Betrayed By My Mate, Claimed By His Lycan King Uncle-Chapter 39: They Were Killed.

The two maids assigned to tend to Sorayah had finished their work and now stood in Dimitri's room, their gazes fixed on her. She was seated in a backed chair, dressed in a flowing blue gown with a delicate veil covering part of her face, a clear indication that she was no longer a mere servant.

One of the maids, a young woman with anxious eyes, hesitated before finally speaking, breaking the silent that had settled in the room for a while now.

"Please, my lady, you must eat something. His Highness, the Beta Lord, will be furious if he learns that you haven't touched your meal." Her voice carried a note of urgency as she gestured toward the silver tray laden with an assortment of food. "You also need to take the medicine the doctor prescribed."

Sorayah remained still, her face devoid of colours. Her throat felt tight, and the very thought of food irritated her. Yet she knew the maids were merely doing their duty.

"You may both leave now," she murmured at last. Though her voice was barely above a whisper, it held an unmistakable note of finality.

The two servants exchanged worried glances before suddenly dropping to their knees, their foreheads nearly touching the ground in a gesture of deep submission.

"I'm sorry, my lady," one of them pleaded, her voice trembling. "But we cannot leave unless His Highness, the Beta Lord, says so. If we fail to fulfill our duty, he will punish us."

Sorayah inhaled slowly, suppressing the irritation that threatened to rise. She had no desire to make their lives harder than they already were.

"I see." She sighed, then lifted a hand in dismissal. "Stand up, then."

The maids obeyed at once, scrambling to their feet with a mixture of relief and lingering fear.

Since they wouldn't leave, she might as well make use of their presence. If nothing else, she could learn more about the palace while distracting herself from the haunting thoughts that refused to leave her mind.

"Well then, if you must stay, then you might as well talk with me? I find myself rather bored," she said, forcing a small smile. "The emperor had asked the leader of a dancer to always come to perform for him every night. I'm sure the palace maids would be discussing about it as well as people in the capital since the dancer lives in the capital?"

The two maids stiffened slightly, exchanging another glance before lowering their heads.

"You are correct, my lady," one of them answered carefully. "The news has spread throughout the city. However, we servants are forbidden from speaking of rumors." Her voice dropped to a whisper, as though afraid of being overheard by Dimitri's men. "If we are caught gossiping about His Highness, the Alpha Emperor, we risk losing our tongues. Worse still, if the wrong words reach the wrong ears, we could be executed."

Sorayah leaned forward slightly, her expression softening. "Come now. We are all sisters here, are we not? You are human, just as I am." She tilted her head, offering a look of quiet encouragement. "I am simply curious, that's all."

The silence stretched between them before one of the maids finally spoke.

"They were killed."

Sorayah's breath hitched, and a cold shiver ran down her spine.

"What?"

"The dancers," the maid whispered, glancing toward the door as if expecting someone to burst in at any moment. "They were all executed."

Sorayah's fingers clenched the hem of her gown so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She felt a sudden, overwhelming wave of nausea, her vision swimming as the maid continued.

"Their leader failed to appear when summoned by the emperor. He knew where the others resided, so he had them all slaughtered for defying his orders. They refused to reveal their leader's whereabouts, and so... they all died."

A heavy silence fell over the room.

How could this have happened? If only Lily hadn't been killed... If only she hadn't had to fight Dimitri... she could have saved them. That means she killed all the other dancers since she was the leader who was unable to go to the palace.

Her vision blurred with unshed tears, her heart pounding with a mixture of grief and helpless rage. But the maids wouldn't see her cry, not with their heads still bowed. And so, in the privacy of that moment, she allowed the silent tears to fall, her pain spilling onto the fabric of her gown.

Forcing herself to focus, she let her thoughts drift elsewhere, landing on the one person who had occupied her mind far too often as of late.

Dimitri.

His werewolf form.

His scent.

The same scent she perceived at the palace was the same as the one she perceived last night.

There was no doubt in her mind now, it had been him but then her mind drifted towards the lunatic she had encountered too.

A sudden, burning curiosity bloomed in her chest.

