Her Graceful War Song

The guards were unable to restrain Kylie, who rushed past the partition screens. One glance at her blood-soaked son was enough to make her release a piercing scream of horror before collapsing in a faint.

Thankfully, royal physicians were also present. The servants quickly ushered the queen out, allowing a royal physician to attend to her. Once revived, Kylie's sobs were unrestrained, her cries echoing with raw anguish.

Leading some men, Rafael took swift action to restore order. He intercepted the frenzied horse and set the wheels of investigation in motion, determined to uncover what had caused such madness.

Inside the makeshift room, Salvador knelt beside Connor. As his trembling hands gently brushed the bloodied face of his son, his palms became stained with crimson.

Telling the king to move aside, Sebastian quickly administered needle treatment, meant to simply keep Connor alive for a little longer. The priority now was to stop the bleeding in the eldest prince's head.

The boy couldn't swallow any pills, so Sebastian gave Carissa a bottle of hemostatic powder and told her to feed it to Connor. As long as he could swallow it, it would slow the internal bleeding.

Examining with his sharp eyes, Sebastian quickly understood the severity of the situation. The horses' hooves had trampled Connor's body, and with such speed and weight, the internal injuries were grievous.

If he hadn't performed needle treatment, Connor would have already died. However, even with the needles, the odds of survival were slim.

Though barely conscious, the eldest prince could still hear Carissa's frantic voice calling his name, urging him to swallow something. The pain was all-consuming, his body wracked with tremors he could not control. Every part of him screamed in agony, and the overwhelming fear began to suffocate him.

Was this the end?

But he listened to Carissa and tried to swallow. It took so much effort, as he was too weak. His mouth was full of a bitter and metallic taste. He wanted to vomit, but couldn't.

He seemed to hear his father's voice telling him not to be afraid. Hearing how shaky his father sounded, Connor realized he might really die. He couldn't help but apologize to Salvador internally for disappointing him again.

He felt so tired; his eyelids were too heavy to keep open.

"Your Highness... Connor, don't fall asleep! Wake up!" Carissa cried, tears streaming down her face as she gripped his hand. "Open your eyes, look at your aunt. We are here. Your father and mother are here. Wake up!"

Salvador, his limbs numb with fear, sank to the ground, his gaze fixed upon Sebastian in horrified disbelief. His lips parted, but no words escaped.

Finally, he managed to choke out, "Healer Dalton... he...?"

Without lifting his gaze, Sebastian continued his work. After dressing the wound, he used Orchidstrike Needle Art. It was a technique he had mastered, specifically for treating internal bleeding.

Salvador saw Connor's eyelids twitch. His heart, which had been in his throat, suddenly settled. But when he saw his son spit up blood, his heart pounded in fear again.

Outside, a hush had fallen over the gathered onlookers. No one dared move, each person rooted to the spot, anxiously awaiting the fate sealed within the confines of the screens.

From beyond the screens came the stifled sobs of many-the Quinton family, Ryan, Caden, and Kylie.

Sylvia held Cecil tightly to her chest, but an overwhelming sense of dread swept over her. She felt a sudden sense of panic, as if something was about to happen.

Initially, Caden had been sobbing in Grace's arms. But now, he sat as though frozen, his body stiff and his eyes unfocused. It was as if his soul had departed, leaving only an empty shell behind. No matter how Grace caffed his name, he did not respond, his unblinking gaze fixed upon the partition screens.

"Why is he so cold?" Grace murmured, then quickly ordered servants to fetch a small hand warmer.

It was brought and placed in Caden's arms, but he didn't take it. He just remained blankly resting in his mother's embrace.

"Do not fear, my dear," Grace whispered softly, pressing her cheek to his. "Your elder brother will be fine. He will be alright."

Caden did not respond, his eyes dull and distant.

Rafael, accompanied by Michael, soon arrived with news from the investigation. The cause of the horse's madness had been quickly discovered.

A caltrop had been hidden beneath the saddle, and its sharp points embedded themselves into the horse's back when Connor mounted. The sudden pain had startled the animal, causing it to rear and bolt in panic.noveldrama

When Rafael Saw the caltrop, his brow furrowed with recognition. It had once been in Cecil's possession, a small curiosity he had taken

without permission. Rafael bol ne

ordered it returned, but Cecilhad claimed it was lost. Rafael had ordered people to look for it, but it had never been found.

Rafael wasn't the only one who had seen the caltrop before. The guards who were responsible for protecting the princes had seen it too. As they gazed upon it now, their eyes instinctively shifted to the small figure in Sylvia's arms.

When Sylvia's eyes landed on the caltrop, the blood in her veins froze. A violent shudder ran through her body, and she could not suppress the trembling that seized her.