Guided by the knight, the king and queen of Danshin headed anxiously toward the dungeon.
What reason could Rihaan possibly have to lock his lover there? The very person for whom their son had fought them, rebelled against them, and even swore to leave the palace if they did not allow his lover to reside within the castle walls.
Countless guards stood stationed before the massive iron doors. They inclined their heads immediately upon seeing the king and queen, greeting them in unison.
The gates were already open, revealing nothing but darkness beyond.
"Bring a torch!" the knight ordered.
One of the guards rushed inside and dashed back out a few seconds later, a torch clutched in his hand. He passed it to the knight, who stepped forward and lit the space dimly.
Inside, torches were mounted along the walls, but they were too dispersed to properly illuminate the entire dungeon. The distance between each one was wide, leaving most of the place drowned in shadows.
"Do you know where his cell is?" Queen Mehrunissah asked, her hand shooting up to her nose as she covered it.
"Umm... Yes," the knight answered.
The stench inside the dungeon was almost unbearable—rotting filth mixed with damp stone. Not to mention the scuttling of cockroaches and the sight of large spiders crawling across the floor.
She gasped, flinching every time one crept too close to her feet.
"My Queen," King Rudra sighed, deliberately crushing every insect that dared cross her path. "I told you, this place was not meant for you. You should have listened to me. I could have come alone. Or have him brought to you if you wanted to speak to him that desperately."
Mehrunissah scoffed.
"To give him a chance to escape? What do you take him for?" She frowned sharply. "Do you truly think he would wait? Knowing him, the moment the guards opened his cell, he would use magic and flee."
"We could simply put anti-mana cuffs on him," Rudra shrugged.
Before the Queen could respond, the knight suddenly halted. Understanding that they had reached their destination, the king and queen stopped a few steps behind him.
"Here he is," the knight announced, angling the torch toward the cell.
Behind the iron bars, Arav was crouched into himself, curled tightly on the cold stone floor. When the light reached him, he instinctively lifted his head.
A smug smile slowly spread across his lips when he recognized the figures beside the knight.
Of course, they would come for him.
Even if Rihaan was furious, he would never leave him to rot in such a disgusting place.
Slowly—unsteadily—Arav pushed himself to his feet. He wobbled, having been seated for hours, but quickly steadied himself by gripping the iron bars.
"What brings you here?" he asked, grinning brightly, eyes gleaming with expectation. "Have you come to free me?"
The knight stepped aside, making way for the royal couple.
Rudra and Mehrunissah exchanged a brief glance.
"His Royal Highness sent you, didn’t he?" Arav continued eagerly, smoothing his hair back. "He came with you, right? He’s just angry with me. Let me out, and I’ll make everything right, Your Majesties!" he called out loudly—hoping Rihaan might hear him, unaware that the prince was no longer in the castle at all.
The Queen sighed, shaking her head.
"He knows nothing. Let’s go," she said curtly, turning on her heel.
"Wait," Rudra caught her wrist, stopping her. His gaze hardened as he crossed his arms. "Perhaps we should hear why our son locked him here in the first place."
Arav tilted his head, feigning confusion.
"Huh?" He blinked innocently.
"Go on," Rudra pressed. "Tell us. Why did Prince Rihaan imprison you?"
Arav let out a forced, dry laugh.
"What do you mean? He didn’t tell you?" He laughed again, louder this time—too loud. "But of course not. He loves me. He would never do this to me. Ha... ha... ha..."
"Are you going to speak," Rudra said calmly, his voice edged with danger, "or should I resort to another method?"
His hazel eyes glimmered in the dim light, sharp and predatory.
Arav swallowed hard.
The king was a lion. And he was a mere prey.
"N-Nothing," he said quickly, forcing a gentle smile. "We just had a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding?" Mehrunissah arched an eyebrow, unconvinced.
She knew this man far too well—knew how easily he lied, how effortlessly he toyed with her son’s feelings, all for wealth and status.
Mehrunissah took a slow step forward, the torchlight catching the cold glint in her eyes.
"A misunderstanding, huh," she repeated softly.
Too softly.
Arav’s smile wavered for a moment.
"Yes, of course," he hurried to add. "Couples argue all the time. His Highness simply lost his temper. He will calm down soon, you will see."
"Couples?" the Queen scoffed, a sharp laugh slipping past her lips. "How interesting. Then tell me—what sort of misunderstanding requires chains, iron bars, and a dungeon? I also have arguments with His Excellency but... He has never locked me up here."
Arav opened his mouth but no sound came out. He was at a loss for words—his mind completely blank.
How to argue back? What could save him now? He didn’t know.
Rudra watched the omega closely.
"You see," he began, "my son is not a cruel man. He does not imprison people on a whim. So either you are lying..." His gaze darkened. "Or you did something unforgivable."
The omega’s fingers tightened around the bars. Sweat trickled down his temple despite the cold, crashing on the ground.
"I didn’t betray him!" Arav blurted out, voice cracking. "I swear. I would never—"
"Betrayal?" Mehrunissah cut in sharply. "Every word out of your mouth reeks of deceit. However... Do you mean to say my son has finally discovered your snake-like nature?"
She stepped closer, close enough for Arav to see his own reflection in her eyes—small, trapped, and cornered.
"You will tell us the truth," she said calmly. "Because if you don’t... I promise you, this dungeon will be the kindest place you will have ever seen."
Arav bit his lips. His shoulders sagged, and for the first time, fear flickered unmistakably across his face.
"So, tell us. What exactly happened?" The King demanded. It was a question—it was an order.
The omega dropped to his knees, his grip around the iron bars loosening.
"I will tell you. But you have to set me free."
"I couldn’t have expected less from you," the Queen rubbed her temples.
The couple exchanged a glance, giving each other an agreeing nod.
"Alright. Now, talk," Mehrunissah said, looking down at the young man on the ground.