Spoiled By My Nine Beast Husbands (Emma Tibarn) novel Chapter 161

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**When She Opened the Door to the Life She Was Afraid to Live**
**by Nora Vale Kingsley**
**Chapter 161: The Queen’s Birthday Banquet**

On that particular day, Marcus’ room maintained an unsettling normalcy in temperature, but the absence of a bed was jarring. Instead, a crystal coffin sat ominously in the center of the room, its translucent surface reflecting the dim light like a ghostly beacon. The starkness of the surroundings was disquieting, and the coffin only added to the sense of foreboding that hung in the air like a thick fog.

What sort of macabre aesthetic was this? Emma couldn’t help but ponder as she scanned the room, her thoughts racing. It felt as if she had stepped into a haunted crypt, where the very walls whispered secrets of despair and isolation.

“Get into the crystal coffin,” Emma instructed, her voice steady despite the disquieting atmosphere. She mentally noted how desperately the room needed a touch of warmth, a splash of color—anything to counteract the oppressive gloom.

“I’m in, Ms. Tibarn,” Marcus replied, his tone obedient yet tinged with an edge of reluctance as he climbed into the coffin. The glass-like surface seemed to swallow him whole, encasing him in its cold embrace.

Emma stepped forward, her heart racing slightly as she pressed her fingertip gently against the center of his forehead. She focused her energy, feeling her mental power flow into Marcus’ consciousness like a warm river, seeking to navigate the icy landscape of his mind.

Inside, she encountered the remnants of the ice thorns, those dreadful manifestations that the fire snake had partially consumed during their last encounter. To her relief, she noted that they had only slightly regenerated. A flicker of hope ignited within her.

If this trend continued, perhaps she could finally coax the fire snake into devouring the remaining ice thorns that were so intricately tangled within Marcus’ psyche.

And if that were to happen—would his sense of taste and smell return? Would he cease to drift through his days as if he had already surrendered to despair?

Maybe, just maybe, he wouldn’t long for death any longer.

Drawing from her previous experience, Emma felt a surge of confidence as she summoned the fire snake once more, guiding it through the labyrinth of Marcus’ mental consciousness. It slithered eagerly, consuming more of the ice thorns than it had before, and to her surprise, she felt invigorated rather than drained this time.

As the fire snake erupted into a dazzling display of sparks, melting away its icy meal, Emma withdrew her hand and opened her eyes. She studied Marcus’ face intently, searching for any sign of improvement. “Marcus, how do you feel now? Any better?”

Despite the progress, Emma noted with concern that far too many ice thorns remained. The fire snake was only capable of handling a fraction at a time, and the journey to complete mental clarity would be a long and arduous one.

Marcus closed his eyes, taking a moment to gather his thoughts before responding with surprising honesty, “I think my mind feels a little clearer.”

It was a subtle improvement, certainly better than how he had felt that very morning.

A small smile crept onto Emma’s lips, her heart lifting at his words. “Looks like my mental comfort is working, even if it’s just a small step. We’ll get there, piece by piece. I promise to help you reclaim your mental state.”

“Thank you, Ms. Tibarn,” Marcus replied, a spark of warmth igniting in his eyes as he returned her smile.

Seeing that flicker of warmth, Emma felt a rush of satisfaction. She straightened beside the coffin, her resolve firm. “You should rest now. I’ll be going back to train.”