Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
Over the years, Heather hadn’t acquired much in the way of extravagant jewelry or fine clothes, in the name of maintaining a low profile. The estate was kept minimalistic in its decor. Though there were a few royal gifts, those couldn’t be sold off.
As for their lands and properties, Harvey had already liquidated most of them when Eleanor’s incident occurred, preparing for exactly this kind of eventuality.
“Why bother?” Harvey’s tone was dismissive, devoid of any sentiment for his wife, “She’s a princess consort. She has her monthly stipend. The fief provides a mo”
income too. It’s enough to keep the estate running.”
On the other hand, Harvey had far bigger ambitions, which required substantial funds. “Check if there’s anything else of value in the estate. Take it all with us,” he ordered. “Your Grace, shouldn’t we wait a little longer? There’s still a chance the plan could succeed.”
“It’s hopeless. The Westhaven connection is as good as dead. Leroy will never trust me again.”
The palace banquet had ended over an hour ago, yet nothing had come of their efforts. Harvey wasn’t worried about the suicide soldiers leaking anything. He only hoped that Icarus wouldn’t fall into Starhaven’s hands.
The night before the negotiations turned into utter chaos.
While the Westhaven envoys at Concord Lodge worked through a sleepless night, the officials at the Supreme Court convened for an emergency session.
Over at the Ministry of Justice, Freya had been relentlessly pleading to see Blake one last time since her confession. She even dropped to her knees, crying and begging for mercy.
Ever since Freya was taken into custody, she had maintained a strong front. Now, all of that seemed to have crumbled. Patrick knew that after the negotiations, she would likely be handed over to Westhaven’s envoys for punishment. A quick death would be a mercy, but she would most probably receive a painful and humiliating end.
Even death row prisoners were allowed a final meeting with their loved ones, so Patrick allowed Freya and Blake to meet tonight, but only within the confines of the prison cell.
Blake was escorted to the cell under heavy guard. The officials opened the cell door, then stationed themselves outside, giving the two some semblance of privacy.
Of course, Blake was thoroughly searched before entering. Any sharp objects that could allow Freya to harm herself were strictly prohibited. If she ended up dead before being handed over to the Westhaven envoys, it would be impossible to explain. Freya was being held in solitary confinement in the women’s prison. Her role in the case was too critical to risk anything happening to her, so Patrick had stationed heavy guards around her cell.
The flickering lantern light illuminated Blake and Freya’s gaunt, haggard faces. The confident, triumphant air they had after the triumph at Victory Pass was now nowhere to be found. All that remained was exhaustion, desperation, and a palpable sense of defeat. “I changed my testimony for you,” Freya said, staring at the man in front of her. His lack of resolve only deepened her despair, and her voice grew urgent, “I told them you knew nothing about what happened at Victory Pass. That should be enough to keep you safe.” “That’s the truth. I truly didn’t know,” Blake replied flatly.
“But before you were brought in, I insisted that Dominic was the mastermind behind the entire operation.”
“That wouldn’t have held up. It was just your word against his. Neither the king nor the Ministry of Justice will believe it.”
Freya’s face twisted with fury and frustration, her features dark and menacing. “It doesn’t matter! Westhaven didn’t go through all this trouble just to see me dead. They’ve hated the Sullivan family for years. Guarding Victory Pass for generations has made the Sullivans a thorn in Westhaven’s side. They are who Westhaven truly wants.”
Blake stared at her, his expression turning serious. “What are you planning?”
“Listen carefully,” she said bluntly. “Westhaven is after the Sullivan family and me. To them, you’re useless. They don’t want your life. On top of that, the king is determined to protect you, so you’ll be fine. At worst, you’ll lose your position for a while, which might be good for you.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“Save me.”
Freya’s eyes burned with a cold intensity as she locked her gaze on Blake.
“The Westhaven officials won’t kill me right away, she went on. “They’ll take me back to Westhaven and torture me. They’ll drag it out until die as miserably as their crown prince did. That’s the only way to satisfy their grudge. But th1.ne gives us an opportunity. Once I’m out of the capital, you can find a way to rescue me.”
Blake looked at her in shock. “So, your plan to protect me was just so you could use me to save yourself?” Freya shook her head.
