Prince Shanz hauled up from his respective chair upon their words. Walking out of the darkness, his boot clicked against the marble floor. Coming over to stand in front of the box, Shanz ran across his eyes over the box curiously. Even though he hated Isabella, his sister-in-law to death, he decided to send this gifts for the sake of his death mother. His mother had unfulfilled wishes regarding Isabella's baby. 

Confusion puzzled across his expression. Isabella had no reason to send back any return gift.

Could it be that she didn't want to accept those old clothes by his mother? 

Anger rose from the core of Shanz's heart. He secretly vowed that If Isabella dared to send back his mother's clothes, he would go personally in Basarisk to settle down the score between them. Shanz's cold voice commanded angrily,

" Open it! "

One of the guard stepped forward to comply the order. Having no thoughts about what could be inside, the guard clicked open the giant brown box naturally. Only after the box was opened and that object came in his view, the guard gasped jumping behind out of astonishment. Not only him, the standing other guards all had a bewildering expression.

A dead snake? 

Shanz's expression grimaced looking down at the thing that had been sent as a return gift. He didn't understand what was the meaning of sending a dead snake to him. His gaze eventually turned red in anger. He only sent a few pair of old clothes as a tribute to his death mother but it turned out like Isabella didn't had any attention of showing respect to his mother.

Shanz's eyes rested on the snake body for a while. According to his judgment, the snake had been burnt brutally which was the cruelest way to torture any creature. His dark eyes spotted a letter that had been placed right after the dead body.

Having no envelope but a piece of paper only made him wondering that how much impatient the sender was to send him a letter! 

Shanz opened the letter lazily and was greeted with Cedric's skilled writing right away. The content of that letter was full of mockery that said :-

" How pitiful! My wife has disliked your present unfortunately, Prince Shanz. But here, we go. I have a better present for you. Keep this dead snake by your side to avoid omnious eyes on your throne! Who knows what will happen when my nephew comes in this world! "

The last line of his letter ended with an underlined meaning. Cedric basically told him that Prince Shanz wouldn't be able to rule over DAVINA once Isabella gives birth to her son. He would be the next in line to become the legit heir for throne according to the will made by Vincent, Isabella's late husband.

Shanz closed the letter slowly and fisted it inside his palm with a smirk. Running his scornful eyes over the dead snake, he commented with a low chuckle,

" How surprising! I sent clothes but became snake on its own. Interesting! "

*****

••• DIXON PALACE, BASARISK •••

The following day had come with a little more peaceful environment across the palace. After they had their morning breakfast, Cedric invited Alexander to play cards with him in the study.

The two of them sat opposite each others and began to organize the cards attentively. Alexander spoke first, dropping a card on the table,

" Your Highness! Is something happened last night?"

He was a fast asleep last night and didn't hear about the commotion. On the breakfast table, he only heard vague gossips from the maid's mouth.

Cedric replied with a chuckle and sounded like it was nothing serious actually,

" Yes! Your sister has just lost her temper. I am quite used to it honestly."

Cedric continued pulling his lips into a grin,

" I wouldn't even mind if she burns me alive someday."

Alexander chuckled lightly and replied rearranging the card's position on the table,

" Pardon her behavior, Your Highness! We all have such transparent moods that it's hard to predict. Especially Sister got a very strange superpowers which isn't very similar like us."

Cedric's expression stiffened a little. Raising his eyebrows together, he questioned from his curiousity,

" Why is it different? I mean, you all four are hybrids just like her. She should be carrying same powers like you."

Alexander shook his head denying and replied in deep reasonable voice,

" Unfortunately it is not! Ayra comes from the first descendant of Chole Family. Late Uncle Edward was the eldest son of their family. His achievements were highly appreciated by others. Since he isn't alive anymore, we never totally knew that what was his special abilities. Now sister is born from him, the differences are unavoidable. We noticed it from our childhood days when we began to live together."

Cedric hummed pondering in deep thoughts and replied briefly,

" I see! "

The door of his study room flung open in shot improperly. As Cedric was going to shoot a cold look on the person who just brust in, his gaze melted after spotting the smiling figure. Ayra walked in excitedly and saw them playing cards.

She exclaimed excitedly,

" You two are playing cards. Teach me, please. I always wanted to play card but never mastered up the tactics."

Cedric patted the spot beside him before calling her sweetly,

" Come here! "

Ayra compelled happily as the thought of learning how to play card came across her mind. Her eyes shone in excitement as she plopped down beside him. Resting her elbow on the table, she asked peering at the cards eagerly,

" Are you going to teach me, Your Highness?"

Cedric manifested few cards between his fingers. Turning his head aside to stare at the woman who had now gotten a fetish to learn card play, he spoke slowly yet domineeringly,

" What a shame! I don't do anything for free, Princess. You know that I am a very calculative person."

Ayra narrowed her gaze at him suspiciously. Feeling a little chill running through her spine under his intense eyes, she turned her face shield to ask Alexander,

" Brother, will you teach me? I am not so rich to pay off his highness."

Alexander chuckled parting his lips to say something but Cedric replied first, pinching on her jaw to turn her face back at her,

" Well, don't disgrace yourself always, Princess. See, you got a pretty pair of lips."

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

Next Chapter will be coming after few hours due to author's busy schedule today. Come back to check on updates again. Thank you for the golden tickets that you have sent so far for this book! I really appreciate it!