lady? It is not up to the king,” my eunuch completed.

She cast him a deadly look, and he instantly lowered his gaze.

“Darius, I tried, but Vhalek almost killed Azura. She is still recovering from his scratches,” Valeria explained quickly.

I nodded flatly. “Then when she recovers and can bond with him—or let you ride on his back—I will make you my queen. You and your household will have a place in my palace. But if you can’t do that, Valeria…”

I paused as I shifted my gaze toward the door. I caught the little maid staring in shock. The moment our eyes met, she gasped and lowered her head.

I chuckled softly. So she wasn’t entirely scared… but curious, only acting terrified to survive. How intriguing.

“I give you my word, Darius. I will make sure Azura and Vhalek bond. That’s my promise, and I will make it happen,” Valeria declared.

“You only have one week to do that, Lady Valeria. During the king’s birthday, a decree will be issued,” my eunuch announced.

Valeria was left speechless. She shifted her gaze to me, clearly hoping to hear something from me.

I raised a brow, silently asking if anything was wrong with what she had just heard.

She exhaled slowly and bowed her head.

"May the king live long," she said and turned to leave.

"Before you leave, Valeria," I began, "have your maid stay behind."

Instantly the little maid’s head snapped up towards me; her eyes widened in shock.