𝐈'𝐦 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝𝐲 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥 (𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐃)

Chapter 57: Greek Tragedies

Constantine's hand was still clamped around my wrist when Arsen moved.

He didn't shout. He didn't hesitate.

He crossed the room in two strides and slammed into Constantine, driving him back against the crates with a snarl. His fist connected with Constantine's jaw before the man could even raise his arms.

"How dare you lay your hands on the empress!" Arsen roared, landing another blow.

Constantine grunted, tried to block, but Arsen was furious and faster. Punches landed in quick succession, each one fueled by years of restraint finally breaking.

Phoebe dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face. "Stop! Please, Your Majesty, stop! He didn't do anything! Her Majesty did this to herself!"

Leon didn't move to intervene. He just watched, sword still lowered but ready. The imperial knights behind Arsen hesitated, unsure whether to pull their emperor off.

"Arsen," I said, voice hoarse but sharp. "Stop."

He froze mid-swing, chest heaving, knuckles split and bloody. His eyes were wild as he looked at me, then at Constantine's bleeding face.

Slowly, he pulled back.

The knights moved in immediately, hauling Constantine and Phoebe to their feet. Ropes went around their wrists in an instant. Phoebe was still crying, but she didn't resist.

I straightened, ignoring the blood running down my arm. "Don't touch the knight," I said loudly. "He's on my side. He's been helping me since the beginning. He was dragged here because Constantine forced him."

One of the knights paused. Arsen glanced at me, then gave a short nod. The knights stepped around Leon.

"And be careful with her," I added. "She's pregnant."

Arsen stopped dead. He turned to look at Phoebe, really look at her, and his face went blank with shock.

"Pregnant?" He said quietly. "She'd repeat the same mistake? Again?"

Phoebe sobbed harder and didn't answer.

I sneered. "Some people never learn."

His attention snapped back to me. He took in the bruises forming on my cheek, the torn dress, the blood still dripping from my hand. He was angry.

"How dare he lay a hand on you," he muttered. He reached out to touch me, to check the damage himself. "Is it bad? Did he—"

I cut him off with a casual shrug. "He didn't do this. I did."

Arsen stared at me in disbelief. "You did this to yourself?"

I smiled faintly, though it looked more like a grimace with the blood and split lip. "Needed the scene to look real. Couldn't have you walk in for nothing."

Arsen was quiet for a long moment. Then he exhaled through his nose and muttered, "You're kinda mad sometimes, you know that?"

I just hummed in response.

Without another word, Arsen scooped me up before I could argue. I made a small noise of protest, but he ignored it and carried me toward the doorway where the carriage waited outside.

"Physician," Arsen called to the man waiting by the carriage. "Treat the empress now. Everything else can wait."

***

The procession moved slowly through the mountain pass.

At the front, Leon rode alone on a borrowed horse, flanked by two knights who kept a careful distance. He didn't look back once.