That Prince Is A Girl The Vicious King's Captive Slave Mate novel Chapter 371

Chapter 371
“Anything else anyone wishes to add before we call it a day?” Daemonikai rose to his feet, voice signaling dismissal.

The court was already stirring with movement—robes rustling, chairs scraping—echoes of people ready to leave, the post-session chaos humming through the air.

“Actually, yes, Your Majesty.” High Lord Gaff stood. “It’s about the eclipse moon night.”

Everywhere went quiet.

“I think it’s time we stop pretending it isn’t around the corner and begin making real preparations.”

“It’s been around the corner for years now, Lord Gaff,” High Lord Belzebob countered, folding his arms.

“Oh please,” Gaff shot back. “Are we truly going to pretend we haven’t noticed the repeated signs? The quarter moon has appeared more frequently in the past months than it should. No one knows exactly when it will come, but the signs are there. I believe it’s time we stop delaying and start preparing.”

Daemonikai's good mood withered entirely. Eclipse moon night—the very words made his shoulders tense. He would rather not think of it. Not of the last, and certainly not of the one still to come. But Gaff, as the High Lord of Ceremonial Affairs, was right. Turning their heads would not banish what waited for them.

“Sit down,” Daemonikai commanded.

Reluctantly, the council returned to their seats. And for the first time in a long while, they were going to address the elephant in the room.

“What do you have, High Lord Gaff?” Daemonikai asked.

“Thank you, Your Grace.” Gaff cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable. “Actually, I do have a suggestion. And I must say… this is not only my opinion. A few of the other lords mentioned it, casually… while we were at the tavern, drinking.”

He looked toward the mentioned lords. Not one of them met his gaze. A few cleared their throats. A few looked at the floor.

Daemonikai’s patience thinned. “Get on with it.”

Gaff braced himself. “Instead of facing the night alone, we thought… we should call upon the werewolves for protection. We are allies, are we not? They could safeguard us just for that night.”

Murmurs rose. Some at the ridiculousness of the suggestion, others considering.

“Absolutely not,” Daemonikai snapped, silencing the hall. “The fewer who know of our vulnerability, the better. The humans already learned enough—and the damage they did with that knowledge was catastrophic. Yes, we now know it was one of our own who betrayed us, but that doesn’t erase the fact that many of us were slaughtered by human blades.”

He swept a cold gaze across the court.

“Now you suggest we trust werewolves? Beasts stronger than any human, more powerful by leagues. Even if they are our allies, how do we trust anyone on a night when we are utterly defenseless, when none of us can protect what we care for?”

“But with the Chalice, we’ll have strength,” High Lord Jakal pitched in.

“And what if—just like that night—it’s taken away?” Daemonikai’s eyes bored into him, trying to keep his anger in check. They were only making a suggestion, and truthfully, there was some sense in what they said. But he did not wish to consider it. Not after last time.

The mere thought of repeating that failure made bile rise in his throat.

“Daemon, stay calm,” Vladya murmured.

Daemonikai looked over and saw Vladya staring pointedly at his hand. He followed his gaze seeing his claws had slipped out.

One deep breath. Two deep breaths.

His claws slipped back in.

Daemonikai straightened. “There will be no werewolves. No external forces. We will face eclipse moon night ourselves and form a unified plan—together—to protect what remains of us. But we will not reveal our weaknesses to outsiders, no matter how strong the alliance, no matter how much we trust them. Trust is not armor. That is all for today.”

Rising, he marched out of court.

•••••••

Sinai had been searching for Zaiper for over an hour before she finally found him in the woods, crouched beside the carcass of a freshly killed stag.

“I bet you feel refreshed after that hunt, huh?” she said, falling into step beside him as they started back toward their hideout. “It’s good to see you back on your feet.”

He didn’t look at her. “Why are you being a pest, Sinai?” he growled, forging ahead. “What do you want?”

Still in a foul mood, clearly.