Transmigrated as the Crown Prince's Mate
Chapter 154: Who Poisoned the Horses?

Chapter 154: Who Poisoned the Horses?

Morning light filled the palace halls, creating long golden stripes on the stone floors. The air was filled with tension, so thick it felt suffocating.

Jasper had already left to dig deeper into the list of names, silently blaming himself for not investigating further when he heard something in the stable the night before.

Meanwhile, Evelina remained at the stables, working tirelessly with the palace healers. Damian stayed with her for a while, watching as she carefully measured out doses of the charcoal mixture and administered them to each horse.

But then, a royal guard approached.

"Your Majesty," the man bowed quickly. "The King is awake. He has been informed of the situation and has summoned you both."

Damian exhaled sharply. Of course, he has.

His father never let a crisis go unattended.

He glanced at Evelina. "You ready?"

She straightened from where she knelt beside one of the horses. She was visibly tired, strands of hair sticking to her forehead, but her expression was unreadable.

"I don’t have much of a choice, do I?" she muttered, dusting her hands off.

Damian nodded, motioning for the guard to lead the way.

*********

King Lucian sat on his throne with sharp silver eyes and a commanding presence. Dressed in a deep crimson robe, he looked every bit the Alpha and ruler of Arcadia—strong and impossible to read.

The room was nearly empty aside from a handful of trusted council members. It was too soon for the entire court to get involved. Not yet.

The moment Damian and Evelina stepped inside, Lucian’s gaze snapped to them.

"I assume you’ve seen the state of the stables," the King said without preamble.

Damian folded his arms. "I have."

Lucian’s expression didn’t change as he turned his gaze to Evelina. "And you?"

Evelina met his eyes without flinching. "Yes."

Lucian studied her, his silver eyes searching. "Do you know anything about this?"

There was no accusation in his tone this time. No outright hostility. It was a simple question.

And that, more than anything, told her the tides were shifting.

"No," she said firmly. "But I believe whoever did this wanted to cause chaos."

Lucian hummed, considering her words. He glanced at one of his advisors, who quickly stepped forward. "Your Majesty, if I may, the situation grows more complicated."

Lucian nodded, allowing the man to continue.

"The horses affected... they aren’t just ours," the advisor said grimly.

Evelina’s stomach twisted.

"Their horses too?" King Lucian asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Yes," the advisor confirmed. "OakenShaw’s convoy. Their finest warhorses. They are just as sick as ours."

The impact of the statement was felt throughout the room.

Damian ran a hand through his hair. Damn it.

This wasn’t just an attack on Arcadia.

It was a direct hit against their alliance or whatever they have with OakenShaw.

Lucian’s fingers tapped rhythmically against the armrest of his throne, his gaze darkening. "And their reaction?"

"They have not formally accused us yet," the advisor admitted. "But it will not take long before tensions rise."

Damian cursed under his breath.

King Lucian turned back to Evelina. "You truly have no idea who might have done this?"

Evelina shook her head. "No."

And this time, Lucian believed her.

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Then we will have to start looking elsewhere."

Damian straightened. "What’s your plan?"

Lucian leaned forward slightly. "We need answers. Which is why we will start with someone who may have them."

His silver eyes flickered with something unreadable.

"Bring me Lord Matthew," he ordered.

The room stilled.

Evelina’s breath hitched slightly, but she kept her face carefully blank.

Lord Matthew.

The man who had orchestrated the first poisoning.

The man who was supposed to be dead.

And now, he was about to be questioned once more.

Damian exhaled. "You think he’s involved in this too?"

Lucian didn’t answer immediately.

Then—

"I think he may know something," the King murmured. "And if he does... we will find out."

*********

The heavy iron door creaked as it opened, showing the dimly lit dungeon under the palace. The air was filled with the smell of damp stone and rusted metal, which was a sharp contrast to the palace’s grandeur.

Lord Matthew sat on the cold floor of his cell, his once-pristine clothes now wrinkled and dirtied from days of imprisonment. His sharp eyes, though dulled with exhaustion, still held a glint of defiance as they flickered toward the approaching figures.

King Lucian entered first, his imposing presence filling the space effortlessly. Damian followed, his expression dark, while Evelina remained a few steps behind, her gaze unreadable.

