Liam's emerald eyes flashed with a predatory brilliance as a crooked, confident smirk pulled at the corner of his lips. He was certain the Prince would succumb to his demands. "I offer you a service that is beyond any price," he declared, his voice-a haunting, melodic rasp-echoing through the chamber, sending a collective shiver down the spines of everyone present.

  The Prince raised his eyebrows, granting the stranger a fleeting window to plead his case. Liam didn't miss a beat. "Has the 'Golden Chrysanthemum' not become an insufferable weight upon your realm?" He let out a sharp, mocking scoff that did not escape the Prince's notice. "I will be your greatest asset when you finally march to war."

  The Prince was acutely aware that the drums of war were already beating. It was a terrifying reality; the odds of victory for the 'Red Ruby' Kingdom were dismal, and a defeat would mean their absolute collapse. A slight tremor shook the Prince-unnoticeable to all, save for Nicholas.

  Nicholas stepped forward, his expression mirroring Liam's own arrogance. "And what miracles do you hide in your sleeve to claim such power?" His glacial tone didn't rattle Liam in the slightest. On the contrary, the youth tilted his head, eyeing Nicholas with a mocking gaze. "Aside from the fact that I already own you-the Prince's most cherished treasure?"

  He turned his eyes back to the Prince, who stood with his lips parted in sheer shock at the stranger's audacity. "The 'Golden Chrysanthemum' shall meet its end by my hand," Liam vowed.

  Nicholas let out a sharp laugh at the bold claim. "I must admit, this charlatan is amusing for a moment." Liam's expression remained unreadable before Nicholas cut him off. "It seems you are demanding quite a steep price, hmm..."

  The Prince narrowed his eyes, watching as Liam's hand moved with a fluid, subtle motion behind his back. The Prince's eyes snapped wide as he realized the danger. "Seize him!" he commanded urgently, but the guards were a heartbeat too late.

  Liam gripped a keen dagger firmly and plunged it with violent force into his own side, a twisted smile never leaving his face. The act was not just shocking; it became horrific when Nicholas suddenly collapsed to the floor, coughing up blood. "Did I not tell you?" Liam remarked, stepping past the frozen guards toward his victim.

  The guards scrambled to pursue him, but a wave of unnatural, paralyzing dread stopped them in their tracks. "What are you doing? Seize him!" the Prince roared, rushing toward Nicholas as James did the same. But both stopped dead, consumed by the same inexplicable terror that had gripped the soldiers.

  Only Nicholas remained untouched by the aura of fear. He watched as Liam knelt to his level, indifferent to the carnage he had caused. "I truly do own you now. What strikes me, strikes you," Liam whispered with a malicious grin. "I fear His Highness won't be able to bear the sight of it."

  Liam sat beside Nicholas and looked up at the Prince, who stood frozen against his own will. "Now, Your Highness, grant me a minute of your time..." He tilted his head slightly. "In private."

  Nicholas was in a daze from the sudden assault on his senses, but he managed to look at the Prince, pleading for him to refuse. "Do not listen to him, my Prince." He tried to rise, but Liam held him down with a firm, relentless grip. "He is only trying to cow you into submission." Liam nodded in a mock agreement. "Quite right. I do it simply because I can." His retort was biting, sending a fresh wave of chills through the Prince.

  The atmosphere shifted slightly, the invisible weight lifting enough for the Prince to relax his muscles. Liam smiled, waiting for a verdict. "Ten minutes," the Prince spoke quietly. "No more." Liam clapped his hands together before rising to his feet.

  Liam helped Nicholas up, but Nicholas shrugged off the assistance, his eyes fixed on the Prince. "My Prince! You cannot remain alone with this man. He is a danger to you." The Prince sighed, offering Nicholas a silent apology; his mind was made up.

  "Excellent choice, Your Highness!" Liam remarked, his voice soft but lacking its usual mockery. Yet, to the onlookers, the comment felt like a jagged insult. The guards drew their steel, but James signaled them to stand down upon the Prince's nod. "The Prince's word is final. Clear the room." The guards retreated, their faces tight with resentment and fear for their sovereign's safety.

  James stepped toward Nicholas to take him from Liam's grasp. "Look after him," Liam commanded with a boldness that bordered on a threat. "I won't be long." It was a warning James understood perfectly-Liam had no intention of letting Nicholas go. James's fury simmered, but he ignored the provocateur, heading for the door. Before leaving, he made it clear: he would be back in ten minutes.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  The ten minutes elapsed, and as the heavy doors groaned open, the atmosphere shifted instantly. The Prince emerged with Liam at his side, a sight that left the onlookers in a state of utter disbelief. "I cannot believe my eyes," Nicholas muttered, clutching his wrist in sheer frustration. Jenny cast a lingering gaze toward Liam, whispering to James—loudly enough for Nicholas to overhear—"So, is this the one who bested Nick twice in a row?" James offered a sharp nod, earning an exasperated groan from Nicholas.

  The Prince surveyed the group, his expression neutral and unreadable. Directing his words pointedly at Nicholas, he declared, "Once I have secured the King’s authorization, you are to accompany Liam on a covert mission." Nicholas’s jaw dropped, oblivious to the guards who viewed his reaction as a blatant lack of respect toward royal orders. "My Prince... are you certain of this?" he managed to ask.

  James and Jenny stood stunned; Nicholas rarely countered the Prince unless he felt a dire necessity. While James silently agreed with Nicholas, he lacked the audacity to confront His Highness so directly. The Prince looked at Nicholas with hollow eyes, taking in his disheveled state. "I will discuss the details with you later, Nick," he stated firmly. "But first, go and receive the necessary treatment." With that, he departed for the King’s private wing.

