Her Graceful War Song

Once Rafael's injury had been tended to, Carissa personally saw Sebastian and Rowan out.

In a low voice, Sebastian instructed, "Remember, he must not use his inner force for now, not even in a fight. The injury is to his core, and he used his inner force when he shouldn't have. He also rushed back here before the wound had fully healed. When I examined him, he was still trying to sustain his energy. That's a deadly mistake. Right now, his body is as fragile as an egg. If anyone wanted to kill him now, it would be far too easy. So, be vigilant, Carissa. This is a critical time, understand?"

He paused before adding, "The fewer people who know about his condition, the better. The situation is already precarious. People can't always be trusted, especially in times like these.

Carissa knew Sebastian was thoughtful and always had their best interests at heart. His advice was meant to help them, so there was no reason not to appreciate it. She immediately agreed and promised to follow through.

Inside the estate, Jacob had dismissed the others, insisting that Rafael needed rest. The journey had taken its toll, and after enduring the bitter cold and constant battles, along with the strain of surviving on snowmelt, his stomach had suffered. He needed time to recover.noveldrama

Jacob also knew when to step back. Tonight was a time for the couple to be alone.

Carissa accompanied Rafael to Helen's quarters, where they formally greeted her.

Having heard of Sebastian's visit, Helen had sent Gillian to inquire and had learned that Rafael was suffering from a stomach illness. Beyond that, she knew nothing.

Seeing her son so gaunt and weak, tears welled up in her eyes.

"My dear boy," she said, her voice heavy with sorrow. "No more of this. Let others go to the Southern Frontier and fight if they want to. You stay here. Settle down. Have children, perhaps. That way, there's something to hold you here, and you won't be off fighting all the time."

Helen knew he was loyal to the kingdom, that it wasn't really about fighting for the sake of it. But she also realized she didn't share the same sense of duty or awareness that he did. In her view, if he didn't go to war, others would. The kingdom wouldn't fall apart just because he wasn't there.

Rafael smiled gently, trying to reassure her. "Don't worry, Mom. This battle, though hard-fought, has secured peace. From now on, I'll stay in the capital. I won't go anywhere."

Helen didn't believe there was such a thing as true peace. A prosperous nation was nothing more than a fat piece of meat-sooner or later, someone would want a bite.

She looked at Carissa, initially thinking of asking her to speak with him, but then remembered that Carissa was also a person of action-a woman of strength in her own right. It seemed the two of them shared the same spirit, after all.

"Never mind," Helen said with a sigh. "You should head back and rest. You two have been apart for so long, so there must be much for you two to talk about."

She paused, then added pointedly, "Carissa, don't hide things from him. You should tell him about the queen trying to arrange a secondary wife for him."

Rafael's brow furrowed deeply. "Is this true?"

Helen's voice was cold. "She says it's

for the good of the family, to ensure the royal line continues. It's laughable, really. If she's so concerned about heirs, she should worry about the king's first. Since when is it her place to meddle in this household?"

Rafael's eyes burned with anger. He had tolerated many things, but this wouldn't be one of them. He had never wavered in his commitment to Carissa, and when he married Ker, he had told Salvador that he would never take a concubine.

Wasn't this an affront to their marriage?

"We'll discuss this when we're alone," Carissa said softly, her hand gently resting on his back. "It's not the time for anger."

Rafael took her hand and led her out. His expression was calm, but the storm in his chest was far from settled. Now wasn't the time to lose his temper-but that didn't mean he wouldn't. How dare Kylie meddle in his life like this?

The thought sent a chill down his

spine. He had been out there, risking his life to defend the kingdom, while trouble brewed in his own home. If a secondary wife was actually forced upon him, he had no doubt what would've awaited him upon his return-Carissa's letter of divorce.

He had seen it happen before, so how could he not be afraid of it happening to him?

Back in their room, Carissa recounted everything that had happened after Rafael left for the Southern Frontier-every little detail she could remember, large and small. To Rafael, there were two important matters.

The first was Salvador's worsening lung condition.

The second was the strange visit from Salvador late one night, coupled with Kylie's attempt to introduce a secondary wife into Rafael's life. Anyone with a clear head would likely understand the motive behind both of these events.

Carissa carefully wiped his body with warm water, as per Sebastian's advice to avoid bathing.

"His Majesty's late-night visit and the queen's arranging for a secondary wife are not the same thing. His Majesty does not know about the queen's actions."

Rafael's face darkened. His lean features became even sharper in his displeasure. "But they've both overstepped their bounds."