His Highness's Second Wife
His Highness’s Second Wife Chapter 59

Kassian swung with his sword, switching from one position to another, keeping his blade and his body perfectly balanced. Moving through the familiar motions and focusing on the strain in his muscles made his mind relax more than anything.

Still, even that wasn’t working for the past four days. No matter how much he practiced with the sword, the usual calm and clarity wouldn’t come.

Instead, his anger resurfaced and his frustration made him clumsy. Even his soldiers kept away as he increased the speed of his slashes and the strength of each hit aimed at the dummy.

“Your Highness! Your Highness!”

Kassian let the sword fall by his side, panting as he glared at the target one more time. Turning to face the person shouting for him, he watched as Blaine stopped a few steps away from the dummy, fidgeting on his spot. His cheeks were red and his breathing was sharp, eyes gleaming with worry behind his glasses.

“What is it?” Kassian sighed, wondering what else could go wrong at this point. Sarea was getting worse by the day and the doctors all said she didn’t have much time left. His brother was swarmed with work, covering the duties of the Emperor since their father had taken ill. Raena was refusing to even see him, so he could neither make amends nor replace out what exactly the change in her behavior meant.

So what was it now? Was Craidal rebelling in the middle of the capital? Or maybe all provinces were rioting and wanting to take the Empire down?

At this point, nothing would surprise him.

“It’s Her Highness Raena.” Blaine said, l!cking his l!ps. “I was just processing documents and.” he paused again, glancing toward Kassian hesitantly. Despite expecting to hear something bad already, Kassian still felt his chest fill with dread.”…she requested the annulment of your marriage. Documents have been submitted to the Main Palace as well as the Imperial Palace.”

Kassian stared at him with a dumbfounded expression, trying to remember how to talk.

Annulment? He knew she wasn’t happy after what happened to her maid, but he didn’t really expect her to go through with her threat. He hadn’t tried to stop her that night, so why would she do that?

“Also, her brother is with her now. He might try to take “

“Let’s go!” Kassian snarled, sheathing his sword. He hesitated for a moment, but then tossed the weapon to Blaine, who gave him a confused look. “It’s better if I don’t hold a weapon right now. Try to keep up!”

Grabbing his shirt from the fence where he had left it earlier, he sprinted up the stairs, cursing his legs for being too slow. He slid his hands into the sleeves and locked his eyes on the path ahead as he continued to run. He passed a few maids who didn’t even have the time to give him a greeting before he was gone; he was pretty sure he saw Vega with one of her attendants strolling through the garden, but he didn’t slow down to check if it was really her.

If someone had told him a few months ago that he’d be running at top speed toward a woman’s residence just because of something she had done, he would have laughed himself silly. Yet here was, doing yet another thing out of character because of that woman. Without even realizing when or how it happened, now every time her name was mentioned or something was happening to her, his body’s first reaction was to go to her. Even if there was no news of her, he would often replace himself thinking about her and running over the million questions surrounding her.

Especially in the past four days. Realizing that her condition might have been all a front and she could actually be much smarter and cunning than she led on had made him angry and excited at the same time. He wanted to know why she had to pretend all this time. He wanted to know why she had to lie to him and put them such an awkward position. If she hadn’t lied.

Was shea witch or something? Did she put some kind of spell on him that made him stupid? Or was this what others called ‘blind love? Whatever it was, it was slowly driving him insane. She was driving him insane! Kassian slowed down as he noticed the long, old walls surrounding the North Palace, and started buttoning his shirt. By the time he reached the gates, he had even tucked it in his breeches. The guards opened the gate without a word, exchanging silent glances when they thought he wasn’t looking.

He strode inside and headed for the mansion, ignoring everyone on his path. Once he was in the anteroom, he eventually stopped, wondering where he should search for them. She probably received her brother in her reception room or the garden or…

He spotted a woman in servant attire walking out of one of the rooms and called for her without thinking. She froze, slowly turning to look back at him. It took him a second, but he recognized the long blonde hair and pale skin – he was pretty sur she was the Craidal girl Raena had purchased, although her name escaped him.

“Where is she?” he asked, taking a step toward her.

“In the garden,” the young woman replied in a low, cold voice “Do you want me to..?”

“No need,” Kassian said, striding past her. He remembered this place from years ago when his mother lived here, but nothing in the walls, the floor, or the decorations reminded him of her anymore.

He still remembered the layout of it, so it took him just a couple of minutes to replace one of the back exits leading to the garden.

As he walked outside, the bright sun blinded him, so he shielded his eyes, searching for Raena and her brother. He spotted them almost immediately, seated on a bench under one of the tall trees that threw a pleasant shade all over the garden. Kassian strode toward them without hesitation, hands balling into fists. Ramor was the first to notice him, his frown deepening as he continued to hug his sister and rub her back. Her shoulders shook as if she was crying and when she finally looked up, her eyes were red and teary.

Kassian’s step wavered, and his fists unfurled, but he still continued toward them. Ramor got to his feet, stepping in front of his sister as if to protect her.

