116 Bloodlus (1/2)

LUCINA was finally able to breathe when the stupid flaming red feather finally disappeared.

As soon as she could, she stood up and mustered all the power remaining in her body. She knew that it was already too late to help Lord Huxley. So instead, she decided to do the thing she wanted most even if it wasn't the right time yet.

I have to kill the duchess now that she's in a vulnerable state.

If the heart had awakened a while ago, it only meant that Lady Nystrom was weak now.

She also considered the fact that Kiho might be with the duchess. But she had to strike while the iron was hot.

I need to take your place now, Lady Nystrom.

She closed her eyes and cast a spell around her that turned her invisible. But since her power was sealed, the invisibility spell would only last her a few minutes. That meant she had to kill the duchess as soon as possible.

Without wasting another minute, she used an acceleration spell to enter the tower in the fastest and most discreetly way possible.

Luckily, her target remained in the tower's lobby.

The duchess and the duke were inside a cube that couldn't be seen by people with low or average Mana. Fortunately, even though her real power was sealed, she was still strong enough to see them through the protective spell around them.

Her heart thumped against her chest loudly as she pulled an ancient crystal dagger from the pocket of her dress.

That crystal dagger was made specifically to stab the heart of the Red Phoenix.

She stole the powerful weapon from Her Royal Highness.

Forgive me, Your Royal Highness, Lucina said while slowly approaching Lady Nystrom. The duchess was being carried by the clueless Kiho. Thankfully, the brilliant red diamond– which was the heart of the Red Phoenix– was conveniently floating just right above Lady Nystrom's chest. It seemed like the odds were in her favor, huh? Princess Nia, I know that you need the heart of the Red Phoenix. But I need to survive, too. And that will only happen if I take Duchess Nystrom's place now.

She stood in front of Lady Nystrom with her fingers wrapped tightly around the crystal dagger's crystal hilt.

Then, she raised her hands with the dagger.

Kiho and the spirit beside him still looked oblivious by her presence.

Goodbye, Lady Nystrom.

Lucina stabbed the heart of the Red Phoenix with all her strength…

… but instead of the red diamond, the pointed tip of the dagger struck a thick cube of ice that was now protecting the heart.

Kiho…?

”I can't see you but it doesn't mean that I can't feel you,” Kiho said in a low, warning tone. ”Stay the f*ck away from my wife.”

The duke stomped his foot on the floor…

Her? No. Unfortunately, several ice spears pierced through her body.

And one even hit a portion of her heart.

Damn!

Parts of her body where blood started to drip from her wounds started to become visible.

Kiho, with his sharp senses, found her right away. ”There you are.”

Lucina tried to run away but she realized that aside from the ice spears literally pinning her to where she stood, the spirit guardian was now standing behind her– leaving her with zero exit. Ah, this is the end.

***

KIHO felt the bloodlust coming their way.

He couldn't see where the bloodlust was coming from, but he could tell that it was directed at Tilly. Though he had to admit that he kind of doubted his senses when he saw that Sentinel didn't feel the threat lingering in the air.

Am I just being paranoid?

He almost convinced himself that he was just being overprotective.

But as soon as he felt a strange and somewhat ”old” energy, he decided that they were indeed under attack.

The first thing he protected was Tilly, of course. And that included enveloping her heart with the thickest and strongest ice that he could muster at the moment. Fortunately, his decision was right.

As soon as the heart was safe inside the ice cube that he made, he heard a sharp clang as if something pointed just hit his ice.

That meant someone he couldn't see really tried to stab Tilly's heart.

Unforgivable!

I can't see you but it doesn't mean that I can't feel you,” Kiho warned in a low voice. ”Stay the f*ck away from my wife.”

After his warning, he stomped his feet on the ground.

Several ice spears sprouted from the floor in different directions.

He knew that Sentinel would be at risk by his sudden attack. But he also knew that the spirit guardian was strong enough to avoid his ice. And he was right. Still, he put in his mental note to apologize to Sentinel later for not giving him a warning before he made a move.

For now, he focused on the unseen enemy before them.

Some of his ice spears pierced through the enemy's body. Once the blood started to leak, their body also started to become visible. Much to his surprise, it was a woman.

But he didn't care about the enemy's gender.

I'll still kill anyone who's a danger to my Tilly.

”There you are,” Kiho said in a low tone because he didn't want to awaken Tilly. ”Did you really think that you can hurt my wife in my presence?”