Sinister Obsession: Macsen Massey (Emperor Series, #3) ✔️

Chapter 37

Chapter 37

The vast expanse of the land stretched out before them as Maximus and Macsen, together with some of Macsen's soldiers, journeyed for days. The rhythmic hooves of their horses echoed against the backdrop of rolling hills and expansive plains. Silent tension hung in the air, a palpable manifestation of the unresolved matters that propelled them forward.

Eventually, they reached the gates of Magnus' Empire, a formidable realm ruled by the youngest of the Vassily emperors, Magnus. The imposing walls and regal architecture welcomed them, though the atmosphere held a certain frostiness as they dismounted their horses.

"Welcome," Magnus, the youngest Emperor, uttered with a cold acknowledgment. His sharp and calculating eyes bore into Macsen, questioning the unexpected intrusion. "What the hell are you doing here?" Magnus demanded, his voice laced with suspicion. The air seemed to crackle with unspoken tension, as if the very fabric of their alliance was being tested.

"I won't be long; let me get this straight. How did you chase after her?" Macsen's words cut through the guarded atmosphere, demanding clarity on a matter that seemed to haunt him.

"What?" Magnus, taken aback by the sudden interrogation, furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Your woman! As far as I remember, you started off not on good terms! She even ran away from you! So how did you chase after her?" Macsen pressed, his tone edged with frustration and a hint of desperation.

"What happened to you? You're not like the Macsen I know. You don't ask for opinions; you suggest. This is so not you. You believe you're the smartest, so you never listen. How come you traveled all the way from here to ask for my advice?" Magnus, perceptive in his observations, questioned Macsen's unexpected turn of character.

"Stop asking. He's just like you, so I'm sure you understand him better than I do. Just answer his damn question before he loses his mind." Maximus, the eldest Emperor, intervened, trying to quell the rising tension.

"I see, the next victim of love, huh?" Magnus mused, a wry smile playing on his lips. His gaze shifted between Macsen and Maximus, as if dissecting the dynamics of their emotions.

"Fuck that shit," Maximus grumbled, his impatience surfacing.

"Just tell me," Macsen demanded, his frustration giving way to a raw need for answers.

Magnus, leaning back in his imperial seat, began recounting the unconventional journey he had taken in pursuit of love. "Well, as you know, I broke all of our rules."

"What do you mean?" Macsen sought clarification, his eyes narrowing as he awaited the revelation.

"I said what I said. I broke the rules of the Vassilys. We don't chase anyone. We don't beg. We don't apologize. But fuck, I did all that. I was desperate, so I chased her so bad. I begged on my knees, Macsen. I touched the ground, kissed the dirt, and humbled myself just to beg. I realized I was wrong, so I apologized. I repented for my sins, atoned for it, and made sure to do things for her goodness and safety and for her only."

"That's fucked up," Maximus remarked, a mix of disbelief and contemplation clouding his features.

"Will you shut the hell up, Maximus?" Magnus snapped, the intensity in his eyes warning against further interruptions.

"If you realize you've fallen in love, then chase for it. We don't deserve this kind of feeling because we're ruthless, but change is constant, and I believe we can still be deserving of it. So do things your way now—but make sure it's for the better. Be a better man if you want her back, Macsen. Be good, be better," Magnus advised, a rare moment of sincerity woven into his words.