The Hidden King's Stolen Wife-Chapter 160: People Left Behind

In their eyes, Ralph and Soleia were nothing more than a young couple flaunting their love. Paired with the first blooms of spring slowly emerging around them, raining them with pink petals, Soleia felt as though she was part of a stage play.

She blushed, hiding her face by tucking her chin down. Even tearing her gaze away took so much strength― he so easily trapped her gaze, and a part of Soleia found it frightful how she was so quickly a slave to his charms.

"I don’t need much," she said. "Just honesty and loyalty, the makings of a proper relationship." Soleia then cleared her throat, squeezing her eyes shut as she instantly regretted her words.

Why did it sound like she was asking him to be in a relationship with her?

"Does that mean you accept my proposal?" Ralph asked, and Soleia could instantly hear the boyish grin even in his voice.

"Courtship," she corrected. "I accept your courtship. As for your proposal, we shall see how well you fare."

Ralph’s laughter quickly rang out, a sound most melodious to her ears, and Soleia soon found herself smiling along with him. His joy was infectious, she realized, and the time she had spent with Ralph was quickly becoming her favorite ever since she married Orion.

Orion. At the thought of him, Soleia’s expression quickly fell. They may be divorced, and their marriage had no love, but ultimately, he was a victim of circumstances. And now that they had parted ways, there was no way for Soleia to know if he was alive or dead.

"What’s wrong?" Ralph asked, noticing that Soleia had gotten quiet.

"Do you think we may be able to find a sodalite soon?" Soleia asked. "Or a way to send a letter to Princess Nessa?"

"Is this about Orion?"

Soleia couldn’t read Ralph’s expression. He looked at her almost nonchalantly, his face revealing not a single bit of his thoughts. Slowly, she nodded.

"Not just him, but also... Reitan..." Her brother’s name was awfully difficult to choke out. Just the memory of watching him getting thrown overboard quickly overwhelmed her.

She stared down at her wrist. The larimar bangle that she had borrowed from Princess Nessa was still there on her arm. The blue and white details of the stone reminded her of the calm ocean, but more than that, it reminded her of the power she had borrowed from Nessa. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

From her observations, whenever she borrowed someone else’s magic, they would be rendered powerless for at least a brief period of time. If Nessa had no hydrokinetic ability, she wouldn’t have been able to save Reitan from the docks.

Did that mean that her brother was left to drown?

"Soleia," Ralph gently called out, his eyes widening ever the slightest in panic. "Hey, what’s wrong?"

"Oh my god," Soleia said with a gasp. She hadn’t thought it through until now, and the realization that she might’ve had a hand in her younger brother’s death was crushing her. The words left her lips in a shaky murmur, "What have I done?"

"Soleia. Soleia, look at me. Hey," Ralph called out. He stopped the horse at the side of the road, tenderly holding onto Soleia’s shoulders. "Look at me," he repeated. "Breathe."

Soleia mindlessly did as he said, taking in a deep breath as she looked at him with watery eyes.

"That’s it," he said. "What’s wrong?"

"Reitan," Soleia said. "I don’t know what happened to him after we left him. Did Princess Nessa manage to save him? Is he dead at the bottom of the ocean?"

"We’re almost at the estate," Ralph said. "When we’re there, we’ll immediately send a letter to the Nedish royal palace. By the time the letter gets there, Princess Nessa should’ve already arrived."

Soleia could only pinch her lips together and nod. She couldn’t ask her sisters as well, for if her father caught news of the letter, she would be dragging them both into trouble with her. Knowing Florian, he probably merely took a swim in the sea and had not drowned there. If he knew she was in Raxuvia, knowing his temper, he might charge straight for this kingdom and declare war.

With that in mind, they continued on their journey once more.

Raxuvia was filled with lush green life, with towering trees and vibrant flowers. Winter was ending, and with spring arriving, many of the flowers were beginning to bloom, while the fauna was slowly ending their hibernation due to the warmer weather.

Even the weather was drastically different once they passed the border between the two kingdoms, and the deeper they entered Raxuvia, the warmer it became. A sudden cracking sound boomed through the skies, and Soleia jumped where she sat, her body jolting in surprise.

Her actions earned a short chuckle from Ralph, who placed a hand on her arm to calm her down.

"It’s just the tree," Ralph said. "There."

Soleia’s line of sight followed where Ralph gestured to, where a tall tree with winding branches stood. The branches — to her surprise — were moving.

"That building surrounding the tree is the royal palace of Raxuvia," he explained. They were a distance away, but the many peaks and valleys of Raxuvia made it easy for Soleia to glance at such a grand structure even from a distance. "The Temporal Elderwood Tree tells us the time. For example, it’s now the twelfth shower― noon."

The stunning scenery took her mind off of her heavy thoughts for a brief moment, and Ralph continued to point out various landmarks in Raxuvia, from waterfalls to dangerous forests and even a famed lake.

"You should visit Heavenly Glade sometime," Ralph said, a sparkle in his eyes as he recounted the stories. "It’s a rather beautiful spot. Perfect for picnics―"

"Ralph," Soleia said, raising an eyebrow as curiosity slowly bled into her.

She hated herself for feeling this way, but mixed with curiosity, there was even an inkling of suspicion. Ralph barely even needed to check the map― he knew exactly where they were going even while pointing out the sights and scenery, providing a tour that was on par with any local.

Ralph stopped short, still maintaining a perfect smile. "What is it, Princess?"

"How do you know so much about Raxuvia?"