The Hidden King's Stolen Wife-Chapter 263: Absolute Power I

"But―"

Whatever objections Soleia had died on her lips when she registered the steely glint of voracious hunger in King Recaldo’s eyes. His grip on her cheeks tightened imperceptibly, and Soleia knew that it would leave traces on her skin when the affair was over. This man would not be dissuaded from his goals, no matter what Soleia said or didn’t say. Orion’s life was hanging by a thread.

"...I understand, King Recaldo," Soleia said instead, taking a deep breath to calm herself down, but it was increasingly hard to do.

This was fine, she frantically thought to herself. If she somehow managed to nullify King Recaldo’s abilities, Orion would be able to free himself― and hopefully Rafael would return to resolve the situation before King Recaldo called for the guards to have them executed for treason.

"Don’t you dare try to nullify my abilities," King Recaldo added, as though he had actually read her mind.

Soleia let out a small cry of pain as his fingernails dug into her soft skin.

"If you actually have the audacity, you will be facing the end of the hangman’s noose soon enough. Blood is not the only method I have to kill someone."

Soleia gulped and nodded. Even if she told King Recaldo that she couldn’t control her powers and there was a slight chance he’d be nothing but a mere mortal for minutes, he wasn’t going to accept that as an adequate reason. ƒгeewebnovёl.com

"I’ll have to touch your bare skin then," Soleia said, her hands hovering in the air as she remained kneeling while she tried to think of a place to press her hands against that wouldn’t be counted as an insult to the king.

She really didn’t want to lay her hands on Rafael’s father, but it was either touch him or lose her hands completely.

"Do you think you can... let go of my face?" Soleia asked hopefully.

"Hmph." The faintest hint of a smile crossed King Recaldo’s lips. "No. If skin contact is all that is necessary, then me touching your face will suffice." He stroked Soleia’s cheeks like a doting father, and Soleia felt revulsion so strong that she nearly threw up. "Work your magic. I believe in your potential to create miracles unlike any other."

But there was a tyrannical gleam in King Recaldo’s eyes that belied his supportive words. Soleia detected the threat hidden behind the praise, and she forced herself to remember how it felt when she was boosting Rafael’s powers, and to replicate that state without delay.

Her earrings began to glow silver.

"I do not feel any different," King Recaldo said coldly as he glared down at her. "Perhaps you require additional... motivation."

There was a howl of pain beside her. King Recaldo forcefully tilted her head to the side, forcing her to look at Orion’s body bleeding on the ground. There was a huge blood sword piercing through one of his kneecaps, and Orion was wheezing breathlessly, his blue eyes wide with pain.

"Stop that!" Soleia screamed out in protest. "I’m doing my best! I just recovered from a poisoning!"

"Do better," King Recaldo retorted heartlessly, twisting her head so that she was staring back into his emerald green eyes, unlike Rafael’s, whose pupils held soft kindness and unrivaled affection for her, staring so closely into King Recaldo’s eyes was like looking straight at a basilisk. Soleia was petrified with fear.

"Orion Elsher only has three remaining limbs," King Recaldo continued, his voice silky smooth. "So I suppose you could theoretically make three more mistakes."

Soleia shivered and closed her eyes. Looking at King Recaldo only made her more nervous, and with nervousness came higher chances for mistakes. Truth be told, she felt more danger at this very moment than she had when Ricard was effectively hunting her down.

The similar welling of strength surged through her, and she quickly sent it coursing through King Recaldo. Like the way the waves surged with the tides, Soleia made sure to direct every swell of energy she could muster to King Recaldo. She didn’t know if she was doing the right thing, but if she collapsed now from exhaustion... at least he wouldn’t be able to accuse her of not putting enough effort.

What a hateful man. Soleia thought bitterly to herself as she continued to pour her energies to him, praying that Rafael would arrive.

There was a cackle of delight coming from above her, and Soleia’s eyes opened to catch sight of King Recaldo’s frenzied smile. Somehow, his pleasure made him look even more deranged than his cold anger.

"Good! Give me more!" King Recaldo bellowed, his voice ricocheting around the walls of the empty throne room.

Soleia watched in horror as he easily removed the blood sword from Orion’s knee and sent it flying straight at the ceiling of his palace, slicing a segment of it into pieces. Rubble fell, and Soleia could hear the panicked screaming of servants from the floors above them.

King Recaldo had gone mad, drunk on power. Soleia closed her eyes and hoped that Rafael wouldn’t show up anytime soon. At this rate, he would stand no chance against his father, and Soleia would be damned if she got him hurt again.

"More!" he demanded, and Soleia shoved another swell of energy into him.

Her own reserves were becoming dangerously weak― she could feel her energy levels depleting, and soon it was more exhaustion than unwillingness to see King Recaldo that kept her eyes shut.

Finally, she felt his fingers leave her face. She slumped down on the floor, like a puppet with its strings cut, barely registering the pain or Orion’s panicked yell of her name. She felt nothing more like a rag twisted and rung out to dry. Her eyelids fluttered open as she stared blankly at King Recaldo’s floating figure through her rapidly blurring vision.

He could fly now. How wondrous. Soleia felt like she wanted to melt into the ground and stay there forever.

"I am the strongest!" King Recaldo flung both his hands into the air, an exuberant, manic grin on his face. "Absolute power... is mine! I will remake this world according to my image!"