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Kylie cast a glance at Grace, expecting her to be just as nervous. But to her surprise, Grace was leisurely nibbling on some candied fruit. She looked utterly unperturbed, without a trace of worry in her demeanor.
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Then, Kylie’s eyes shifted to Sylvia, whose expression was cool and detached her gaze unwavering as if no one around her existed. Her. indifference seemed to reach the very edges of the room; not even a flicker of emotion passed across her face.
A cold smile curled at the queen’s lips. Who could have imagined that the once adored and spoiled Sylvia would end up in such a state? But then again, it was her own doing. She had allowed herself to entertain thoughts she shouldn’t have.
Just as Kylie’s mind was tangled in thoughts of Sylvia’s misfortunes, a sudden and thunderous drumbeat broke her concentration. The sound startled her, and she quickly turned her attention to the racetrack.
The competition had begun.
The thundering of hooves filled the air, and dust was kicked up in clouds. It was as though an army of wild stallions was charging across the track. The speed was so great that the riders were little more than fleeting shadows atop the horses.
The racetrack was vast enough to accommodate dozens of horses galloping at full speed, each one racing along its predetermined path.
The sound of the horses’ hooves was deafening, and the cheers of the crowd only added to the excitement. The scene was enough to stir the blood of any man. Even Salvador stood, clapping his hands in approval.
Unfortunately, the dust and the sheer speed of the race made it impossible for him to discern who was currently in the lead.
Sophie ended up with a mouthful of dust. The sandy ground was nothing like the grassy fields. It had no beauty at all, just clouds of dust flying everywhere. Even standing inside the racetrack, she could hardly see who was in the lead.
It looked like Joseph’s youngest son, Ingram Carter.
As the horses cleared the hurdles, it became clear that it was indeed Ingram. His horse had pulled ahead by a full length, and he continued to extend his lead with impressive speed.
While lively, the race was not a formal contest. It was merely a display to flatter the royal princes, so the position of first place held little significance.
None of the riders were willing to push themselves too hard, lest they raise the princes’ anxiety by excelling too greatly. Thus, the others refrained from catching up. However, the pace was swift, even if it was not their peak performance.
By the time the current riders reached the third lap, Ryan and the three princes were preparing to mount their horses. Once the current race was completed, the four children would make their own entrance.
Cecil was already on his horse. The handsome young boy on the horse looked quite impressive. There was no trace of nervousness in his demeanor as he gripped the reins and adjusted his posture. He even leaned forward slightly to calm his horse.
Ryan and Caden followed, mounting their steeds with varying degrees of ease before turning their attention to Connor. Ryan’s eyes held encouragement, while Caden’s face was pale, his hand trembling ever so slightly as it gripped the reins. Mistaking his brother’s tension for nerves, Connor gave a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, Caden. You ride better than I do. Even I am not afraid anymore.”
Caden’s palms were slick with sweat. A sharp, cold wind blew, and the sand stung his eyes. He barely saw how Connor mounted. All he noticed was the fluidity of the movement, the way his older brother seemed to settle onto the saddle with practiced ease.
Then came the scream of a horse in agony-a sound that struck terror into everyone present.
As soon as Connor mounted, his steed went mad and thrashed violently. He pulled at the reins in a desperate attempt to calm the animal, waiting for the stableman to arrive. But before the stableman could reach the horse’s head, the steed reared and bolted, its hooves pounding against the earth as it charged across the track, wild with panic.
The entire scene unfolded in the blink of an eye, a moment of chaos so swift that it left no time for reaction.
As Connor was flung violently from his horse, the riders on the track behind him failed to halt their own horses in time. Several were unable to avoid trampling him as their steeds stumbled and tumbled over his fallen form.
A collective breath was held in horror.
Then, sharp screams pierced the air.
In an instant, Several figures darted across the field. Sophie immediately dove to grab Connor, pulling him to the side with all her might The others rushed to e stop the horses from charging forward, while Thomas promptly set off in pursuit of the maddened steed.
Sophie clutched the eldest prince in her arms, trembling as the heavy scent of blood filled the air.
Connor’s form was limp, as though
1.n every bone had vanished from his body. Even his neck was unable to support itself, leaving him lying weak against her chest. His face and head were covered in blood, and he spat more from his mouth. His gaze was unfocused, but his eyes cleared slightly when they met her face.
With great effort, he murmured, “It’s a pity… a pity I did not finish…”
As he spoke, blood flowed from his lips, staining his cheeks and his clothes.
“Do not speak,” Sophie urged. “It is nothing, you are safe now.”
She held him tighter, then shouted, “Sebastian! Sebastian!”
“Connor! Connor!” Kylie’s agonizing scream rent the air as she staggered down from the raised platform.
With Derek’s support, Salvador descended as well. However, it was Sebastian who arrived first.
Ryan dismounted from his horse and approached, his hands trembling as he covered his mouth to stifle the sobs that threatened to break free. Tears streamed down his face, but he dared not interfere. Instead, he stepped aside to kneel in silent prayer.
Caden shakily walked over. When he saw Connor’s body, he dropped to his knees with a choked sob. His whole body was wracked with tremors, tears flooding his face.
Cecil was also stricken. Someone hastily scooped him up, bearing him swiftly from the scene.
Sebastian immediately took command, instructing the servants to raise partition screens. And without a moment’s hesitation, he rushed in to tend to the eldest prince.
Though barely conscious, Connor gripped Sophie’s sleeve with what little strength remained in him. She made no attempt to pull away, staying close by as the screens were set up around them.
Outside, Kylie’s cries could be heard as she attempted to force her way
?t quickly into the area, but Salvad intervened, gesturing for the servants to restrain her. His face was ashen as he stepped past the screens into the makeshift room. The stench of blood hit him like a physical blow, but he forced himself to remain steady.
Yet, he couldn’t hide the tremble in his voice as he said, “Spare no effort… no expense. Save him! Save him!”
The guards were unable to restrain Kylie, who rushed past the partition screens. One glance at her blood-soaked son was enough to make her release a piercing scream of horror before collapsing in a faint.
Thankfully, royal physicians were also present. The servants quickly ushered the queen out, allowing a royal physician to attend to her. Once revived, Kylie’s sobs were unrestrained, her cries echoing with raw anguish.
Leading some men, Rafael took swift action to restore order. He intercepted the frenzied horse and set the wheels of investigation in motion, determined to uncover what had caused such madness.
Inside the makeshift room, Salvador knelt beside Connor. As his trembling hands gently brushed the bloodied face of his son, his palms became stained with crimson.
Telling the king to move aside, Sebastian quickly administered needle treatment, meant to simply keep Connor alive for a little longer. The priority now was to stop the bleeding in the eldest prince’s head.
The boy couldn’t swallow any pills, so Sebastian gave Sophie a bottle of hemostatic powder and told her to feed it to Connor. As long as he could swallow it, it would slow the internal bleeding.
Examining with his sharp eyes, Sebastian quickly understood the severity of the situation. The horses’ hooves had trampled Connor’s body, and with such speed and weight, the internal injuries were grievous.
If he hadn’t performed needle treatment, Connor would have already died. However, even with the needles, the odds of survival were slim.
Though barely conscious, the eldest prince could still hear Sophie’s frantic voice calling his name, urging him to swallow something. The pain was all-consuming, his body wracked with tremors he could not control. Every part of him screamed in agony, and the overwhelming fear began to suffocate him.