  Liam watched the frustration boiling over in Nicholas’s expression. Ignoring it, he turned to James with a reproachful look. "Did I not tell you to look after him?" James rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Why lay the blame at my feet when you are the very cause of his agony?" Liam merely shrugged, dismissing the question, and stepped toward Nicholas. Nicholas raised an eyebrow, wary of whatever the stranger intended to do next, while Jenny watched intently, eager to see the drama unfold.

  Suddenly, Liam grabbed Nicholas, spinning him around and brushing aside his long, caramel-colored hair, which had been tied back with meticulous care. He exposed Nicholas's honey-toned skin at the nape of his neck, which had turned a deep, bruised indigo bordering on violet. "Did I not warn you of this? You haven't even bothered to check the damage," Liam remarked, as Jenny traced the mark with her eyes, fascinated by the aftermath of the bite.

  Liam leaned in close, his face inches from Nicholas’s, and whispered, "Fear not. As long as I am here, you are exactly as I wish you to be." His voice was a calm, melodic rasp. Taking Nicholas by the hand, he looked around at the group. "Where is your chamber?" he asked. James offered only a cold, hostile silence, but Jenny spoke up before he could intervene. "I shall show you the way," she volunteered, causing James to scowl. What on earth has gotten into her? he wondered bitterly.

  On the way to the chambers, Nicholas remained submerged in a sea of dark thoughts, while Liam and Jenny engaged in a startlingly fluid conversation. "You must be pursuing something of immense gravity to place your life under such constant threat," Jenny remarked, her voice laced with a mixture of awe and curiosity. Liam offered a simple, resolute nod. "There is no other way," he replied flatly.

  Sensing an opportunity to stir the waters, Jenny cast a playful glance at the brooding Nicholas. "It seems capturing our dear Nick was far easier than anyone imagined," she teased. Liam caught her drift immediately, his tone dripping with mockery. "Did I not tell you? He was easy prey. The moment I set eyes on him, he was already within my grasp." Nicholas turned toward them, his eyes like glacial pools. "The both of you... I will see to your ends personally," he threatened. Jenny merely smiled, unfazed by his brewing fury. "My apologies, but you must admit, you were a 'soft target' for once in your life." Nicholas’s eyes narrowed to slits; he broke into a quick pace, reaching his room and slamming the door in their faces. Inside, he was met by the bewildered gaze of Yasmine, who was already waiting for him. "Nick?" She understood the situation instantly as Liam’s rhythmic knocking filled the air, accompanied by Jenny’s light-hearted laughter.

  "Nicky~ you can't hide forever," Liam’s voice drifted through the wood, soft and heavy with a melodic rasp. "I am the only remedy for the agony I caused." Jenny added with a chuckle, "I suppose this makes you two even."

  Yasmine pushed Nicholas aside and swung the door open, oblivious to the identity of Jenny's companion. "Running from treatment? How stubborn can you be?" Realizing he was outnumbered by the three of them, Nicholas slumped onto his bed in a silent declaration of surrender. "I’m only doing this for your sake, Yasmine," he muttered, using her as a shield for his bruised pride.

  Yasmine’s eyes widened as she came face-to-face with Liam. Her hand flew to the hilt of the sword at her waist, her body tensing in an instant. Jenny stepped in, sensing the volatile tension. "It’s a long story, Yasmine. How about I summarize it for you while Liam tends to Nick?" Yasmine’s delicate features hardened into a mask of cold hostility. "Why would I allow him anywhere near my brother after what he’s done?"

  Nicholas surprised them both by answering in Liam’s stead, much to Yasmine’s chagrin. "Let him in. I have matters to discuss with him regardless." Reluctantly, Yasmine released her blade and departed with Jenny, who knew the Prince’s orders would soon carry the King’s seal.

  Liam closed the door with a swift click and marched toward the bed where Nicholas sat, bristling with resentment. Nicholas’s eyes snapped wide as Liam drew the same keen dagger and sliced his own wrist without a word of warning. "You truly are a lunatic," Nicholas remarked, recoiling as Liam extended the bleeding limb. "What are you waiting for? Drink," Liam commanded, his neutral tone making it clear he was dead serious.

  "What is your obsession with blood?" Nicholas asked, his face contorted in visceral disgust. "Why should I suddenly drink from you?" Liam sat beside him, watching the crimson pool in his palm. "Whether you like the idea is irrelevant. Do not expect me to withhold the cure just because you find it distasteful; I will force it upon you if I must." Nicholas raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly is your blood supposed to do?"

  Liam sighed quietly. "It’s not as if this is your first time partaking," he remarked nonchalantly. Nicholas gasped in shock. "When did I ever do such a thing?"

  "I forced you once before," Liam answered, his expression so stoic it sent a shiver down Nicholas’s spine. What is wrong with this man? Nicholas wondered, crossing his arms. "Why? Why go to these lengths?" Liam dismissed the question, stating simply that he had his reasons.

  Nicholas’s expression turned grave. "Listen, I may have been lenient with you since we met, but I will not lift a finger to help you unless you explain yourself." Liam tilted his head, seemingly unfazed by the ultimatum. His voice softened, adopting a rare, gentle cadence. "Nick, I will tell you everything. But never doubt for a second that I would ever do anything to truly harm you."

  He continued, "I will answer a few of your questions, but in exchange, you must cooperate with me." Nicholas sighed, noticing that Liam’s blood was now staining the bedsheets. He gave a sharp nod, prompting a crooked smirk to bloom on Liam’s face. Nicholas eyed the expression with disdain. "Has anyone ever told you that your smile is absolutely hideou

  s?" Liam let out a rare laugh, choosing to ignore the biting sarcasm.