Transmigrated as the Villainess Princess - Chapter 86

Chapter 86: The Third Prince

How dare she visit my home!

As Ahcehera stepped into the grand halls of the palace, the heavy scent of burning incense filled the air, a sign that an important meeting was taking place in the council chamber.

The golden chandeliers cast long shadows on the marble floors, and the whispers of palace attendants echoed in the corridors.

Richard was immediately called into the meeting room, where her father and the council awaited him.

Ahcehera, however, had no intention of joining them, not yet. There was someone far more important she needed to see first.

Khaterine.

The woman who had infiltrated their lives, manipulated minor events from the shadows, and now, somehow, gained the trust of her third brother.

Ahcehera’s footsteps were silent as she walked down the hallways, the smooth fabric of her robes barely making a sound. As she turned a corner, she suddenly halted.

Standing just a few feet away was a man she had never met in person before, Abrixien. Her third brother.

She had seen his images before, holographic projections and old family portraits, but never face to face.

The resemblance between them was uncanny, the same sharp golden eyes, the same elegant but unreadable expression.

If not for the subtle differences in their stance, his more guarded, hers more commanding, they could have been mistaken for twins. For a moment, neither spoke.

Then, a slow smirk tugged at Abrixien’s lips as he crossed his arms. “So, we finally meet, dear sister.”

Ahcehera narrowed her eyes. “You’ve been absent for years. Why return now?”

Abrixien chuckled, the sound deep and amused. “You wound me. No ‘welcome home, brother’?”

Her gaze remained cold. “I don’t welcome strangers.”

His smile widened as if he found her reaction entertaining. “Then I suppose I must reintroduce myself.”

He took a step forward, his gaze unyielding. “I am… Abrixien Bloodstone, your third brother. And as of today, I have returned to claim my place in this family.”

Ahcehera’s fists clenched at his words. Claim his place? He had abandoned his duty for years, yet he thought he could simply return and act as if nothing had happened?

She took a step forward as well, her purple eyes flashing with challenge. “And what of the woman you brought with you? Do you expect me to welcome her too?”

Abrixien tilted his head slightly, his smirk never fading. “Ah, I see. You’re interested in my companion.”

He paused as if considering his next words carefully. “She’s quite the fascinating woman, isn’t she?”

Ahcehera’s expression darkened. “She’s dangerous.”

Abrixien let out a quiet laugh, but there was an edge to it. “Dangerous? Or misunderstood?”

Ahcehera scoffed. “If you truly believe that, then you’re more of a fool than I thought.”

Abrixien’s gaze sharpened at her words, but before he could respond, the doors behind them creaked open. A soft click of heels echoed against the floor.

Ahcehera turned her head slightly, only to see Khaterine stepping into the hallway.

Dressed in a pristine white gown, her long, dark hair cascading down her back, Khaterine looked every bit the innocent woman she wanted to portray.

Her teary eyes widened in fake surprise as she spotted Ahcehera.

“Oh,” she gasped softly, placing a hand on her chest. “Princess Ahcehera… we finally meet, again.”

Ahcehera held back the urge to roll her eyes.

Khaterine’s delicate lips trembled as she glanced between the two siblings. “I… I was worried. I thought you wouldn’t want to see me after all the misunderstandings.”

Ahcehera smiled, but there was no warmth in her gaze. “Oh, you misunderstand, Miss Khaterine. I’ve wanted to see you for a very long time.”

A flicker of nervousness crossed Khaterine’s face, but she quickly hid it behind a fragile smile.

Abrixien, however, simply watched the exchange with interest, as if he were observing a battle of wits.

Ahcehera stepped forward, closing the distance between her and Khaterine, her voice dropping to a whisper only the two of them could hear.

“I know what you are, and I know what you’ve done. You may have fooled my brother, but you will never fool me.”

Khaterine’s smile froze. And for the first time, Ahcehera saw it, just a flicker of fear in Khaterine’s eyes.

Ahcehera wasted no time. She turned on her optical brain and immediately contacted the Agartha Military Command Center.

“This is Vice President for Academic Affairs, Princess Ahcehera Bloodstone,” she stated coldly.

“You can’t!”

“I have located Khaterine Imee Lumagloria, the fugitive who escaped the military detention center. Send an elite unit to the palace immediately. She is to be detained in the imperial prison.”

A brief silence followed before the officer on duty responded.

“Affirmative, Your Highness. A squadron will be dispatched immediately.”

Ahcehera cut the transmission and turned her attention back to Khaterine.

The woman had been silent, her delicate features twisted into an unreadable expression. She knew resistance was futile.

Within minutes, heavily armed guards arrived. Their black and silver uniforms gleamed under the palace’s golden chandeliers as they moved in swift, calculated motions.

Two of them restrained Khaterine’s wrists in electromagnetic cuffs, ensuring that she had no means of escape.

The moment the guards began dragging her away, Ahcehera met her eyes.

Khaterine, despite her predicament, smirked. A silent threat.

Ahcehera, in response, merely tilted her chin higher, her purple eyes gleaming with authority. “Let’s see how long that arrogance lasts in the imperial prison.”

–

The cold air was damp, laced with the scent of stone and steel.

Inside a heavily guarded chamber, Khaterine was bound to a chair, her wrists and ankles secured by anti-magic restraints.

A single overhead light flickered above, casting ominous shadows across the dark cell.

Before her stood Ahcehera and Abrixien.

Her third brother had remained silent for the most part, arms crossed, his sharp golden eyes unreadable. Ahcehera, on the other hand, had no intention of playing games.

“I expected you to run,” Ahcehera said flatly, her gaze piercing. “Yet, you walked straight into my palace. Why?”

Khaterine did not answer. Instead, she let out a soft, almost mocking laugh. “And here I thought we could have a civil conversation.”

Ahcehera’s patience was thin. “You will talk, whether you like it or not.”

Khaterine smirked. “Oh, Princess, you have no idea what’s coming.”