166: 40 The Unicorn

40 The Unicorn

Sibyl’s POV

“Oh, I want to thank Manolo. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have found the unicorn.”

“You!” Manolo scowled at the Queen.

I've never seen Manolo so angry.

The guests murmured, not knowing who Manolo was.

The Queen tapped her glass with a silver spoon. “My dear guests, let me explain. He is Manolo, the only mermaid on the continent.”

“Mermaids are not extinct.” Everyone is talking about it.

“Quiet!” Continued the queen, “Manolo used to live in the palace library. I feel sorry for the mermaid, so I always treat him well. He is a kind man who has always served our royal family. Last week, Prince Doyle fell ill and nearly died, and he used his blood to revive him. I thank him on behalf of the royal family.”

Although the Queen said the words of thanks, we all heard her sarcasm.

He's getting back at Manolo for saving my brother.

“Manolo has a unicorn. I didn't know that before. Oh, my dear Manolo, are you trying to surprise me?”

Manolo gritted his teeth and looked at the queen, “Shae's mother died in childbirth. I saved her in the forest. She was always weak, so I kept her in my private garden. She's just an innocent cub. Please leave her alone.”

Unicorns are very rare. It is said that there are no more than 10 on the whole continent.

The queen shook the wine in her glass gracefully. “I like her. Won't you give her to me as a gift?”

This is a dangerous question.

Manolo's hand was so tight around the fence that I could see the bulging veins.

“Your Majesty,” Manolo said, stifling his anger. “How can you let her go?”

Shae sensed the tension between them, and she let out a whimper, as if she were crying or pleading.

Her wound was still bleeding. Red blood was dripping on the ground.

I looked at her, and my stomach was cramping. Shae is just a baby. She has lost her mother. She can't take any more pain.

It all started with me. If I had not met Manolo in the palace, if I had not begged him to save Doyle, he would not have angered the queen.

I tugged at Nuri's sleeve and mouthed, “Save her.”

Nuri did not respond to me.

I shook his arm. “Please.”

He took my hand and wrote a word on it with his finger: OK.

The Queen left her throne and went to the cage. She took a long silver stick and stuck it into the cage to poke Shae.

“Stand up.” The Queen's voice was full of laughter.

“Your Majesty! Stop!” Manolo rushes to the queen, clenching his fists.

“Protect the Queen!” The guards pointed their swords at Manolo.

Manolo's chest is to the sword. His eyes changed from light blue to dark blue, as if he were about to choke the queen at any moment.

No, Manolo, don't hurt the queen under so many eyes.

This is a trap designed by the Queen. She's looking for an excuse to keep you prisoner.

Just as I was about to cry, Nuri said, “Your Majesty, I love this unicorn, and I want to give it to my wife as a gift. I was wondering if you would meet my request.”

Nuri's voice was powerful, and the garden was silent for a moment.

“I am currently looking for a precious and gentle animal to give to my wife as a pet. I think this unicorn is the best choice.” Nuri's tall body stands out in the crowd.

The Queen looked at Nuri in surprise. “I didn't know Sibyl liked pets. She never had a pet when she was in the palace.”

“We have a cat. My wife loves her.” Nuri looked at the queen. “Will you give me this unicorn?”

There was a strong pressure in Nuri's tone.

The Royals were afraid to provoke Nuri. The queen even comforted him with our marriage, so that she would not upset the balance between them with a unicorn.

The Queen threw away her silver stick and said reluctantly, “You can have her when the party is over.”

The queen squinted at me, and there was hate I had never seen before.

Nuri moves his body and blocks me again. “Thank You, Your Majesty, and Happy Birthday.”

The Queen sat back on her throne. The music played and the party went on.

But everyone's mood has changed.

Manolo, the sole descendant of the mermaid, appeared and became hostile to the queen.

Knight Rodriguez loved his wife and helped Manolo.

The Queen was still afraid of the Rodriguez family and had to compromise in front of them.

Too much has happened at the party.

Manolo looked at me and I nodded at him.

“I'll take her home and look after her.”

Manolo understood. He turned and left the party without saluting the queen.

For many years, Manolo lived a quiet life without showing up. But now his peace was broken. He became a nuisance to the queen.

Because he saved Doyle's life?

The Queen had a headache the day Doyle fell ill. She called all the doctors to her palace. The only doctor on duty at the hospital refused to treat Doyle.

I closed my eyes and gripped the hem of my dress with both hands.

It's not a coincidence. The Queen wanted Doyle dead so she could make her nephew the crown prince.

She wanted to change the royal family.

Nuri's hand took my hand from his broad sleeve. “Do you want to go home?”

I nodded. I didn't want to see the Queen's face at all.

“Let's go home.”

Nuri stood up. “Your Majesty, please forgive me. My wife is drunk. We are going home.” 1

Before the Queen could answer him, he took my hand and stood up.

His knights went to the cage and took the unicorn.

“Goodbye.”

We left.

Behind us, the Queen looked terrible. Nuri's words were polite, but his manner was arrogant. Whether the Queen agrees or not, he will leave with Shae.

However, there is something else going on behind the scenes at this party.

There was a woman sitting in the corner. She is staring at me with sharp eyes.

She is Azariah.

Watching us leave, she quietly asked her maid to pass a note to Blayze.

The note read: The plan is cancelled.

…………………………………………………………

As soon as I got home, I told the servants to bring towels and medical lotions.

I opened the cage and carefully held Shae in my arms.

Oh, this poor baby. She is so young. The Queen had the heart to hurt her so.

Amy cleaned her wound carefully and put some lotions on it.

She shivered with pain when the lotions touched her skin.

But she knows we are not the enemy. She lay obediently in my arms and let me touch her.

“Hang in there, Shae. It's okay. You're safe,” I said.

She let out a whimper and licked my hand.

I knew she was thanking me.

Unicorns are the kindest animals. They understand human feelings, but they are hurt by human beings.

“Meow...” the kitten smelled the unicorn and went into the room.

She squatted in front of Shae, making gentle noises to keep her company.

“You came to see her too, didn't you? Good boy.” I stroked the cat's head.

Nuri frowned. “She's too thin. We'll give her some food.”

What does a unicorn eat? Leaves or fruit?

“Don't feed her.” Manolo appeared at the door. He rushed into the house, held Shae, and examined her wound.

“I'm sorry...” he kept apologizing to Shae, and he pulled out a dandelion seed and fed it to her mouth.

Shae's mouth chews and swallows.

“She eats dandelions?” I asked.

“She only eats dandelions when she is very weak. During normal days, she doesn't eat but drinks from the spring,” Manolo replied.

“Then how did she survive?” I wondered.

“She eats people's dreams at night.”

“She's a dream-eating unicorn,” Nuri said suddenly.

Manolo nods. “The dream-eating unicorn is extinct. Only my grandpa kept one. Unicorns are difficult to conceive. Shae's mother got pregnant once in 100 years and died in childbirth. I've been keeping Shae a secret, hoping she'd be safe. But the Queen found her.”

Manolo looked at me and Nuri. “Thank you for your help. If it weren't for you, Shae would be dead by now.”

I opened my mouth in surprise. I have heard many wonderful things since I left the palace.

“A dream-eating unicorn? She's too precious. I'll give her back to you,” I said.

“No,” Manolo said. “Rodriguez's castle is the safest place right now. I can't live in the palace anymore. I've decided to leave the capital for a while, and I wish you to take care of her for me.”

“You're leaving?”

“Yes,” he said, looking into my eyes. “I've had a question since the last time we looked for the Dragon Scale in the south. I think it's time to find out the answer.”

A question? The way he looked at me made me think it wasn't an easy question.

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