The Scarred Queen's Rise (Athena) novel Chapter 738

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Athena sat down next to her, placed her other hand on the back of Alexandra’s hand, and gently patted it, comforting her. “You’re overthinking it. The cities that Ray has occupied are all small cities with no natural defenses and fewer than a thousand soldiers. It’s just a show of strength.”

She took out a map from her sleeve and spread it on the rosewood table.

“Look, Athkar is garrisoned by Xander. He leads the most elite Acgis Guards of Petanion. As long as enemy troops approach, they will never return.”

Moving her finger around Pidence City, Athena added, “The moat outside the city is thirty feet wide, and General Osborne has added three iron gates behind the city gates, so even if they can fight to the city, they won’t get any advantage.

“What’s more, the terrain of Ironfang Pass is dangerous. It is as difficult as climbing to the sky for Ray’s iron cavalry to break through Ironfang Pass.”

When she heard Athena say this, Alexandra’s heart quietly relaxed a little.

She sighed, still a little worried. “Xander is far away in Athkar, and you are a woman, supporting this huge Manor. How can I not worry?”

Athena picked up the cup on the table and refilled Alexandra with some hot coffee. “We still have Perkins Manor. With grandfather and Michael to protect us, we will be safe and sound. The more critical the situation, the calmer we must be.”

Alexandra nodded, looking at Athena’s calm expression, and her heart became much calmer.

She said, “You are right, the more critical the situation, the calmer we must be, as long as this place is not in chaos, Xander will have no worries.”

In a blink of an eye, more than ten days had passed, and Xander sent letters to Athena every few days.

He explained the progress he had made in Athkar, saying in the letter that he had found Quincy and persuaded him, and had taken Quincy to Pidence City.

He would be back in seven or eight days.

Athena’s heart pounded as she looked at the handwriting on the letter.

Even far away, just seeing his handwriting could give her strength.

However, rumors that Athena was a jinx began to spread in Pidence City.

They said she was a femme fatale who brought disaster to the country, and if it weren’t for her, Ray would not have declared himself King and attacked Pidence City.

At first, these rumors were only spread in small circles.

11:59 Wed, Oct 22 M

Chapter 738

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Later, it escalated. Someone smashed the stone lions outside Prince Xander’s mansion, and someone tied strips of cloth with the words “jinx” written on them to poles and threw them into the Xander Manor.

The common folk, swayed by some unseen hand, gathered around Xander Manor, demanding that Athena be handed over.

“It’s all her fault. If she hadn’t stolen Princess Kendra’s marriage, how could Ray have rebelled?”

“I heard that she also seduced General Osborne back then, causing the Osborne family to be exterminated!”

Obscene words mixed with stones hit the gate of the Xander Manor, making a muffled thumping sound.

Alexandra, supporting herself on a veranda column, stood in the courtyard, her face pale with anger. “Are these rioters crazy? How dare they cause trouble at the Xander Manor?”

She was about to go out, but Athena stopped her. “Don’t bother with them. The people are emotionally charged right now. If they dare to make trouble, they wouldn’t be afraid of you.”

“But we can’t let them throw mud at you.” Alexandra’s eyes reddened with anger. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she said, “Why don’t you hide in the palace?”

Athena shook her head. “It won’t work. Once things are allowed to fester, even the King will waver one day.”

If sacrificing one woman could bring peace, he would do it.

Alexandra gasped. “Then, wouldn’t you be in even greater danger?”

“The walls of Pidence City are strong. If Xander brings Quincy back to Pidence City, Ray will have even less chance of winning. He is inciting popular sentiment to put pressure on the King to hand me over to him, so Xander will turn against Arthur.”

Athena tightened her grip on the sword in her hand, her eyes incredibly sharp. “He can’t hide this little scheme from me, and naturally I won’t let him succeed.”

“Open the door,” she ordered the steward.

Alexandra grabbed her sleeve, looking flustered. “You’re crazy! Those people are bloodshot. If you step outside, you’ll be devoured alive!”

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