The Abandoned Luna's Journey to Power Chapter 364: Two Venomous Snakes

Prince Niall's POV:

"Calm down, Margaret."

I picked up a glass of liquor from the table and drank it in one gulp. The burning liquid scorched my throat and cleared my mind at once.

"That woman is indeed troublesome," I said coldly. The scene at Adam's manor earlier today flashed through my mind when Cindy and Adam pointed at me and humiliated me. The killing intent in my eyes was impossible to hide. "But she's Adam's lifeline now. She commands the Gamma Guards, and those lunatics from the academy are backing her as well. Touching her now would mean openly turning against Ryken. The time has not come yet."

"How long do I have to wait then?" Margaret demanded impatiently as she dropped into a chair. "What about the situation in the Bloodridge Mountains?"

At the mention of the Bloodridge Mountains, my expression darkened even more.

"It's not going well."

Lowering my voice, I walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window. After making sure there were no spies outside, I finally turned back to her. "Ryken, that old fox has tightened control over iron mines and weapon production more than ever. The terrain of the Bloodridge Mountains is hidden enough that his spies can't get inside, but we are severely short of manpower. We lack food. And more than anything, we lack weapons and armor.

"The Scarlet Pack behind Leanna has some strength, but the scraps of metal they manage to gather are only enough to arm a few hundred mercenaries. If we want to build an elite army capable of standing against the Onyx Legion, it's nothing more than a drop in the ocean."

I clenched my fists until my knuckles cracked. "That's why I was so eager to divorce Sephiria and rush south to the Blaze Pack to propose to Viola!"

"Blaze Pack..." Princess Margaret narrowed her eyes slightly. She had been involved in royal power struggles for centuries and naturally understood the key point."Those southern unions and guilds are closely tied to the Blaze Pack. If we could bring them into our camp through marriage, not only would it solve the issue of military funds, but their secret trade routes could deliver weapons and mercenaries into the Bloodridge Mountains without interruption."

"But now it is all ruined!"

I smashed the wine glass onto the floor. Shards of glass were scattered everywhere. "Cindy and Adam went to Coldmoon Monastery. They exposed the news of Sephiria's death ahead of time. That brat Viola pointed at my face and cursed me right there. Now, forget about marrying Viola. If the Blaze Pack learns about the despicable methods I used to force a divorce, those self-righteous old fools in the south will never allow any of their daughters to marry me!

"And because of this sudden disaster, my original plan for tonight's palace banquet is also destroyed. I had planned to use the excuse of mourning before the funeral to approach and recruit those conservative nobles who are dissatisfied with Ryken and Adam. But now everything is gone. Tomorrow at dawn, I will be forced to crawl back to my territory!"

Margaret listened to my complaints and took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

After centuries of surviving within royal power struggles, she was an old and cunning viper. The worse the situation became, the better she was at finding a crack to slip through.

"Patience, Niall. What we need most right now is patience."

Margaret walked over and patted my shoulder. "You must continue pretending. After you return, hold Sephiria's funeral with great ceremony. Show grief if you must. Or continue behaving like a foolish and immoral man. It doesn't matter which mask you wear, as long as Ryken never suspects that you are quietly building strength.

"As for money, I will think of something. Make Leanna's family contribute more. After all, that bitch Cindy just extorted more than 200 thousand gold coins from me, so my finances are tight as well."

A calculating light flashed in Princess Margaret's eyes. "As for the Blaze Pack... do they have other unmarried daughters besides Viola? Spread the rumor that you deeply regret Sephiria's death and wish to find a capable lady to help you manage your territory. If the benefits are tempting enough, those greedy elders of the Blaze Pack won't remain unmoved.

A vicious smile curled at the corner of Princess Margaret's mouth. She seemed to have thought of a brilliant idea. "And besides... since Cindy has made life difficult for us, we can also cause some trouble for her.

"Didn't James just marry Carrie from the Blackstone Pack?" she said in a sinister tone. "Blackstone Pack is a powerful local force with abundant resources. And that old fool Spike has just taken over the Onyx Legion in Southreach. Everyone knows he's famous for having no brains.

"We can start with that useless James and his idiot sister Hannah. If we can pull the Blackstone Pack to our side, or even place a mole in Spike's army to drive a wedge, we'll have an advantage. When the time comes, with forces attacking from both inside and outside, Ryken and Adam will have no chance of survival. They would still die even if they had magical powers!"

As I listened to Margaret's plan, the darkness in my eyes slowly faded, replaced by an intense hunger for power and blood.

"Good." I nodded, a cruel smile spreading across my face. "Let them enjoy their victory for a few more days. When my army marches out from the Bloodridge Mountains, I'll make Cindy kneel at my feet, trapped between life and death, with no escape!"