Fated Hearts: Reborn to be His Duchess

Chapter 124: Chapter 124: Vulnerability by Design

The cold shoulder.

The three words fell like a massive boulder, crushing the air from the Duke of Merlinspire’s lungs.

He immediately dropped to his knees.

A duke before a prince—especially one favoured by the King and wielding immense power—was hardly in a position to take offence. Cold sweat broke out across his back.

"Your Grace, please hear me out! This was not my arrangement. I... I would never dare!"

Cassiel arched an eyebrow.

"How could you not dare? You and your wife are hosting this lily-viewing feast. Even Mrs Rennor received an invitation before us. Ours arrived at Draevenor Manor after a considerable delay."

The Duke of Merlinspire stared at him in disbelief.

"How could that have happened?"

He hurriedly shook his head.

"Your Grace, I swear on my honour, I specifically instructed my servants to deliver the invitation to Draevenor Manor first. I have no idea why it was delayed."

He swallowed.

"And today’s matter was the same. I gave explicit orders that the moment you arrived, I was to be informed so that I could personally receive you at the gate."

His voice became increasingly anxious.

"How could I possibly have ordered someone to take you to the west wing instead?"

He sounded completely certain.

Cassiel studied him in silence.

The Duke remained kneeling, barely daring to breathe.

For a moment, he wondered whether Cassiel believed him.

Then Cassiel’s attention shifted towards Elysia.

The icy edge in his eyes melted away almost instantly. Even the hard line of his mouth softened somewhat.

When he spoke, his voice carried a warmth that was completely absent moments ago.

"You came looking for me, my lady?"

The abrupt change left the Duke of Merlinspire momentarily bewildered.

Elysia nodded.

"I saw Bran. He told me you were in the west wing to see me, but I hadn’t gone there to wait for you. It seemed strange, so I came to find you."

A slight smile touched Cassiel’s lips.

"Clever."

The praise made Elysia’s cheeks warm slightly.

"Come in," Cassiel said.

Elysia blinked.

He wants me inside?

"I have something to tell you," He continued.

Seeing no reason to doubt him, Elysia stepped into the room.

"Close the door."

She obediently reached back and shut it.

The moment the latch clicked into place, Cassiel finally let out a soft, suppressed cough.

It sounded as though he had been holding it back for quite some time.

Elysia immediately moved closer.

"What is it? Are you feeling unwell, my lord?"

Cassiel’s handsome face was deathly pale, and his voice came out low and slightly hoarse.

"I’ve been ambushed."

Elysia’s expression changed immediately.

"Who ambushed you?"

Then, as if a piece of the puzzle suddenly fell into place, she blurted out, "Was it Adela?"

Cassiel looked at her with a flicker of appreciation before giving a weak nod.

"Yes. She had help. They lured me here and used incense to weaken me, leaving me completely at her mercy."

Elysia crouched slightly in front of him, worry evident in her eyes.

"My lord..."

"Fortunately, my shadow guards were with me. They intervened before things could go any further."

Elysia let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"Good. That’s a relief."

"But I was caught off guard. The incense did leave me weak, and she forced me to drink aphrodisiac wine."

Elysia frowned and looked towards the censer on the table.

So that was the strange scent she’d noticed outside.

Her gaze then fell upon the empty wine jug and the two cups beside it.

So it really had been a trap.

She had never expected Adela to prepare both incense and drugged wine. And Cassiel had actually been forced to drink it...

Elsewhere, two shadow guards carried the unconscious Adela away from prying eyes through one of Merlinspire Manor’s concealed passages.

Following Cassiel’s orders, they would return her directly to the Rennor residence. Once there, she would be placed under strict house arrest and forbidden from leaving the family estate again.

As they travelled, one of the guards sighed.

"It’s a pity His Grace couldn’t ascertain who was behind this."

The other glanced at the unconscious woman.

"This girl refused to say anything. His Grace couldn’t exactly torture her for answers. If she won’t talk, there’s little we can do."

The first guard frowned.

"But this was only the first attempt. There will surely be another. His Grace will find the tail and follow it back to the snake’s head."

"Do you think the people behind this are the same ones responsible for the assassination attempts?"

"Hard to say. There are plenty of people in this world who wish His Grace dead."

The first guard couldn’t help a wry smile.

"Though Miss Rennor certainly wasn’t trying to kill him today. She wanted a night of passion instead. She even brought aphrodisiac incense and wine."

The second guard chuckled.

"Unfortunately for her, what might be potent enough to affect someone here in Caelvyr is nothing remarkable to His Grace. We’ve encountered far worse at the southern borders. The women there seem particularly fond of our Duke."

"Indeed. So many of them fancy him and scheme for a night with him. The drugs and poisons they use are far more potent."

"That incense came from the southern borders as well. His Grace has encountered it countless times and recognised the scent immediately. With the resistance he has built-up over the years, it won’t have any effect on him."

"Exactly. And the wine was just as useless. His Grace could drink the entire jug without even becoming slightly dizzy. What a wasted effort."

Back in the west wing, the door remained firmly closed.

Inside, Cassiel lowered his gaze.

"I don’t feel well," he murmured, his voice rough and low.

Elysia’s heart tightened.

"Then... Then... What should I do?"

She stumbled over her words, suddenly unsure what could be done in this situation.

What could she possibly do for him?

She looked at his pale face.

Then at the empty wine jug.

Then at the strange incense.

But the answer was already painfully obvious.