Chosen Mate of the Beastmen Empire by Lewis Reed

Chapter 416

Chapter 416

“Look at you–not even that sad, huh?” Banon shook his head. “Royalty’s heartless, as expected.”

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As a fellow royal, he got it better than anyone. Aurelius had the same blood as him–naturally, they were cut from the same cloth. Nyx might’ve had a place in his heart, but it’d never outweigh himself, the throne, or the empire.

One Nyx died, another queen would come along eventually. The world’s full of beauties–none might match her, but he could find traces of her in others. An emperor wouldn’t die for love; he’d just fake some sentimental mourning.

“Come on, kill me to avenge her,” Banon said, pointing at his chest, inviting Aurelius to stab. “It’s the only thing you can do for her now.”

S

He’d waited for this day too long, long past wanting to live, just lacking the guts to end it himself. The sickness tormented him beyond death. He craved a quick end. Dragging Nyx down with him before dying was his proudest scheme.

“Hurry up already. Maybe I’ll catch Nyx on the road to the underworld,” he taunted, grinning wickedly. “You broke her heart -maybe she’d rather run into my arms and be my ghost bride.”

Setting aside hatred, Banon still remembered that first stunning glimpse–her delicate features, dressed in finery, sitting there like a goddess.

Every time he bedded the Voss sisters after that, he tried to find Nyx in their faces. But despite some slight similarities, they were nothing like her.

“The Voss sisters are still alive, right?” he said, pretending to be helpful. “They’re Nyx’s half–sisters. Not as pretty, but still beauties. I trained them well. If you miss Nyx, you could use them to take the edge off.”

“Shut up,” Aurelius snapped, too disgusted to listen. Smiling, he drew his sword and stabbed it next to Banon’s head.

The sharp blade sliced off a strand of his hair. He felt a cold sting on his cheek, then pain–blood trickling down into his ear. His already trembling body shook harder. Fear gripped him, leaving him speechless.

“Aurelius?” Nyx tied up her horse and stepped inside with Erik, catching the scene. Her eyes widened in shock. She thought, “He didn’t kill him, did he?‘

She lifted her skirt and hurried over. Seeing the guy on the bed still breathing, she relaxed, grabbed Aurelius by the collar, checked him for injuries, and then pulled him away. “Stay back from him.”

He hadn’t showered for so long. He was filthy, sick, and probably crawling with fleas. She rarely judged people, but it was hard not to judge Banon.

Once a dazzling royal, he’d let himself fall apart without servants, losing all dignity. Noticing Nyx’s look, the clean–freak kitty quickly retracted his claws, obediently stepping to her side.

Banon lay still, limbs rigid, staring blankly at Nyx’s face. ‘So alike. How can she look so much like her. Not just her face- every frown, every gesture, every move was identical.

After a long silence, it hit him. “No wonder you’re not grieving–no wonder you scoff at the Voss sisters. You’ve already found a better replacement!”

“Replacement?” Nyx’s ears perked up at the weird word. Her brain churned, finally getting it. She nearly lost it, thinking,

‘Does malaria mess with his brain too?‘

The two males flanked Nyx, shielding her from Banon’s prying eyes. No replacement. There’d never be one. Nyx was Nyx.

Aurelius looked down at him, cutting through his delusions. “Deep down, you know you’re a total loser. You’re just lying to yourself, too scared to admit it.”

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face turning liver–red. With all his strength, he lunged up

Why didn’t

was to catch deadly diseases. His loyal deathsworn, strong and fit, had all caught it from him one by one. He’d seen

into him, knocking him flat. He couldn’t even crawl. It was like his bones gave out too.

a fairy. Fairies don’t catch

me suffer every torment. I disrespected a fairy-

had driven him nuts. Losing all curiosity, she waved outside, unwilling to look anymore. She called a

his pulse once

He was the old director’s star pupil, skilled and trustworthy. Nyx felt

watching her skirt flutter away with a fragrant breeze, flanked by

in his mouth. He swallowed it and closed his eyes, waiting to die. Days passed, but the expected poison never kicked in. Banon didn’t die either.

a day, he didn’t feel poisoned–instead, he

finally

tone was flat. “Malaria medicine.”

didn’t get what “malaria medicine” meant, but it didn’t sound like poison. He studied the man’s face. “Are you one of

like this. But this guy saving him

reason.

gave him a look like

are you treating me?” Banon bristled at the

test her new medicine on you,” the

pupils shrank. “Nyx

over, his mind racing with fantasies. ‘She finally picked me this

better–I’m totally fine now,” he babbled, grabbing the physician’s sleeve. “Go tell Nyx I’ll do anything she says from

Mon, 1/

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fairy. He’d learned that and was ready to serve her willingly. A fairy always rewarded her

a drop of ink splattering onto the paper. He set the pen down, checked Banon’s pulse, stared at him thoughtfully, then nodded. “You’re indeed

this recipe could go to disaster relief, along with her

last dose,” he said, pulling out the

was a fairy’s gift, Banon snatched it up and swallowed it without a second thought. Maybe

already picturing himself in dragon robes on the throne, Nyx in his

fell, eyes wide in disbelief. He stiffly looked down, seeing his clothes soaked with

twisted, and he stopped breathing. The physician packed up his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and stepped over

day he got here, he’d known Banon was a dead man walking. Once the trial ended, he’d act. That was Aurelius’s order. General Read had handed

Banon himself. Even when he plotted rebellion, escaped Hilltop City after his crimes, and turned against Aurelius, the

Nyx. He crossed Aurelius and the general’s line.

**

Four Peaks Mountain, dropped dead in the

It made perfect sense, so no one cared. Common folk only mentioned it over tea, clapping and saying he got what he deserved.

mid–August, the south started getting relief supplies–medicine, grain, and a recipe from the court. Newspapers ran detailed

efforts, the epidemic didn’t make big waves. By winter, as the weather cooled, it faded away.