The King Of War Returns (Jaden Rift) novel Chapter 202

“I was sure Elias and the rest would find out about the Divine Pill from the doctor once something happened to Xander,” Jaden said, his voice steady, calm, certain. “That’s why I told you he’d come crawling back for it. Man’s pride doesn’t matter when death is at the door.”

The room went quiet. A low, dawning realization flickered across Vane and Nora’s faces like they’d just cracked a code they’d been staring at too long.

Nora blinked hard. “So that’s why you said it with such confidence…”

Vane exhaled like he’d been holding his breath the entire time. “It wasn’t a guess. You planned for this.”

Jaden didn’t respond.

Selena, however, wasn’t so easily convinced. She narrowed her eyes at him, skeptical but shaken. The pieces fit a little too well. “You keep doing this,” she said, arms folded tight across her chest. “Like when you said Mr. Raze would show up with an apology—and he did. Now this? What exactly are you not telling us?”

Jaden just leaned back in his chair, picking up Mia’s spoon again, calm as ever. “Some things are just obvious, Selena. You just have to know where to look.”

Selena’s voice hardened. “You’re dodging again. Don’t feed me that mysterious crap.”

He chuckled under his breath, then gave Mia a bite of food before glancing back at Selena. “Relax. I told you, I’ve seen enough people like Elias. He’s the type that only comes knocking when his house is on fire.”

Vane finally broke the stare-down, shaking his head with a short laugh. “Still. That pill… man. Is it really that good for stuff like… the three highs? Blood pressure, cholesterol, sugar?”

Jaden nodded. “Not just good. It rewires the whole system. Restores blood flow, repairs damaged vessels, balances internal organs. One pill. That’s why the old masters swore by it.”

Nora let out a low whistle. “And I’m guessing that kind of magic doesn’t come cheap.”

Jaden’s lips curved. “The last one sold at auction went for ten million.”

The number landed like a brick on the table.

Jaden didn’t flinch. His eyes glinted, just a flicker, as he gave her a sly wink. “It was my master’s. Been in his family for decades. Back then, it was just another pill in the cabinet.”

Selena stared at him for a long second. There was something in the way he said it—something that made her believe he wasn’t lying, even if he wasn’t telling her everything either.

“That thing’s too precious now,” Nora said, stepping in, her tone sharp and serious. “You better take it back and lock it up somewhere real tight. If people find out you’ve got it…”

“I know.” Jaden tucked it deeper into his coat.

“Since Elias asked Vane for it,” Jaden added, his gaze shifting smoothly to Vane, “I’m guessing Xander’s condition must be worse than they’re letting on. It’s probably serious. Which is why—”

He stopped, leaned forward slightly, and said it with a calm smile that carried weight.

“Why don’t we let Vane decide what to do with it?”