Chapter 137: A Toast to the Truth
Chapter 137: A Toast to the Truth
Elyn’s POV
Kaelthar turned back to me so sharply that his mane shifted with the force of it. His face was scrunched with fury, features pulled tight like he was barely holding himself together.
"What," he growled, each word vibrating through the dungeon, "did you just say?"
I just gave him a look. Did he think the whole act was impressive?
"I said," I replied evenly, "that you are in charge of the trafficking. Everything was your idea."
For a heartbeat, everything went still.
Honestly, I wasn’t certain of this. At first, I thought that perhaps he had an idea about the trafficking, but he discarded his people too quickly.
And he was too adamant about the fact that the seal—his seal—was forged when Naviel had said that if it was, then it was forged all too well. And the fabricated evidence? Nah. I didn’t believe that. There was something more, and I was going to find out. Kaelthar was very much involved in this trafficking.
Kaelthar gave me a look like he was scanning me from top to bottom. Then he laughed. It wasn’t an amused laugh, nor was it light, because it grated in my ears.
Why was he laughing like a hyena when he was supposed to be a lion? Was that how lions laughed? I thought it was supposed to be majestic since, in my former life, they claimed they were the kings of the jungle, so his laugh was supposed to sound like a roar or something, right?
Wait... now that I’m thinking about it, that doesn’t make any sense. How would a laugh roar even sound like? Forget I said anything like that.
"You can stop laughing now. It’s fucking ugly, and my ears don’t have the capacity to keep listening to that sound," Zorathys grumbled, but it seemed I was the only one who heard it.
I gave him a look, and he gave me one back, his lids halfway closed—no surprise there.
I think in some way—one I’m not even sure how—Kaelthar got the message and stopped laughing. It was abrupt, but it was enough to give my ears some fucking rest, which they absolutely deserved.
"Are you well?" he asked mockingly.
Considering how tolerant I was of Zorathys and how I’d been so accepting of everything that had been happening in my life, I couldn’t say I was well. At least not upstairs. Physically? Sure. Mentally? That was debatable.
But then again, even before coming to this world, I’d always had issues upstairs—at least that’s what my grandma told me once. She was drunk when she said it. Oh, and Karen told me too.
Not even considering the fact that I was having an inner monologue right now, Kaelthar continued with his tiring words.
"Truly. Do you need someone to perhaps perform healing magic on you? Because that accusation is absurd," he told me.
That was rude. Really fucking rude. But unimpressive nonetheless. You see, I am a cool woman, and I was portraying it right now.
I raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "That’s no way to talk to someone who is your superior."
"You are no superior—" Kaelthar began, but then it was like something was choking him, and he couldn’t get the words out, battling against it.
I turned to Zorathys, who just stared back at me. The only indication that he was doing anything at all was the shadow I saw coil around Kaelthar.
When he was satisfied with his work, he released him.
I turned back to the duke, who was coughing loudly, trying to drag air back into his lungs.
"Oh, stop overreacting. I only stopped your lungs for a few seconds," Zorathys said in his usual drawl.
Kaelthar glared at him, then turned to me, adjusting himself—but before he could speak, I did.
"You can deny it all you want," I said calmly, "but I know you’re the head of it. You planned this—everything was your idea, was it not?"
His snake tail flicked violently against the stone floor, scales scraping with a harsh sound that echoed through the chamber. The other nobles flinched despite their restraints.
Kaelthar turned away from me abruptly and faced Zorathys instead, jaw tight. "Are you truly going to allow some human to stand here and accuse me of—"
"She is not some human," Zorathys interrupted lazily.
Kaelthar gritted his teeth. I noticed his fists clench and unclench at his sides.
Interesting. What could make him react that way? Was it simply his dislike for Zorathys, or was it something more? Either way, I was going to find out.
"And besides," Zorathys continued, voice smooth and bored, "she is the one doing the talking. If you have something to say, speak to her. Not me. And be careful with what you say—I wouldn’t want to see you choking on air again. It’s quite unappealing and not a nice sound to sleep to."
