New Chapter for the Highest Tier (June 2021)

****************************

Archdemon Empress Luna

****************************

The infirmary soon warmed from the rush of curious Summer Faeries—the Monarchs, the Faerie Sentinels, a few aristocrats and a whole lot of castle servants— to check on Xerxes who lay on the bed, unconscious.

Everyone wondered what transpired between him and Sapphire in the gardens, but no one had an inkling because Princess Sapphire has not spoken about it yet.

The werewolf shape shifter's pale colour returned after the royal healer smeared healing salve all over his half-naked form while pouring a vial of orange, herbal concoctions on his dry lips.

"Is Xerxes alright?"

Trapping her fingers between Xerxes' silky hair, Princess Sapphire's replied without removing her from Xerxes, "He is alright, mother. He will still need rest. I already told you that a lot of times."

Bringing Apollyon with her as she circled her arm around his, Luna walked towards the clean bed where Xerxes laid comfortably as the sweet scent of lavender perfume permeated in the air.

Unfortunately, the poor young man still had his eyes closed, but at least he was safe.

Luna allowed her hand to fall on the cotton sheets.

"How about you, Princess Sapphire?" Luna asked softly, "' Are you alright?"

She snorted, smirking, "It's silly that you have asked how I was doing before my mother herself."

It was clear as day that Apollyon's sister had mocked her own mother, but she gave no reaction—just wearing a mask of indifference.

Luna will not be the one to add more fuel to the rising bonfire.

Before she and Apollyon arrived at the Summer Castle, they promised each other that they wouldn't talk too much so they wouldn't make a mistake.

Only Princess Sapphire, Xerxes, Hecate and Hephaestus knew they were present in the Hedge Maze Garden during their fight, if only for a minute.

They refused to be dragged down and put their 'already-filthy-reputation' from the Spring Courts down to the mud.

They will not get their hands wet because Apollyon and Luna will be washing their hands out of this incident.

The Vampire King and his Empress weren't there in the Hedge Maze Garden in the first place.

Luna only said a short, "hmm" without paying them any mind as he focused her attention on Xerxes, instead.

Neither 'agreeing' nor 'disagreeing', and she could tell Princess Sapphire wasn't happy about it.

"It was too early to be waspish, Princess, and you are already giving me this attitude." Princess Ourania's Prussian Blue eyes flashed in a warning.

Sapphire refused to acknowledge her existence by looking at her, which made her mother even furious.

"I wouldn't apologize if I'm telling the truth." Sapphire shrugged.

Then, Sapphire shied away from her mother by taking a step towards Luna, turning her into a physical shield as she stood in the middle of their verbal joust while the rest of the Summer Faeries listened in silence.

Nobody stepped in to break the tension.

They either don't care what hurtful words were thrown in this argument between mother and daughter, or Princess Ourania casually abusing her child was fodder for entertainment for the Summer Monarchs and the rest.

Apollyon stood behind her as he placed his large hands on her shoulders, ready to pull her away at the slightest hint of physical altercation.

Everywhere Apollyon and Luna went, a toxic environment that affected her emotions.

It wasn't good for her baby.

It was around ten o'clock in the morning.

Still, the sun's heat from the open windows, nature's song of small animals and rivers, the beautiful paintings, caramel leather chairs and the bright floral blooms surrounding the metal beds failed to penetrate the cold emotions in the atmosphere.

Luna didn't look in anyone's direction.

For a few seconds, she could feel this silent stand-off between the two as the tension escalated from bad to worst real quick.

Apollyon anticipated this and hauled her backwards before grabbing her daughter by the arm, her long nails digging into her flesh.

"You didn't wait for me to ask me that question." Apollyon's mother spoke through gritted teeth.

Princess Sapphire yelped from the pain.

Positioning Luna behind his large body to keep her safe, Apollyon stepped in by squeezing his mother's wrist, and Luna prayed that she would let go so that nobody got hurt.

"Let go of your child, Ourania." Luna seconded as she stared at her husband in alarm, her gaze swinging back and forth between them.

At this rate, her husband might snap her wrist if his mother continued being stubborn, and she wouldn't let go.

"It isn't good to cause her stress when she was probably traumatized about what happened." Luna reasoned out. She willed Apollyon's mother to release her daughter immediately, or… the Summer King and Queen could interfere and lock Princess Ourania in the dungeons.

This way, Apollyon can release her wrist and stop hurting his mother with it.

There was no way this lady was mentally stable by how she terrorized everyone with her threats and manipulations.

The rest of the Summer Faeries were already looking at them like they were crazy, fighting beside an unconscious young man when he should be in a peaceful environment to heal faster.

"You should release Princess Sapphire before you hurt her, Ourania." Apollyon scowled at her.

Princess Ourania's face contorted with pain, but she was stubborn. "You have no right to tell me what to do with my daughter!"

Luna shook her head and rolled her eyes when she heard that.

'Here they go again!' She mused.

Luna thought Apollyon's mother was never a threat to them because she hadn't witnessed her true power yet as blue blood.

Luna's mouth opened in a silent scream when Apollyon's mother finally released her daughter's arm, which also made Apollyon let go of her bony wrists, attacking Xerxes with a sharp light spear which dropped from the ceiling and hovered over the shape shifter's forehead.

"Poor girl." Princess Ourania clicked her tongue. "Is this why you couldn't talk about what you have witnessed?"