“No! I would never willingly drag you into this! From the start, I told them it was Dominic who secretly summoned me to plan this. I didn’t implicate you. It wasn’t until you confessed to your involvement that I was forced to admit I acted alone and that it had nothing to do with you. I never intended to harm you. Even in the worst moments, I still remembered our bond as husband and wife and did everything I could to protect you.”
She placed her hand on his shoulder, her disfigured face filled with a mix of defiance and resentment.
“If it weren’t for your confession, I wouldn’t have been pinned as the mastermind. You caused this. Now, you have to fix it.”
“You’re overestimating me.” Blake looked at her. The face before him was almost unrecognizable, as though she were a stranger. “Even if I’m released, I’ll still be stripped of my rank. What power would I have to save you?”
Freya grabbed his clothes and pulled him closer, leaning in to whisper something into his ear.
Blake jerked back, his eyes wide. “You’ve been planning this from the start?”
Freya’s voice turned cold, saying,
“What choice did I have? Sit in Blessed Haven and wait to die? If you’d cared even a little or bothered to visit me there, you’d have known what was doing. I studied every map of Starhaven, analyzed every possible escape route, and planned until I found the perfect one.”
Freya had never been one to give up on her life so easily. Even clinging to a wretched existence was better than dying.
She firmly believed that no one could remain unlucky forever. As long as she stayed alive, there was always a chance to rise again. If she couldn’t be a female general, she would find another path to make her mark. The world was vast, and she was determined to carve out her place in it.
So, she couldn’t die.
Blake looked at her, incredulous. “What good is your escape plan? Do you even know how many people Westhaven brought with them this time? Over a hundred, with at least 60 or 70 guards! There’s no way I can save you.” “You’re not doing it alone,” Freya whispered, her voice barely audible.
Blake had to strain to hear her as she continued, “The people from Hell Monarch Estate will help you. Once I’m in Westhaven’s custody, I’ll make sure they demand for Dominic as well. The people from Hell Monarch Estate won’t abandon him. You just have to follow their lead. When they rescue him, they’ll have no choice but to save me too.”
Blake felt a chill run through him as her words sank in. “What are you saying? How could you possibly get Westhaven to demand General Sullivan? What are you planning to tell them?”
Freya shot him a sidelong glance and scoffed. “That’s none of your concern. All you need to do is agree to help. Save me, and we’re even. After that, whether I live or die has nothing to do with you anymore.”
“No. I can’t promise you that.” Blake drew in a deep breath. “I just can’t.”
“Blake Jaffe,” Freya’s voice turned icy as she stared fixedly at him. “You’ve never truly forgotten Sophie, have you? You’ve been unfair to me from the start. Yet even knowing that, I still altered my testimony to protect you. Are you seriously telling me you feel no gratitude at all?”
“Then, tell me, what’s your plan? What guarantees do you have—“
Freya frowned and cut him off sharply, “Whether you help me or not, Dominic is getting dragged into this. He’s going with me to Westhaven no matter what! So, stop wasting time and answer me will you repay the favor I did for you or not?”
Blake stared at her, a mixture of doubt and disbelief in his eyes. “You’re still scheming? After everything, you won’t stop?”
“What nonsense are you spouting? Am I supposed to wait to die?”
Freya stretched out her swollen fingers, one by one, in front of Blake’s face. Her expression twisted with anger.
“I’ve endured so much-taking beatings and saying I did what I did on Dominic’s orders. I changed my testimony only because you got involved. Blake Jaffe, if you don’t save me, you’re a heartless bastard who’s betrayed not just Sophie, but me as well!” Blake looked as though he had been struck in his weakest, most vulnerable spot. His face turned pale and his lips parted slightly as he stared at her in shock.
Meanwhile, at Hell Monarch Estate, the study was bustling with activity. People came and went in waves, each bringing updates or reports. Jacob and Kyle were stationed inside, alongside Winona.
Tonight, there was a new addition—an imposing figure who had just arrived in the capital, Everett. He had entered Hell
Monarch Estate after dinner, his net expression dark and stormy. His presence sent chills down everyone’s spine. Everyone quickly stepped aside to avoid his wrath.
Kyle and Winona, seasoned martial artists with notable reputations, were thoroughly terrified.