Chapter 600
The following morning, Gabriel woke earlier. He moved with silence, gently tucking Amelie’s foot back beneath the warmth of the duvet before crossing the room to check on Noah. The infant was deep in slumber.
After freshening up, Gabriel headed out for a stroll, needing the morning air to clear his head before the inevitable chaos of the day.
As he moved through the quiet palace corridors, his gaze drifted toward the expansive gardens. In the distance, he spotted his parents walking side-by-side, huddled in their warm morning coats. They were deep in conversation.
He turned to continue his walk, eventually encountering Zilia near the library wing. She was clutching several thick files to her chest.
“Oh, Gabriel, good morning. Did you sleep well?” Zilia asked, offering him a small but genuine smile.
“Good morning. Yes, I had a very restful sleep,” Gabriel answered. He lingered for a moment, his eyes dropping to the paperwork she held. “You’re starting early. What’s all this p>
“Ah, these are related to a few cases I’ve recently started looking into,” Zilia explained, adjusting her grip on the folders. “Ian suggested to Casaio that we should work more closely on behalf of the vulnerable classes. There are gaps in the legal protection for those without pack status, and we’re trying to bridge them p>
Gabriel nodded, not commenting on it. He had heard Ian’s name, but couldn’t recall who he was.
“I shall go ahead,” he said, offering a polite nod. He began to brush past Zilia, but she reached out, a gentle hand stopping him.
“Umm… Gabriel,” she began, her voice softening with concern. “You don’t have to hesitate in taking help from your brothers. Cas is quite worried about you. He feels the distance you’re keeping p>
Gabriel paused. “Then you should tell him not to be worried,” he replied. “I mean it. And tell him that I may need my brothers tomorrow. I won’t exclude them from the plan I’m making to trap Ophelia. This isn’t a burden for one man p>
Zilia was relieved to hear him. Knowing the brothers would stand together gave her a sense of peace she hadn’t felt in days. “Gabriel, you’ll win. I know you will,” she said, her gaze steady and confident.
“Thanks p>
“You should go ahead then. Amelie must be waiting for you.” She offered a final smile, turning to continue her walk. Gabriel watched her for a second before heading in the opposite direction.
When he finally returned to his chamber, he didn’t go straight to the bedroom. Instead, he slumped down onto the couch in the drawing room, resting his elbow on a bolster and leaning back.
The silence was broken by the soft sound of footsteps. Samyra walked in, stopping when she saw him. It was clear she had been waiting for his return.
Gabriel straightened his posture immediately. “Good morning,” he said, greeting his mother-in-law with the respect she deserved. “Please, take a seat p>
As Samyra sat down across from him, the usual air of composed grace she carried seemed slightly fractured. Gabriel noticed her eyes darting toward the floor, her fingers fiddling nervously with one another. It was a telltale sign of a deep, inner struggle.
“Is something bothering you? You look as though there is something difficult on your mind,” Gabriel began.
“I am worried for you and Amelie,” Samyra began, her voice barely above a whisper. “Are you two really going to face her closely? Is she meant to be that near to the danger p>
“That’s how Ophelia will be trapped, no?” Gabriel arched an eyebrow. He lean forward slightly, trying to project the confidence he knew she needed to see. “You can’t be worried for us anymore, Samyra. We have come a long way from where we started. With the grace of the Moon Goddess, everything will go right p>
Samyra hummed. Talking to him eased her fear that wouldn’t vanish so easily. “If you need our help, just say so. We are not as fragile as you might think p>
“For now, I want you and your husband to stay away,” Gabriel replied. “I don’t want any of you to get hurt p>
Samyra nodded slowly. “Is Amelie still asleep p>
“Yes,” Gabriel replied softly. “She needs the rest while she can get it p>
“I’ll stop by later then,” she whispered. She rose to her feet, giving him a respectful, slight bow before quietly exiting the room.
Gabriel hadn’t been alone for more than a minute when Ashna appeared at the doorway, her expression serious. “Your Highness, your Gamma is here to see you. He says it’s urgent p>
“Send him in,” Gabriel said, leaning back against the sofa.
Within seconds, Denzel marched into the room. He didn’t waste time with pleasantries, taking the seat across from Gabriel the moment the Prince signaled for him to sit.
“Alex’s parents escaped the coal site yesterday,” Denzel stated bluntly. “A small explosion occurred in one of the lower shafts during the shift change. Several workers were injured in the blast. In the chaos that followed, the guards conducted a head count. Those two were the only ones missing p>
Gabriel’s brow furrowed in disbelief. “Maybe they are buried under the debris?” he suggested, searching for a logical explanation. “It was a coal site; those tunnels can be unpredictable p>
“I considered that possibility immediately,” Denzel countered, shaking his head. “I sent a recovery team to dig through the specific area where the blast originated. We found no remains, Gabriel. What we did find were traces of sulfur and a residue that doesn’t belong in a mining pit p>
Denzel leaned forward, lowering his voice. “The explosion wasn’t an accident caused by methane or faulty equipment. It was triggered from the outside. They didn’t just run; they were plucked out of there p>
Gabriel’s hand tightened on the armrest. “It must be Ophelia,” he hissed. “She’s gathering her pawns. If she’s gone through the trouble of breaking them out, she has a specific use for them. Did you find out how his mother got Flora’s number p>
“It was a burner phone,” Denzel replied.
“Ophelia must be helping them,” Gabriel stated with confidence. “They invited their own demise, so I won’t hesitate in sending them to their son p>