For a second, Kaelthar looked stunned by Zorathys’s words. And that was only for a moment, because the next thing I knew, he exploded in anger.
"This," he roared, gesturing wildly.
I stand corrected—that roar sounded like a lion’s, and let me tell you, it sounded like perfection.
Stupid perfection, but perfection all the same. Now, if only he could execute a roaring laugh too. That would be nice.
"...this is exactly the problem with this realm! Your laziness, your indifference—your attitude!" His voice boomed, bouncing off the stone walls. "You sleep while territories rot. You ignore corruption because it inconveniences you. You let things fester because you are not ready to rule!"
He paced furiously, tail lashing, claws flexing. His words grew faster, his movements sharper. The rest of us remained where we were, but Kaelthar moved like a storm. I turned to Zorathys and noticed his hands swirling faintly. He only shrugged before I turned back to the pacing demon, strangely interested in hearing him dig his own grave.
"The realm is falling apart because its king cannot be bothered to care! You hide behind your vanishing door in your bedroom while others do the work!"
"You do not deserve to be a leader. You should not be king of the realm. You do not deserve to hold the position. You are not worth it, even if you are powerful. Power isn’t the only thing a leader should have."
He went on and on, words spilling out in a heated torrent—about leadership, about responsibility, about how Zorathys had failed them all.
When he finally stopped, chest heaving, silence filled the dungeon once more.
Zorathys yawned.
A slow, bone-deep yawn that stretched his jaw and made his eyes water slightly.
When it ended, he blinked at Kaelthar sleepily. "I’m happy that took only eight seconds. Normally it takes longer."
"You made my speech faster," Kaelthar growled.
Zorathys nodded shamelessly. "That’s because you were taking too much time, and we need to be done with this so I can get some rest. My bones ache, and like you said, I’m a lazy king."
Kaelthar stared at him, utterly livid.
"Now, can we go back to what the queen was saying? I’m sleepy," Zorathys added, rubbing his eyes.
Kaelthar’s glare could have melted steel, but it didn’t affect Zorathys, who yawned again, completely unbothered.
I inhaled slowly, centering myself, and stepped forward.
"Answer the question," I said, cutting cleanly through the tension. "Are you in charge of the trafficking or not?"
Kaelthar scoffed. "Obviously not."
I smiled. I knew he was going to deny it.
"Then have a drink with me."
The dungeon went quiet again.
Kaelthar frowned. "Are you alright?"
"I’m perfectly fine," I replied. I turned my head slightly. "Zorathys."
He looked at me, one eyebrow lifting. "Yes, Firefly?"
"Can I get some wine?"
He nodded once and snapped his fingers.
A bottle of deep red wine appeared in the air, descending gently along with three crystal cups that floated down and settled neatly in front of us.
I stepped closer and reached into the pocket of my pants, pulling out a small vial. The liquid inside was clear, faintly shimmering.
"In Aelthryn, where I’m from," I said casually, "we pour this into our drinks sometimes. It makes the wine sweeter."
That was a lie—but nobody was going to know.
I uncorked the vial and poured a few drops into each cup, stirring gently with my finger. Then I lifted one and extended it toward Kaelthar.
He stared at it like it was poison. "I’m not drinking that."
"That’s fine," I said lightly, already thinking of a way to make him drink it since I’d just added truth serum to it. Yes, I brought it with me to the demon realm.
But then he moved.
His body stepped forward against his will, muscles tightening as if pulled by invisible strings. His eyes widened in shock as his hand reached out, fingers closing around the cup.
I turned my head slightly and looked at Zorathys—again.
He shrugged—again—expression innocent.
But I saw it.
His fingers were twirling subtly in the air.
Kaelthar raised the cup and drank.
The moment the wine hit his throat, the hold released.
He choked, coughing violently, wine spilling down his chin as he staggered back. His eyes burned with rage as he struggled to breathe.
He glared at me. "What did you do to me?!"
I tilted my head. "Nothing," I said truthfully. "I only gave you a drink."
I stepped closer, my smile returning.
"Now," I asked gently, "are you involved in the trafficking?"