The guards stepped aside, allowing the interrogation to begin.

Matthew smirked. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Damian came to a stop just outside the bars, arms crossed over his chest. "Did you hear?"

Matthew tilted his head, feigning curiosity. "Hear what?"

"The horses," Damian said coolly. "Someone poisoned them."

Matthew hummed as if the news only mildly interested him. "Quite unfortunate, don’t you think?"

Evelina stepped forward. "You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?"

Matthew’s smirk deepened. "I’ve been rotting in this cell for weeks. No visitors, no letters, no contact with anyone. How, exactly, would I have orchestrated this?"

King Lucian, who had remained silent until now, studied him carefully. "You still have allies."

Matthew chuckled, leaning back against the damp stone wall. "If I did, don’t you think I would’ve been freed by now?"

Damian hated that he had a point.

"Who else would benefit from this?" Evelina pressed.

Matthew looked at her sharply, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "That’s an intriguing question, Lady Evelina. " He waved his wrists, which were bound by shackles. "Why don’t you share your thoughts? You seem to have a talent for solving puzzles."

Damian’s patience thinned. "Enough of your games."

Matthew exhaled as if terribly bored. "You came to ask if I had anything to do with this. The answer is no." He leaned forward slightly. "And if I did know something... why would I tell you?"

Lucian’s silver eyes remained locked onto him. "Because if you did know something and I found out later that you withheld it, you will regret it."

For the first time, something flickered in Matthew’s expression—something wary.

Still, he held his smirk. "I suppose we’ll just have to see, then."

Damian clenched his jaw. \

"We’re done here." King Lucian turned on his heel, followed by Damian, motioning for Evelina to follow.

As they stepped away, Matthew’s voice drifted after them.

"Good luck, Your Highness. Seems like someone else wants you to suffer now."

Damian didn’t acknowledge him.

But something about those words settled uneasily in his chest.

Damian exhaled. "So, if it wasn’t him..."

Lucian’s jaw clenched. "Then we have another enemy in our midst."

Before Damian could respond, a royal messenger rushed towards them, meeting them halfway. He bowed quickly, breathless. "Your Majesty, urgent news. OakenShaw has issued a formal accusation."

Damian’s body tensed. "Of course, they have."

Lucian’s expression darkened. "Let’s hear it."

***********

Back in the throne room, the atmosphere had shifted.

Tensions were already running high, but when the delegation from OakenShaw arrived, it was clear that the situation had taken a turn for the worse.

Prince Kyle stood in the middle of the room, his violet eyes filled with accusation.

"You did this on purpose," he said, keeping his voice steady but revealing his barely contained anger. "And you know it."

Lucian sat calmly on his throne, his silver eyes steady. "Do I?"

Kyle’s hands clenched at his sides. "Your son had every reason to want us gone. And now, the very horses meant to take us away are poisoned? It’s too convenient."

Damian’s lips curled into a humorless smirk. "So let me get this straight—you think I did this? That I had your horses poisoned out of spite?"

Kyle didn’t flinch. "I think you want us out of Arcadia."

"That part is true," Damian admitted with ease. "But if I wanted you gone, why would I poison the horses meant to take you away?"

Kyle hesitated for a fraction of a second.

Damian pressed forward. "Tell me, Prince Kyle—do I strike you as a subtle man?"

Kyle said nothing.

"Exactly," Damian continued. "If I wanted you out of my kingdom, you wouldn’t be here to accuse me."

Kyle’s jaw clenched, but before he could retort, Lucian spoke.

"Enough," the King’s voice cut through the tension. His silver eyes flickered toward Evelina. "Tell me, Lady Evelina, did you lie to me?"

The room went still.

Evelina’s brow furrowed. "What?"

Lucian’s gaze sharpened. "Did you deceive me? Are you framing the prince because you were framed?"

Evelina’s breath caught in her throat.

She had expected suspicion. But this—this direct, calculating test of her loyalty—still managed to unsettle her.

She forced herself to meet his gaze. "No."

Lucian studied her for a long moment, searching for any sign of deception.

Kyle suddenly stepped forward. "It wasn’t her," he said firmly.

Everyone turned to him.

Kyle exhaled sharply. "I know Evelina. She wouldn’t do this."

Damian arched a brow. "And yet you’re so sure that I would?"