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.”

Mon, 17

Chapter 416

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liver–red. With all his strength, he lunged up like a madman, reaching to

you still alive? Why didn’t you get sick?”

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

hair on her, Erik smashed the sword sheath into him, knocking him flat. He couldn’t even crawl. It was like his bones gave out too. He slumped into a puddle, eyes locked on

mumbled, “She’s a fairy. Fairies don’t catch plagues. The fairy didn’t choose me, so I lost the

me suffer every torment. I disrespected

the shock had driven him nuts. Losing all

him the medicine twice a day, check his pulse once daily, record any changes, and watch for side effects,” she

the old director’s star

fragrant breeze, flanked by two fierce

in his mouth. He swallowed it and closed his eyes, waiting to die. Days passed,

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

are you giving me?” With some strength back, he finally emerged from his despair and spoke to the

tone was flat. “Malaria

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

looked like this. But this

reason.

him a look like he was an idiot. “No.”

at the look, barely keeping his temper

new medicine on you,” the physician

pupils shrank. “Nyx is saving

away. A wild excitement took over, his mind racing with fantasies. ‘She finally

he babbled, grabbing the physician’s sleeve. “Go tell Nyx I’ll do anything she says from

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learned that and was ready to serve her willingly. A

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

trial was done, and the results were great. Once he reported back to Lady Nyx, this recipe could go to disaster relief, along

last dose,” he said, pulling out the bottle and handing over

second thought. Maybe his mindset had shifted- today’s

pacing the floor to burn off his joy, already picturing himself in dragon robes on the throne, Nyx in

taste surged in his throat, blood rushing up. Banon stumbled and fell, eyes wide in disbelief. He stiffly looked down, seeing his clothes soaked with blood spilling from his

say Nyx’s name, his face twisted, and he stopped breathing. The physician packed up his bag, slung it over his

Banon was a dead man walking. Once the trial ended, he’d act. That was Aurelius’s order. General Read

Hilltop City after his crimes, and turned against Aurelius,

He crossed Aurelius and the

**

on Four Peaks Mountain, dropped dead in the villa and was buried as a

no one cared. Common folk only mentioned it

a recipe from the court. Newspapers ran detailed mosquito–prevention notices, listing the dangers of bites and ways to

efforts, the epidemic didn’t make big waves. By winter, as the weather