The King's Rejected Lady

House Larat's Traitor

She knew that Zeno McMillian was the type of person who disliked facades and charades. He was the type of person who wanted no bullshit.

"I can accept that you're in the noble faction but know this Sir Zeno. There are neither factions nor royals that will be affected but those in the Pivet Alley. I know that they're just sewer rats compared to the high society but they're living beings. They should not be the casualties in our power plays."

You can't let those innocent dies, can you?

In Tori's estimated ring of affected areas around the darted location of the dam construction, the Pivet Alley which was located at the southernmost part of the capital was the only residential area that would be affected. She concluded that the plague that would kill the second prince was an elaborate plan that caused a hundred thousand more casualties around the empire.

Just to kill the second prince.

"No. Your ring of the affected area is too small. If you are following the river that passes through the construction, there are dried streams that connect to the canals of the capital's plaza. Due to the dam's contraction, the other side of the river will overflow into these dried streams."

Realization dawned upon Tori. "You mean the entire capital city will be affected in terms of water flow? Why are you asking me this?"

Tori did not answer him. Instead, she tiptoed to kiss the side of his lips which stunned Zeno. She then whispered her answer. "Because I know what you're capable of. You created it, right? The illness that is slowly eating this empire and will eat the second prince."

For the nth time this week, Tori was again pushed. She fell to the floor with a thud but the sly smirk she had never faded. "How?"

"How did I know? Will your smart mind believe if I tell you that I know that this would happen, smart sir?"

The coincidence led Tori to deduce that Sabina was used by the first prince to bait Zeno into the noble faction's side just for this large-scale plan.

But in your past life, you could not accept the fact that hundreds of thousands died because of your idea so you created the antidote.

Standing up gracefully, Tori stared right into Zeno's emerald eyes. "You didn't realize it yet, did you? Whatever promises the noble faction told you; for once you never considered the deaths of the innocent. Wake up, Zeno."

Tori erased the initial ring she drew and changed it to Zeno's estimated ring that engulfed the entire capital city. She folded the map. "You are just being used for a massacre, poor you. But there's one thing I want to tell you, I will protect Prince Corean no matter what the cost."

Allistair must have secured the second prince, right now.

Walking away from Zeno who was too stunned to move. "W-wait! Where are you going?"

"To that wretched dam."

"THEY ARE KNIGHTS. YOU'RE making the honorable knights do the construction." Tori's deadpan voice snapped Zeno who was following her silently ever since they left the Rozenreff estate.

The moonlight was helping the knights with the construction but the torches around them aided them as well. Clad in her infamous baggy coat with her hood on, Tori was watching the construction site from the sideline with Zeno in tow.

"You are using the knights. What are you hiding?"

Tori turned to Zeno, her red eyes were taunting him. You brought me here carelessly. It only means one thing; the reason behind the plague is not here on the construction site. But what is it? Where is it?