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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liver–red. With

are you still alive? Why didn’t you get

strong and fit, had all caught it from him one by one. He’d seen the signal that day–his plan worked. Nyx should’ve

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

“She’s a fairy. Fairies don’t catch plagues. The fairy didn’t

me with this sickness, making me suffer every torment. I disrespected a fairy- that’s

incoherent muttering. She figured the shock had driven him nuts. Losing all curiosity, she waved

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

“I’ll do my duty without fail.” He was the old director’s star pupil, skilled and trustworthy. Nyx

breeze, flanked by two fierce beasts. His soul seemed to drift off with

He swallowed it and closed his eyes, waiting to die. Days passed, but the expected poison

a day, he

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

was flat. “Malaria medicine.”

it didn’t sound like poison. He studied the man’s face. “Are you

or deathsworn who looked like this. But this guy saving him outta nowhere had to have

reason.

a look like

why are you treating me?” Banon bristled at the look, barely keeping

to test her new medicine on you,” the physician said plainly, then bent back to his notes

“Nyx

took over, his mind racing with fantasies. ‘She finally picked me this time? Does she want me on the throne?

totally fine now,” he babbled, grabbing the physician’s sleeve. “Go tell

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

a drop of ink splattering onto the paper. He set the pen down, checked

the results were great. Once he reported back to Lady Nyx, this recipe could go to disaster relief, along with her mosquito–repellent formula. It’d solve

out the

gift, Banon snatched it up and swallowed it without a second thought. Maybe his mindset had shifted- today’s pill wasn’t bitter.

couldn’t sit or lie still, pacing the floor to burn off his joy, already picturing

throat, blood rushing up. Banon stumbled and fell, eyes wide in disbelief.

twisted, and he stopped breathing. The physician packed up his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and stepped over the body without a

Once the trial ended, he’d act. That was Aurelius’s order. General Read had handed

when he plotted rebellion, escaped Hilltop City after his crimes, and turned against Aurelius, the emperor had been

touched Nyx. He crossed Aurelius and the general’s line. Death was certain.

**

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

and near death. It made perfect sense, so no one cared. Common folk

the south started getting relief supplies–medicine, grain, and a recipe from the court. Newspapers ran detailed mosquito–prevention notices, listing the dangers of bites and

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