Chapter 226
Captain Ronan’s urgent words echoed sharply across the vast expanse of the Frozen Lake.
"My Lady collapsed during her walk in the garden."
Ronan paused, catching his breath before adding, "She is awake..."
"But Royal Physician Alaric requests Your Majesty’s immediate return."
Cassian’s calm expression altered instantly. The sharp, controlled mask he maintained as Sovereign slipped, replaced by an unmistakable shadow of deep tension.
"What happened?" Cassian demanded, his voice dropping into a dangerous, dark register.
Captain Ronan lowered his head respectfully, keeping his tone measured.
"Physician Alaric believes Her Majesty simply exhausted herself."
"He refuses to say anything else until Your Majesty returns to the inner chambers."
Cassian’s dark brows knitted together in severe concern. The thought of Lin Wan falling ill inside the cold palace made his blood run cold.
"Was she injured?" he asked sharply.
"No, Your Majesty."
"Did she fall onto the stone path?"
"According to Lady Iris, she became dizzy and nearly collapsed," Ronan explained quickly. "Sister Yun and the nearby palace attendants caught her firmly before she reached the ground."
Cassian released a quiet, heavy breath, the tight knot in his chest loosening just a fraction. "Good."
Captain Ronan continued his report. "Physician Alaric has already ordered complete bed rest for the remainder of the day."
Cassian gave a single, firm nod of his head. "I understand."
He slowly turned his sharp gaze back toward Patriarch Wang, who had stood quietly nearby throughout the urgent exchange, taking in every detail.
"Our meeting ends here," Cassian stated smoothly.
Wang looked at him steadily, his handsome face completely calm, though a faint look of profound worry flickered deep within his golden eyes.
"Go," Wang said simply.
Cassian paused for a brief second, studying the Silver Leopard leader. "You do not have another demand to make before I leave?"
Wang shook his head slowly, his long cloak catching the icy mountain wind. "Not today."
He looked directly into Cassian’s eyes, his tone absolute. "The children come first."
Cassian studied the Patriarch for several long seconds, taking in the genuine, selfless sincerity behind his words, before speaking with measured gravity. "I will remember those words."
Wang gave a slight, polite nod of his head. "I was not saying them to earn your approval, Manticore King."
"I know," Cassian replied plainly.
The two powerful men looked at one another across the frozen ground.
Neither ruler had changed his official military position. Neither man was willing to yield his core principles or surrender his pride.
Yet somehow...
The suffocating, bloody hostility that had lingered between their two realms for weeks had subtly eased into a tense, unspoken respect.
Cassian spoke once more, his deep voice carrying clearly over the frozen valley. "When she is stronger..."
"I will allow her to make her own decision."
Wang’s eyes narrowed slightly, his sharp mind carefully weighing the profound weight of the Sovereign’s statement. "You mean that?"
"I do not repeat promises lightly," Cassian replied coldly.
A long, heavy silence followed his words, filled only by the distant howling of the mountain wind.
Then, Wang said quietly, "I will hold you to it."
"You should," Cassian responded without hesitation.
Cassian turned his back on the open lake, facing Captain Ronan. "We are leaving immediately."
Before he could take another step across the frosted ice, Wang called out after him.
"Cassian."
The Manticore King brought his boots to a firm halt, but he did not turn around to face the Patriarch.
"Take care of her," Wang called out.
The four simple words hung heavy in the cold winter air.
There was no hidden challenge in his voice. There was no fierce arrogance, nor any grand display of political pride.
It was simply the raw, honest request of a deeply worried mate.
After a brief, quiet pause, Cassian offered his reply. "I already am."
Without uttering another word, Cassian strode purposefully back toward the southern shore of the lake. Captain Ronan followed closely at his heels, his iron boots crunching against the ice.
The twenty elite Shadow Guards immediately fell into a tight, protective formation around their King as he reached the snowy treeline.
General Rowan let out a long, heavy sigh of immense relief the moment Cassian safely set foot on the riverbank.
"Your Majesty," Rowan greeted, bowing low.
Cassian smoothly mounted his tall black horse, gathering the leather reins in his gauntleted hand. "We are returning to the Citadel at once."
He looked down at his senior general, issuing sharp, unyielding commands. "No one advances past this tree line."
"No one provokes the Silver Leopard Clan."
"Maintain our defensive line with absolute discipline."
General Rowan bowed deeply, his mind greatly eased by the clear orders. "Yes, Your Majesty."