"I imagine you both attend many palace functions," she said, her voice steady despite the storm brewing within her.

"Yes, my lady," one of the maids responded.

"Then tell me, what have you noticed in the palace?" She studied their faces carefully. "There must be countless interesting rumors, and where there are rumors, there is often truth. I have only been to the palace once, so I know little. But I would very much like to hear what you have to say."

The maids hesitated, their eyes darting toward the door again as if they feared even the walls had ears.

"My lady... though we serve in the palace, we do not dare to look too closely," one of them admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "We do not listen to what is spoken in the inner court, nor do we allow our eyes to linger on things we are not meant to see."

"That is how to keep one's head on their necks," the other added. "The only reason we heard of the dancers' execution is because His Highness, the Alpha Emperor, wished to make an example of them. It was a warning to all, to remind us of the fate that awaits those who defy him."

Sorayah exhaled slowly, her mind racing.

"Oh, I see. I suppose my curiosity got the best of me," Sorayah said, letting out a forced but warm smile. "Forgive me for asking so many questions. I'm new here and haven't been around long enough to understand all the rules. But I trust that you two will guide me from now on."

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The two maids exchanged glances before nodding.

"Yes, my lady, we will," one of them assured her with a slight bow of her head.

Before Sorayah could say anything else, the doors to Dimitri's chambers swung open without warning.

Concubine Arata strode in unannounced, her elegant silk robes flowing behind her as she walked with the confidence of a woman who feared nothing. Her personal maid trailed behind her, carefully balancing a large silver tray stacked with luxurious gowns and glittering jewels.

At the sight of the unexpected guest, the two maids attending to Sorayah immediately lowered their heads in deep respect, then silently stepped aside. Arata's maid followed suit, setting down the tray in front of Sorayah before retreating to the side.

Sorayah rose from her seat at once, her movements poised but tense. Though she forced a polite smile onto her lips, there was no warmth behind it as she dipped into a slight bow.

"Be seated, sister," Arata said smoothly, gesturing for Sorayah to sit.

Sorayah hesitated for only a moment before lowering herself back into her chair. Arata gracefully took a seat before her, her painted lips curling into a knowing smile.

"We are sisters now," Arata continued, her tone honeyed. "Now that you've become His Highness, the Beta Lord's woman, I thought it only fitting to bring you some gifts." She waved toward the tray with an elegant flick of her wrist. "Who knows? Perhaps you'll soon be carrying his child and rise to the rank of concubine."

Sorayah's fingers clenched the fabric of her gown so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"Why are you so determined to see me as His Highness's concubine?" she finally asked, her voice quiet but firm. "When you had this conversation with me before, I had thought you're just joking."

Arata tilted her head slightly, a smirk playing on her lips. "Who wouldn't want to be his concubine? Even if they can't become an official wife, it is still a position of power." Her gaze flickered downward, her hand resting on her still-flat stomach as if in thought. "You should be grateful, you know. I've taken the liberty of elevating your status from a mere servant to something more... valuable." She gave a soft chuckle. "And once you are with child, even if you never give birth, you will officially belong to His Highness."

Sorayah's jaw tightened, her breath coming out in sharp bursts. "I never asked you for this." Her voice carried an edge now, her anger barely restrained. "Tell me... what exactly are you trying to achieve with all this? You and I both know you have an agenda. Harem women always do."

Arata's personal maid, who had been standing quietly until now, suddenly took a bold step forward, her face twisted in irritation.

"How dare you speak to my lady in such a manner?" she snapped, her voice laced with indignation. "You should be grateful for her kindness! If she had no interest in you, you would have been dead by now."

Sorayah's eyes darkened, but before she could respond, Arata raised a hand, silencing her maid with a calm, almost amused expression.

"It's all right," she said, her voice dripping with false warmth. "I understand how Sorayah must feel."

Sorayah's lips pressed into a thin line. "Just so you know, I have no interest in your little games," she said coldly. "This so-called harem power struggle, it's meaningless to me."

Arata's smile deepened, her gaze sharp and knowing. "I see. But tell me, Sorayah, do you really think you can take down the one responsible for your sister's death while remaining nothing more than a servant?"