The Crown's Fire - Chapter 206

Chapter 206: Unity Among Kingdoms
Katelina quickly shifted her gaze to the announcer on the stage, hoping to focus on the continued introductions as she regained her composure.

“And now, last but not least! A ruler who gave new hope to his citizens… He may have demon’s blood in his veins, but he didn’t let that define who he is,” the announcer proclaimed.

“A humble and dedicated leader determined to rebuild what had been destroyed. An honest ruler willing to cooperate and compromise for peace to reign across the lands. Please give a round of applause to the mighty king of the Kingdom of Helion, Amon Black!”

For some reason, Katelina’s gaze fixated on the new king of Helion. Amon was Devon’s half-brother, but they didn’t resemble each other at all. She had heard that Amon had recently appeared because his mother had sent him away for his safety. They had found him badly wounded a year ago.

“Amon Black,” Katelina muttered, her eyes still fixed on the new king. There was something… ominous about Amon, and for some reason, it made her feel uneasy.

His presence exuded a dark energy that she couldn’t quite place. As she observed him, she noticed the way he held himself with an air of authority and mystery. His eyes seemed to scan the crowd with a cold, calculating gaze.

Katelina turned to Asura, who had also noticed her unease. “Do you know anything more about Amon Black?” she whispered, keeping her voice low.

Asura nodded slightly, her eyes never leaving Amon. “Only what we’ve heard—Devon’s half-brother, kept hidden for years. But there are whispers that his return is like a fresh breath to Helion. He is not like Devon. He’s quite the opposite of him since every Helonian was praising him and they are grateful and contented with how he’s leading their kingdom right now.”

Katelina felt a pang of guilt as she realized how long she had been staring at Amon. She turned her gaze to Ezekiel, whose expression had grown dark and gloomy as he observed Amon and then looked at her.

“What’s with him?” she muttered to herself, feeling flustered. Then, her face reddened as she realized her prolonged scrutiny of Amon. “Could it be because of that?” she mused, her thoughts swirling with confusion.

Meanwhile, King Amon was signaled by the announcer to step forward instead of first taking his seat. “I apologize for this sudden interruption, but I would like to have a quick word with all the kingdoms present here,” Amon began as he took the stage. “Now that Helion is safe and back on its feet, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all Helonians who fled from their homes to come back and reclaim what is rightfully theirs.”

There was a momentary hush as the crowd listened intently to his words. Amon continued, his voice strong and resonant. “I would also like to announce that we are currently conducting a thorough search for all the children who went missing twenty-nine years ago.”

He paused, allowing his words to sink in before elaborating further. “Their families made the difficult choice to send them away during Devon’s purge of all children harboring demon blood. In order to protect them, their parents and families dispersed them across the kingdoms, hoping they would find safety and lead normal lives away from Devon’s grasp.”

Helion soldiers began distributing copies of the list containing the names of the missing children. “We hope that they have grown up well and safe,” Amon added solemnly. “However, the families who survived Devon’s tyranny still yearn to reunite with them. They were never abandoned, but at the time, it was the only option to escape Devon’s reach. We are counting on the cooperation of everyone here to aid in our search and reunite these families.”

Amon signaled for the announcer to continue with the program before returning to his seat.

Katelina’s thoughts raced as she listened to Amon’s words. ‘Devon’s bloodthreads… Only those with demon blood can handle Devon’s bloodthread,’ she mused. In that instant, she exchanged a meaningful glance with Asura. The latter quickly leaned down. “We need to obtain the complete list and locate them,” she whispered urgently. Without hesitation, Asura moved to inform Janus.

Katelina’s gaze involuntarily searched for Amon once more. The feeling she sensed when looking at him was eerily familiar. ‘Could he possibly possess Devon’s bloodthread?’ she pondered, her forehead creasing in thought. But how could they determine who possessed Devon’s bloodthread?

As the gathering and introductions concluded, attendees were given time to mingle, while rulers were ushered into an enclosed makeshift meeting tent for discussions.

Katelina entered the tent, her mind still preoccupied with thoughts of how to identify who among those with demon blood possessed Devon’s bloodthread. There was a high likelihood that Devon had passed one of his bloodthreads to his half-brother, Amon.

Upon entering, she sensed the weight of scrutiny directed towards Amon. It was understandable; being Devon’s half-brother brought its own suspicions.

“I won’t be staying here for long,” Ezekiel suddenly declared, breaking the silence with confidence. “I aim for unity among kingdoms and plan to establish an empire. Any kingdom willing to join under my rule can arrange a meeting with my Chancellor. We can discuss this further at a later date.”

Almost all rulers in the meeting tent blinked at the audacious proposition. They hadn’t anticipated such a direct power play, but most seemed to respect the King of Ebodia’s straightforwardness like Katelina. At least he offered negotiation, unlike Devon, who had often resorted to force in taking kingdoms he wanted.

“Our people, regardless of their origins… Will they receive fair treatment?” one ruler boldly inquired, cutting to the heart of the matter.

“They will be as equal as Ebodian citizens… They will be afforded the same rights and treatment, and they will also be subjected to the same punishment should they break the rule of law under my reign.”

As King Ezekiel firmly answered, affirming equal treatment for all under his reign, Katelina couldn’t fault the ruler for asking. It was common knowledge that many kingdoms were still grappling with the aftermath of Devon’s demise. Some struggled to establish stable leadership, while others were embroiled in internal conflicts, leaving citizens to suffer.

Katelina bit her lower lip, contemplating the potential implications for Zion. She couldn’t shake the feeling that her ministers would strongly advocate for aligning with Ezekiel’s empire. Her gaze drifted back to Amon, wondering if he would entertain the idea of Helion joining.

A deep sigh escaped her as she considered the weight of the decision. Her eyes inadvertently met Ezekiel’s intense glare, and she felt a pang of unease as she realized he had caught her staring at Amon.

Katelina tried to shake off her unease, rationalizing that Ezekiel’s intense glare might have been directed at something entirely unrelated to her. After all, she hadn’t done anything wrong by merely glancing at Amon. Perhaps Ezekiel’s somber expression stemmed from a different source altogether.

However, the lingering feeling of being scrutinized by his penetrating gaze continued to unsettle her. She silently reminded herself not to read too much into it and focused her attention on the ongoing discussions within the meeting tent. There were more pressing matters at hand than deciphering the nuances of Ezekiel’s expression.