Nine Hot Therians and Their Only One Queen novel Chapter 197

**When She Opened the Door to the Life She Was Afraid to Live by Nora Vale Kingsley**
**Chapter 197: Unexpected Links**

Marcus hunched over his device, the clock ticking mercilessly as he scrambled to keep pace with the day’s demands. Despite the pressure weighing on him, he felt it necessary to extend a brief note of gratitude to Corvin.

With a quick tap of his fingers, he replied, “Thanks.”

In the midst of a tense briefing with his team, Lucien projected his lightcore into the expansive conference room, the glow illuminating the faces of his subordinates. As he scanned the room, his attention was drawn to a link that Corvin had sent. A flicker of confusion crossed his features as he processed the unexpected message. Curiosity gnawed at him, urging him to tap the link and see what it contained.

Given what he knew about Corvin—somewhat slow on the uptake, yet undeniably dependable and earnest—Lucien had never anticipated receiving something so outlandish from him.

What unfolded on the screen was a video, and as it began to play, Lucien was immediately bombarded by an overtly explicit scene. The sounds emanating from the device were enough to cause anyone to blush fiercely.

The atmosphere in the room shifted dramatically, the air thick with stunned silence.

In a swift motion, Lucien snapped his lightcore shut, his face ablaze with embarrassment.

What has gotten into Corvin? Why on earth would he send something so inappropriate?

His subordinates, sensing the tension, kept their eyes glued to their notes, avoiding his gaze at all costs.

No one could fathom that Lucien, who typically exuded an air of cold composure, might actually indulge in such material. The thought seemed utterly preposterous to them; how could he have stumbled upon something so explicit?

Yet, despite the initial shock, Lucien had weathered far worse storms in his life. After a moment to collect himself, he reopened his lightcore, masking his emotions behind an unreadable expression as he resumed the meeting.

Once this session concludes, he thought with grim determination, Corvin will have to face the consequences of this blunder. And Silas—there’s no way Corvin could have orchestrated this alone.

…

Meanwhile, in the depths of Aquadome, Drake had just emerged victorious from a grueling battle against the Chitinid. Exhausted but relieved, he noticed the link that Corvin had sent from the Thalassian Palace.

A bewildered expression crossed his face. Isn’t Corvin one of Emma’s suitors? What could possibly prompt him to send a link out of the blue like this?

Drake had been leading the Four Domains in the fight against the Chitinid, leaving him no opportunity to see Emma.

In fact, she had gone so far as to delete his lightcore ID—rendering him unable to reach out to her even if he wanted to.

He had enlisted the Second Elder to relay a few messages on his behalf, but Emma had been courteous yet distant, never once mentioning his name.

Could it be that Emma asked Corvin to reach out to me?

The thought sparked a flicker of hope within him, prompting Drake to click on one of the links without a second thought.

The contents of the video froze him in his tracks.

This… How could Emma have Corvin send me something like this? Is it meant to signify some kind of connection?

His lips pressed together in contemplation, Drake realized he needed to dispatch the Chitinid swiftly and make his way to Emma as soon as possible. He quickly typed a response to Corvin.

Drake: “Got it.”

Corvin, lounging in a rest pod and trying to formulate a way to explain his actions, stared at Drake’s message in disbelief. “Got it?”

What on earth does he even mean by that?

Corvin: “Your Highness, that message earlier was a mis-tap. I truly apologize.”

Lucien, however, did not respond. Frustration bubbled within Corvin as he grabbed a nearby Cotton Candy and scrubbed at it vigorously.

“This is all your fault. You blasted it to everyone. You nearly got me into real trouble.”

At least he had managed to clear things up with Drake.

As for Malrik, that walking corpse could fend for himself.

Cotton Candy, now scrubbed senseless, had a tangled pinkish coat and curled up in Corvin’s arms, stiff and looking as guilty as a stone.

If he had sent the link only to himself instead of a handful of others, Corvin might have suspected something was amiss right away.

At least he hadn’t sent it indiscriminately—only to Emma’s suitors.

Deep within the forest, Emma approached a peculiar herb tree, its fruits resembling vibrant cherries. As she reached for a ripe cluster, a cool sensation pressed against her back, and she felt Marcus’ chest brush against hers.

The chill seeped through her thin clothing, reminiscent of gliding her hand over smooth jade on a sweltering summer day, sending an involuntary shiver racing down her spine.

His arm slid past her side, the cuff of his sleeve grazing her wrist, carrying with it a faint scent of crisp pine.

“Ms. Tibarn, let me pick these for you,” he murmured softly.

His warm breath brushed against her ear, a stark contrast to the icy pressure of his body, igniting a tingling sensation across her skin.