Chapter 23

My head was spinning wildly, a dull throbbing pain radiating through my skull. I groaned, attempting to push myself up when a voice—one I had hoped was just a bad dream—cut through the fog.

“Do not get up yet.”

I froze.

Hearing that voice sent a shiver down my spine. I stayed completely still, barely daring to breathe. My body refused to move, but I slowly forced my eyes open.

“Where am I?” I croaked.

“In your own room.”

“No ... this is not my room. I know that much.”

“Now it is.”

I turned my head slightly, trying to take in my surroundings. The dim glow of lanterns cast flickering shadows across the ornately decorated chamber—definitely not the simple quarters I was used to. Then, movement caught my eye.

A figure approached.

A woman.

Naked.

She knelt beside me, her movements fluid and graceful.

Without hesitation, she cradled my head in her arms and pressed a soft, warm breast to my lips.

“Drink.”

I stiffened, my brain sluggishly trying to process what was happening.

“Her breasts are enchanted,” the voice continued, as calm and commanding as ever. “The milk will nourish your body. You have to empty both of her breasts twice a day.”

I hesitated, but my body had other plans. The hunger, the exhaustion, the lingering ache from my injuries—everything overwhelmed my resistance. Without thinking, I latched on and drank.

The moment the warm liquid touched my tongue, I felt its effects. A rush of soothing energy spread through my veins, dulling the pain and clearing the lingering haze from my mind. I drained the first breast completely before she shifted, pressing her other one to my lips.

That’s when the voice spoke again.

“I heard you like to name your first slaves, so she is named Zara.”

When I drained her other breast, she silently stood and walked towards a dark corner, where she knelt without another word.

“Now get up. It’s nearly eleven bells—the king and the builder are waiting,” Cassie’s voice snapped me back to reality. “Because of your childish behavior, you’re already late. Talia, get him bathed as fast as possible.”

A woman stepped forward—Talia, I assumed—grasped my arm, and pulled me up. She led me through a side gate into a bathroom even grander than the one before. My bath attendants were already waiting, prepared for their duties.

Within record time, I was bathed, dressed, and ready. My clothes were light and practical—exercise attire, perfect for physical training.

As I stepped toward the door, Cassie, now dressed in similar workout clothes, blocked my path.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“I have to meet with the builders,” I said, already reaching for the handle.

“That door leads to the castle interior and the front gate.” She pointed behind her. “You need to go through this door. It leads directly to the back of the castle—where you’ll be building your own section with everything you need and raising your army.”

I wasn’t about to get my ass handed to me again, so I just shrugged and followed her without argument.

As we walked, she spoke in a calm but firm tone. “In the last bell, I’ve spoken with everyone you’ve interacted with inside the castle. I understand what you’re trying to create, but I still can’t see your final goal. So, in public, I’ll only observe—for now. Don’t give me any reason to discipline you in front of others.”

I arched an eyebrow at her. “I have many tasks going on right now.”

She snorted. “Don’t give me that look, boy. I can still beat you easily.”

I stayed quiet.

“Tonight,” she continued, “you will outline every one of your goals to me. I need to understand your full vision, your motivations, and how you think. It will help me help you more effectively.”

There was no room for negotiation in her voice.

And honestly, I wasn’t sure if I had a choice.

After that, we descended the stairs in silence, our footsteps echoing faintly through the stone corridors. The air grew cooler as we walked, and soon, a bright light ahead signaled our exit from the castle. True to Cassie’s words, we stepped outside and found ourselves at the back of the castle grounds.

I scanned the area, taking in the vast expanse before me. To the front, enormous stacks of materials were piled high—enough to build an entire city. To the left, rows of open tents stood with people bustling about, engaged in various tasks. To the right, a massive royal tent loomed, its golden embroidery shimmering under the sunlight.

Deciding to greet the highest authority present first, I made my way toward the royal tent. As I entered, I saw my father seated among several high-ranking court officials, all of them lounging comfortably, sipping tea, and enjoying what appeared to be a well-earned day of rest.

An attendant stepped forward, introducing me to each person in turn. I greeted them all with the proper courtesies before settling beside my father, accepting a cup of tea that was handed to me.

The conversation was light and casual at first—meaningless chatter about the weather, the latest court gossip, and trivial matters that held no real importance to me. My attention, however, was drawn elsewhere. Across the tent, I caught sight of Aldric Valefang, deeply engaged in an animated discussion with Cassie. Her expressions were unreadable, but Aldric’s excitement was evident.

Before I could dwell on it further, my father placed a parchment on the table in front of me. It was blank except for a single circle drawn in the center.

“What’s the circle for?” I asked, curiosity piqued.

“That,” the builder beside him responded, “is where a dead tree stands. No matter what we do, it won’t come down.”

I was about to offer a suggestion when my father suddenly handed me another document. “Here, son. This deed declares that this land now belongs to you.”

I met his gaze and gave him a long, unreadable look—the kind that silently said, Do you really think this piece of paper will erase what happened earlier with Mother? But he simply handed me the document and returned to his conversation with the others, brushing off any unspoken protest.

I let out a quiet sigh and refocused on the task at hand.

“We’ll deal with the tree later,” I decided. “If it truly can’t be brought down, then we’ll create a small circular pond around it. We’ll test if it reacts to enchanted water and herbs. If it doesn’t, I’ll repurpose it as a water source for my magical beasts.”

The builder nodded and sketched a rough design, marking the designated area with vivid strokes of color.

“I need a barrier surrounding the entire land,” I continued. “I won’t be creating a separate menagerie like others do. My entire estate will function as one unified domain.”

A murmur of interest spread through the tent as more court members tuned into the discussion.

Suddenly, a faint glow outside caught my attention. I peered through the tent’s opening and was astonished to see a large-scale holographic projection forming above the parchment. The sketches and notes were being visually rendered in real-time, allowing the workers and mages outside to interpret and adjust the plan accordingly.