From Slave To Queen (by Karyn Anderson) novel Chapter 375

“Watch out.” Xander’s heart seized with panic as he saw what was happening. Without a second thought, he spun around, trying to shield Willow, disregarding his own safety.

But Xander was surrounded by a swarm of assassins, utterly unable to break free.

Just as Willow was about to loose her arrow, a deadly arrow whistled through the air, shooting straight for her back.

Nicolas kicked an assassin, sending him sprawling behind Willow and using him as a human shield to intercept the incoming arrow.

The assassin coughed up blood and collapsed dead on the ground.

Willow’s face drained of color. With a piercing scream, she dropped her bow and arrow in panic, frantically scarining her surroundings. “Who? Who wants to kill me?” she cried out.

‘Everyone in these woods is loyal to me. There’s no reason anyone would try to assassinate me,‘ Willow thought, utterly bewildered.

Suddenly, Willow’s face went even paler. She turned to Nicolas, her voice trembling with fear. “Michael has been faking it all along. He never truly meant to side with us.”

Michael was tasked with lying in ambush in the woods, waiting until most of Xander’s men had been wiped out before blasting open the massive gates of the Cavendish Family Cemetery.

Yet, Michael was still nowhere to be seen.

Just as tensions reached their peak, Xander’s captain of the personal guard suddenly bellowed, “Your Highness, they have cannons.”

At these words, a collective gasp of shock rippled through the crowd. Xander and Athena exchanged a glance, seeing the same grave apprehension in each other’s eyes.

The cannons packed a terrifying punch–once fired, the consequences would be catastrophic.

If those cannons go off, the entire Cavendish Family Cemetery will be reduced to rubble, let alone us mere mortals.

Willow and Nicolas also frantically scanned their surroundings, their, faces paling as five cannons suddenly came into view. All five cannons were trained

on Athena and Xander.

Nicolas breathed a genuine sigh of relief. Thank goodness Michael hadn’t turned against them after all.

A smug grin spread across Nicolas’s face. “At least you’re not completely blind. That’s right. Cannons are buried all around this Cavendish Family Cemetery. One word from me, and you’ll all be reduced to ashes.”

He paused, his gaze settling on Athena, then barked at Michael, “Michael, what are you waiting for? Kill them.”

Athena’s eyes widened in shock as she spotted a familiar figure in the woods. It was Michael.

Michael stood before the cannons, his face a mask of icy resolve. To her shock, he was clad in an outlaw’s garb.

Athena’s fists clenched involuntarily as she spat out, “Michael, you’re actually in cahoots with them?”

Willow shrieked, her eyes burning with malice. “Michael, think of your parents. They can’t have died in vain–quickly, kill Athena.”

Michael lifted his gaze toward Athena, yet remained motionless.

Willow, frantic and desperate, screamed at Michael, “Michael, you idiot. What are you waiting for? Kill her now. Or do you want to watch me and our child perish here? Your real enemy is Athena. She slaughtered your entire family.”

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11:30 Sun, 20 Jul G

Chapter 375

Nicolas also grew anxious and shouted, “Michael, do it now.”

A sense of unease crept into Nicolas–something about Michael seemed off.

Nicolas wondered, ‘Is he faking it all along? Is he playing us all along? Waiting for this very moment to turn traitor? No, absolutely impossible.

‘How could Michael, who loved Willow so deeply and did whatever she asked, suddenly abandon her and become infatuated with Athena?

The air grew thick with tension. Every eye was locked on Michael, waiting for his next move.

Sweat poured down Willow’s forehead as she charged at Michael, shrieking, “Michael, I command you. Kill Athena. What are you waiting for? Do it now”

“Willow, get back,” Nicolas shouted. He sensed something was wrong, but it was already too late.

Michael lifted his bow, drew the string taut, and aimed it directly at Willow’s chest.

Without hesitation, Michael unleashed three arrows in rapid succession, each one aimed straight at Willow’s chest.

Cedric tried to help Fiona up, but he was just too little no matter how hard he pushed, he couldn’t move her at all.

Though trembling with fear, Cedric still charged at Nicolas, pounding on him with his tiny fists. “You’re a bad guy, he cried, his voice shaking with fear and anger.

Fed up with Cedric’s pummeling, Nicolas seized the boy’s hand and snarled, “If you weren’t my own flesh and blood, you’d have been dead long ago. Hmph.”

Nicolas hurled Cedric to the floor, the boy slamming against the carriage wall as he burst into pained wails.

“Cedric,” Fiona whispered, her heart aching as she pulled the trembling boy into her arms. They clung to each other, shaking uncontrollably.

The carriage tore through the wilderness, yet Nicolas remained completely unconcerned about any pursuers.

Nicolas thought confidently, ‘My assassins are fiercely loyal–they’d surely keep Xander’s men at bay!

Nicolas shot a contemptuous glance at Fiona and Cedric, who were huddled together. “You’ve raised my son to be such a coward–what an utter disgrace to my name.”

Nicolas scoffed, poured himself a cup of coffee, and drained it in one gulp.

Fiona shot Nicolas a cautious glance. As he drained the coffee, a peculiar glint flickered in her eyes.

Before long, Nicolas’s face twisted in agony as he clutched his stomach.

Nicolas’s eyes widened in horror as he stared at Fiona. “Y–you bitch, wh–what did you put in the coffee?”

Fiona smirked, “Poison, of course.”

“You actually poisoned me?” Nicolas staggered forward in shock, but Fiona was quicker–she pulled a dagger from beneath the carriage seat and, without hesitation, plunged it straight into his chest.

The dagger plunged into his chest. Nicolas gaped in shock as blood poured from the wound. He opened his mouth, yet not a single sound escaped.

Indifferently, Fiona stabbed the dagger into Nicolas’s chest, over and over, until he breathed his last.

The violent commotion inside the carriage finally alerted the coachman. The carriage screeched to a halt. The coachman flung open the door, took in the horrific scene inside, and bellowed, “Oh, no, His Highness.”

The next second, the coachman lunged at Fiona with a roar. “I’ll kill you.” he shouted.