Chapter 619: Chapter 619: Hayden Crawford Arrives
Serena Sterling has arrived!
Consort Willow suddenly remembered that Axel Ashworth is now the Crown Prince, and at today’s engagement party, Serena Sterling stood beside Axel Ashworth as the Crown Princess Consort.
Consort Willow sneered, "What a Princess of Alani, one can’t help but admire you. Your brilliant plans, each one linked flawlessly to another, orchestrate such upheavals. It’s likely that the men of this era are no match for you!"
Serena Sterling took off her hat, a black cloak draped over her shoulders, highlighting her stunning beauty. Her bright eyes fell on Consort Willow, "Consort Willow, have you reflected in this cold palace on precisely which move you made wrong, and how you lost?"
Consort Willow indeed had pondered over this question, and she had an answer, "It’s all that wretched Consort Melinda’s fault for ruining my grand plan. If she had drunk that concoction meant for miscarriage, you wouldn’t have exploited the opportunity, nor would it have led to the subsequent series of events. I still can’t figure out how Consort Melinda dared to defy my orders with such audacity."
"Consort Melinda, I can answer that for you. Look at who stands behind me." Serena said.
Only then did Consort Willow notice someone behind Serena Sterling, a maid.
The maid slowly lifted her head.
Consort Willow’s pupils contracted, quickly recognizing the person, "You, you’re the maid Carol from Consort Melinda’s side. How are you here? Are you from Alani?"
The maid reached out and tore off the human skin mask on her face, revealing her true self, "Consort Willow, I’m not Carol. I’m Cherie, the lady-in-waiting beside Her Royal Highness, the Princess."
Consort Willow was shocked, and she soon understood everything. Cherie had disguised herself as the maid by Consort Melinda’s side to incite her. So that’s how it was.
Serena Sterling slowly curled her red lips, "Consort Willow, when people are greedy, their desires become inflated. Consort Melinda is pregnant with twins. Do you really think she would still let you control her? I merely seized this point and magnified the ugliness of human nature."
"Ha, hahaha," Consort Willow suddenly laughed, "Princess of Alani, so it turns out you’re adept at playing mind games. I concede this loss willingly, but do you think you’ve won?"
Consort Willow showed a bizarre smile.
Serena Sterling stepped forward two paces, coming closer to Consort Willow, "Consort Willow, then display your skills for me to see, or else I will look down on your Merfolk Clan. Back then, your clan was nothing but dark and despicable, trampled and overrun by my Alani ancestors. You’ve been struggling to survive all these years, haven’t you? You best hide well and not let me find you!"
"You!" Consort Willow was so furious she was at a loss for words. Now she realized Serena Sterling’s purpose was to flaunt her success in front of her, the loser, a blatant declaration of conflict.
"Consort Willow, I have other matters to attend to, so I won’t chat idly with you." With that, Serena Sterling took Cherie and turned to leave.
Consort Willow was left frozen in place, her eyes fixed venomously on the disappearing silhouette of Serena Sterling. She had not lost; she would not lose. One day, Serena Sterling, Seraphina Linden, and Alani would be destroyed!
...
The engagement party ended smoothly; according to tradition, the next step was to go to the palace temple to pay respects.
Serena Sterling changed clothes and then went to the temple with Titus Ashworth and Axel Ashworth.
The temple is located deep in the mountains behind the palace, housing the tablets of all the ancestors from The State of Westria, solemn and sacred.
"Axel, Princess of Alani, this is a sacred place. Don’t touch anything; go forward and burn incense for the ancestors," Titus Ashworth instructed.
A maid brought two sticks of incense over. Serena Sterling took one and stood before the tablets, her clear eyes sweeping over each one. She wondered if these rulers, who ascended by stepping over the blood and bodies of Alani people, ever felt a hint of remorse.
"Pray," someone called out.
Serena Sterling held the incense and bowed reverently, thinking of all the ancestors. "Serena Sterling from Alani is here; it’s our first meeting, please watch over me."
Serena Sterling and Axel Ashworth stepped forward and placed the incense in the burner, completing the ceremony.
Titus Ashworth did not intend to linger, "Axel, Princess of Alani, let’s head back now."
"Alright, Father. Serena, let’s go," Axel Ashworth said.
At this moment, Serena Sterling suddenly touched her ear, "Oh no, I lost an earring. I think it fell ahead; I’ll go pick it up."
Serena Sterling quickly walked forward.
As she reached the corner, Cherie had already donned another human skin mask, disguising herself as Serena Sterling, and swiftly exited.
"Lord Ashworth, King of Nine Peaks, I found my earring. Let’s go," Cherie disguised as Serena Sterling said, raising her hand with the earring and smiling.
The swap happened so quickly, almost in a passing moment, so neither Titus Ashworth nor Axel Ashworth suspected anything, "Let’s go."
Serena Sterling hid at the corner, listening to the sounds outside gradually fade away; everyone had left.
Serena Sterling took out the map she had long kept hidden. Based on the map, the Sky Sword should be in the temple.
Serena Sterling quickly turned back to the temple.
The temple was now pitch-black, exuding an eerie chill. Serena Sterling reached the inner chamber, extending her small hand to push open the wooden door.
The door creaked open, and inside, nothing could be seen in the darkness.
Might there be traps inside?
Serena Sterling stepped inside cautiously.
But the interior was safe; there were no mechanisms.
Soon, Serena Sterling realized something was off. She had indeed come to the temple, but the scene shifted, and she now stood on a cliff.
The frigid wind cut her face like knives, sharply reminding her that none of this was an illusion. She had genuinely arrived at the edge of the cliff.
Serena Sterling looked down; the cliff was so high it seemed bottomless.
She immediately broke into a cold sweat. What was happening? Serena Sterling suddenly recalled the mind-control sorcery she encountered three years ago in the restricted area of Aethelgard. She must have fallen into another kind of array, but this one was more formidable and perilous than her mother’s mind-control sorcery.
While Serena Sterling’s mind was in a turmoil, the soil under her foot suddenly loosened, causing her slender body to plummet down the cliff.
The abrupt sensation of weightlessness made Serena’s pupils constrict sharply, and she instinctively let out a cry of alarm!
Was she about to fall?
If she fell, she’d likely leave no trace!
In the nick of time, suddenly a large hand with defined knuckles shot out like lightning, grasping her slender wrist.
Now Serena Sterling hung in mid-air, she quickly lifted her head. An achingly familiar handsome visage magnified in her sight.
Hayden Crawford has arrived!
He actually came.
Serena Sterling was stunned, perplexed, "Hayden Crawford, how did you come here?"