“Greetings, Your Highness. What brings you here?” Ramor asked in a cold, unfriendly tone.

“Do I need a reason to visit my wife’s residence?” Kassian replied sharply, glancing toward Raena, who had just gotten to her feet. She refused to meet his eyes, stepping closer to her brother and hugging his arm. Ramor took a deep breath as if her touch had suddenly fueled him with bravery and foolish defiance.

“l considered you sensible enough not to make a scene, Your Highness,” Ramor continued with the same imprudent tone. “Ever since my sister came here, she has been attacked, poisoned, humiliated, and neglected. Thanks to your poor care, she is constantly ill and stressed beyond measure.” Raena squeezed her brother’s arm, peeking at Kassian before hiding her face in her brother’s arm. Kassian caught her eye for just a second, but it was enough to tell there was no fear in that look, no distress or hesitation. She was pretending again. He couldn’t believe he had fallen for those puppy eyes and smiles before. “And if that is not enough, it seer…. His Highness cannot even be bothered to investigate internal matters and give a fair judgment.”

Ah, the maid again,’ Kassian thought. Why is everybody so obsessed with that maid?’

“I…” he started, but Ramor interrupted him.

“I’ve known Kara since she was a child that was assigned to be my sister’s playmate. She would never steal something, let alone from a person she barely knows. She might be a bit outspoken at times, but she is an honest and good person and I am positive she was framed.”

“I…” Kassian tried to speak again, but the Prime Minister’s son ignored him. Again.

“Moreover, even if she did steal – which she did not! Such a severe punishment without the presence of the master or mistress of the servant is unacceptable! I can’t believe..”

“Ramor Magrath, do you want to be charged with disrespecting and meddling in the affairs of the Imperial family?” Kassian finally cut him off, his voice as cold and threatening as if he was speaking to his biggest enemy. Ramor froze, his face paling in an instant. His confidence wavered, and he l!cked his l!ps nervously, but as Raena’s grip on his arm tightened, Ramor cleared his throat.

“I would never do that, Your Highness. I am simply here to assist my p0or sister with the documents about your divorce,” he said in a much milder tone, his voice cracking at the end.

“There will be no divorce!” Kassian stated, looking at Raena again. “Not now, not ever. So you can be on your way. I would like to have a talk with my wife.”

“Forgive me, Your Highness, but that decision is not yours to make. The petition has been sent to His Majesty and until he makes his decision, I plan to take my sister home to..”

“Ramor, are you purposely trying to make me angry?” Kassian asked, raising an eyebrow. His heartbeat was drumming in his ears, his hands itching to hit him in the face to shut him up, but Kassian put the urge down. He couldn’t hit him in front of Raena.

Ramor swallowed with difficulty, clearing his throat again.

“I would never..” he said in a trembling voice.

“Then mind what you’re saying! You’re not taking my wife anywhere!” Kassian stated as clearly as possible.

“Your Highness, be reasonable! My sister can barely be called your wife. Your marriage is a formality, you haven’t even touched her yet. This annulment is…” Ramor trailed off as Kassian raised an eyebrow, turning toward Raena just in time to notice her closing her eyes and leaning her head on her brother’s arm. He wasn’t sure what was going through her head right now, but judging by her expression, she hadn’t expected him to say that.

So that is how they wanted to play it.

Kassian took a deep breath, taking a step toward his brother-in-law. Standing this close seemed to make Raena’s brother lose all capability of speaking nonsense. He just stood, eyes darting everywhere but to Kassian’s face. Kassian knew that his size often intimidated people and until this moment he didn’t care much for it, but right now he was glad for every second spent training his body.

He wanted Ramor shaking. He wanted Raena to feel intimidated too, but she just watched him with a calm expression and those big blue eyes full of calculation.

Kassian leaned toward Ramor, his words low but still loud enough for both of them to hear.

“Is this the line that determines if a marriage is real?” Kassian asked, his eyes moving to Raena.

Standing this close, she couldn’t hide her face from him. “Because I can remedy that this very second.”

Raena’s expression remained the same, but she averted her eyes. Kassian looked at her brother, who was now staring at him with flushed cheeks and wide eyes. “So stop pushing me, dear brother-in-law, and leave. Or you’ll force me to show you something you don’t want to see.”

Ramor opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Instead, Raena spoke.

“You should go, brother,” she said with a quiet, but firm voice. “I’ll be fine.”

Ramor looked at her with disbelief, but she forced a smile that seemed to put him somewhat at ease. Annoyance filled Kassian’s chest as he watched her stare at her stupid brother with so much affection until Ramor finally sighed in defeat.

“I’ll come back when I have news,” he whispered, kissing her forehead. Raena let go of his arm and he hesitated, glancing between her and Kassian before swiftly bowing and walking away.

Raena stared after him for a few seconds, then the edges of her l!ps fell down and she turned to look at Kassian, meeting his gaze head-on.

“You’re a hard person to meet, wife. Let’s talk.”