Far up the mountain, the massive iron-reinforced gates of the Supreme Citadel slowly ground open once more.
Cassian rode straight through the grand archway without looking back over his shoulder even once.
On the exact opposite side of the Frozen Lake...
Wei Xiang had been watching the entire high-stakes meeting from the crest of a distant, snow-draped ridge.
From such a great distance, he had been entirely unable to hear the quiet, heavy words exchanged between the two rulers.
However, as a seasoned warrior, he could easily read the sharp shifts in their body language.
Captain Bren stepped up beside him, his heavy cloak wrapped tightly against the bitter cold. "It has ended."
Wei Xiang gave a slow nod of his head, his dark eyes never leaving the figures on the white ice below. "They never drew their blades. They never fought."
"No," Bren agreed quietly, looking toward Wang, who was slowly riding his snow-white mount back across the frozen expanse. "I will freely admit..."
"I fully expected a very different, far bloodier outcome from this parley."
Wei Xiang offered a faint, dry smile without taking his eyes off his Patriarch. "So did I, Bren. So did I."
As Wang drew closer to the Silver Leopard camp, every single warrior standing along the perimeter straightened their posture, holding their breath in anxious anticipation.
The Patriarch dismounted quietly, handing the leather reins to a waiting attendant.
Elder Marcus stepped forward first from the crowd of commanders, bowing his head eagerly. "Patriarch."
"Did the Manticore King agree to our terms? Will he release Lady Lin?"
Wang unbuttoned his heavy fur collar and slowly removed his leather riding gloves before answering. "He refused to release Lin Wan today."
A wave of low, disappointed sighs instantly rippled through the gathered warriors.
Several younger captains tightly clenched their iron-gloved fists in deep frustration.
Before anyone could voice an angry protest, Wang continued in a clear, resonant voice. "But he made a binding promise."
The entire military camp fell into an absolute, breathless quiet.
Wei Xiang stepped forward out of the crowd, his dark eyes searching Wang’s calm face. "What promise did he make?"
Wang met his gaze directly. "After the children are safely born and her health is fully restored..."
"Lin Wan will be permitted to choose her own future."
Wei Xiang stared at his leader in utter disbelief, his jaw slackening slightly. "...He actually said that to you? The Manticore King swore to give her that choice?"
"He did," Wang confirmed smoothly.
Captain Bren furrowed his dark brows, his expression laced with deep suspicion. "Can we truly trust the word of a rival Sovereign?"
Wang answered without a single second of hesitation. "Yes."
Some of the older clan elders exchanged thoroughly surprised, bewildered looks.
One senior elder could not help stepping out from the line to ask, "Why are you so remarkably certain of his honesty, Patriarch? He is our enemy."
Wang turned his gaze toward the grand, dark silhouette of the distant Supreme Citadel looming against the grey sky.
"Because he could have easily lied to my face to buy time," Wang explained softly, his voice full of sharp clarity. "He did not."
"He could have delayed giving a clear answer with empty diplomatic political speeches."
"He could have hidden behind endless tactical excuses."
"He did not."
Wang turned back to his men. "He looked me in the eye and answered every single question directly, without a shred of deceit."
Wei Xiang folded his broad arms across his chest, taking a deep breath of the freezing air as he processed the strange new reality. "So..."
"What do we do now?"
Wang looked across his vast military camp. Thousands of battle-hardened warriors were watching him intently, silently waiting for his command to either march or retreat.
He raised his powerful voice just enough for every commander in the surrounding area to hear clearly.
"We wait."
Immediate, restless murmurs spread rapidly through the ranks like wildfire.
One younger, hot-headed captain stepped forward, pointing toward the distant fortress. "We have marched our warriors all this way through brutal winter storms! Are we truly just going to sit in this snow and wait?"
Wang turned his golden eyes onto the young captain, his gaze so cold and absolute that the man instantly froze in his tracks.
"Yes," Wang commanded calmly.
"We will hold our current positions right here."
"No one crosses our established defensive perimeter."
"No one starts a fight with their forward patrols."
Wang’s voice remained perfectly level, yet it carried an underlying power that made every heart tremble. "If anyone disobeys this order and attacks first..."
"They will answer directly to me."
Not a single soul in the vast army dared to question his authority again.
Wei Xiang slowly turned his face toward the dark, towering palace hidden far beyond the snowy mountain ridges