The queen consort reclined lazily on her silk couch, eyes closed as two maids massaged her shoulders and arms. The room smelled faintly of lavender oil—calming, serene, deceitfully peaceful for a woman planning a kingdom's downfall.
Her other maid entered quietly and knelt.
"Your Majesty," she murmured, "we received the latest report from Elise… the spy stationed in Vareth."
The queen barely lifted her chin. "Mm. Speak."
"At first, the report mentioned nothing unusual—just that the herbalist Prince Alaric frequently visits has twin children. Elise often saw them together in town. And during her first arrival, she even witnessed them at the river… playing, laughing…" The maid hesitated. "Alaric as well."
The queen did not react, still lounging comfortably with eyes shut.
"But," the maid continued cautiously, "Elise noted something odd. She said the twins resemble Alaric… strongly."
The queen's eyes remained closed.
"She also… overheard the twins calling Prince Alaric—"
The maid swallowed.
"—calling him daddy."
The queen's eyes snapped open.
"Stop." Her voice cut the air sharply.
The maids halted their massage immediately.
The queen sat up, spine straight, expression turning cold as ice.
"Say that again."
The maid repeated, "The twins called Alaric daddy."
The queen's chief maid stiffened. "Then… could it be—?"
"That the herbalist is an omega," the queen finished smoothly. "And the twins are Alaric's blood."
A slow, delighted smile curved her lips.
She leaned back, tapping her fingers on her armrest.
"And now that you mention it," the maid added nervously, "Elise also reported something strange about one of the twins—the one with brown eyes. She said that sometimes… there's a glint of gold beneath."
The queen laughed softly.
"Not surprising. Eye tinctures. Herbal dyes." She smirked. "The herbalist is skilled enough to hide his own secondary gender. Masking a child's eyes would be nothing."
The aide swallowed hard. "Your Majesty… what are your orders?"
"What else?" The queen's smile sharpened. "If those twins are truly Alaric's sons, then there is a high chance one inherited dominance—even if the omega parent is recessive."
Her gaze chilled.
"Send our men. Kidnap the brown-eyed child. I want him alive.
This—" she said, voice lowered to a whisper of triumph, "—this is the opportunity I have awaited for years. Alaric, that arrogant boy, has lived his life without weakness… or so he believed."
Her eyes glittered with cruel satisfaction.
"But now? Now I finally hold something of his. His blood. His heir. Kidnap the child, and he will show himself."
She leaned back, a predator at rest.
"At last… a weakness I can crush. Consider this my revenge for every year he tormented me.""
"And the omega?" the aide whispered.
"Capture him. Then kill him afterwards." She waved a hand. "We'll disguise it as punishment for concealing his true gender."
The chief maid hesitated. "Your Majesty… what of Prince Caelum? What will happen to him if you intend to install a new ruler? And considering your father favors him—"
The queen's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Do not worry. I have plans for both of them."
Her smile turned thin and predatory.
"Especially for Caelum."
___________________________________________
The Shadow Knight assigned to watch over Rin and the twins noticed Elise acting unusually—scribbling messages, following the children too closely, slipping away at night.
He sent a messenger bird to Alaric with the details.
But because Alaric was moving, hiding, and being hunted, the reply came only days later.
And the timing was disastrous.
__________________________________________
Rin was arranging newly dried herbs inside his shop when he spoke without turning around.
"You can come out now."
The Shadow Knight hiding in the rafters stiffened.
How did Rin—?
Rin glanced up, expression annoyed. "Your footsteps were too heavy. What's going on?"
The knight hesitated. "I… I can't say yet. His Highness ordered us to—"
A flutter of wings interrupted him.
A messenger bird landed on the windowsill.
The knight's eyes widened. "Excuse me!"
He darted toward it—but before he could untie the scroll—
The door burst open.
Three armed men stormed into the shop with blades drawn.
"There he is—kill the omega first!"
Rin's eyes sharpened.
Before they could take another step, the entire shop thickened with the heavy, suffocating scent of dominance—his pheromones slamming into the intruders like a wall.
The men staggered.
Rin flicked his wrist, scattering a fine powder he always kept hidden in his sleeve.
They inhaled it.
They collapsed instantly—paralyzed but alive.
"You idiots," Rin muttered, chest rising and falling. "Coming into my shop without antidotes…"
The Shadow Knight dropped from above, shocked. "You—You're a dominant?!"
"No time!" Rin snapped. "The twins—"
A scream tore through the air from outside.
"PAPA!"
The world blurred.
Rin bolted out of the shop with the Shadow Knight behind him.
They reached the alley just in time to see—
Rhen knocked unconscious on the ground.
And Riven—
being carried away.
Rin's voice cracked.
"RIVEN!"
He ran, but a squad of palace guards blocked the path.
"Halt! You are under suspicion—"
The Shadow Knight grabbed Rin and Rhen both, throwing a smoke pellet.
"Hold on!"
They fled into the forest, Rin screaming Riven's name until his throat tore.
__________________________________________
They finally stopped in an abandoned shed deep within the woods.
The knight handed Rin a cloak. "Put this on. They're tracking our trails."
Rin's hands shook violently as he wrapped Rhen close. The child still unconscious.
"Tell me,why you didn't save Riven?" Rin rasped, voice breaking, "what is happening?"
The knight bowed deeply.
"A message from His Highness. He predicted the queen would target you. He ordered us to bring you to the North—Lucien's territory. You will be safe there. And he will meet you as soon as he can."
Rin's breath hitched.
"But the message arrived late," the knight said bitterly. "If we'd left earlier… we could have saved both children."
Rin's eyes filled with furious tears.
"The North is far from the capital," he muttered. "Too far. And Riven—my son—"
Rin clenched his fists until his nails drew blood.
He whispered through gritted teeth:
"Alaric… you better be safe."
His eyes blazed with fury and grief.
.... for when I lay eyes on you again, I shall ensure you regret ever dragging my children into your wretched schemes."