Meanwhile...
"I am sorry, Your Highness. I was unable to retrieve what you were looking for. I searched everywhere, but no matter how thoroughly I looked, there was nothing useful to be found. Please forgive me."
A low voice echoed behind Daniel as he stood on the balcony overlooking the backyard garden of the Flower Manor. He was dressed in an impeccable black and gold suit that accentuated his physique perfectly.
His silky black hair was neatly combed, his bangs sweeping softly to the side. He could not look any more maddeningly handsome, like a god walking among mere mortals. Even the pristine blooms in the garden paled in comparison to his golden, honeydew eyes, which glowed like sunlit pearls.
Daniel let the words sink in, his gaze sweeping across the flowers and plants scattered throughout the garden. In his mind, he was mentally naming each bloom after the puppets currently vying for his attention on the other side.
He could hear their laughter and irritating chatter, a sickeningly sweet, friendly banter that was blatantly fake. None of those ladies wished to form genuine friendships, their sole intention was to tear each other down. They were playing a subtle game of sabotage to ensure their rivals stumbled, leaving themselves at the top.
Not a single one of them cared for true diplomacy. Their minds were consumed entirely by their pretty faces and the sheer weight of the jewels they would wear should they became queens.
Daniel sighed, his eyes lingering aimlessly on the garden. He didn't even turn to acknowledge the Dragonfly, who remained kneeling dutifully behind him after delivering his report.
He had already named nearly every flower in the garden to pass the time and was beginning to grow bored, until his gaze settled on an unusual flower.
Daniel strained his eyes to take a closer look.
The flower was a deep navy blue with a golden, thorny stem, its petals tightly closed, unlike the surrounding blossoms that were open and in full bloom. He couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. A rose? A tulip? It defied easy classification.
Yet as his eyes traced the mystery flower, a familiar name crept into his mind..
Ariel.
His flamingo.
This flower bore an uncanny resemblance to her.
She was ethereal and striking, just like the enigmatic bloom, yet entirely unpredictable. While all the other ladies had laid their cards on the table, she remained shrouded and closed off. Perhaps she only bloomed in the dark? He couldn't be certain. She possessed a rare, captivating beauty unlike anything he had ever seen, yet her true nature remained an enigma. The only way to uncover what kind of flower she truly was would be to wait patiently for her to open and bloom.
Would her true self match the alluring beauty she projected now? Or was she a sinister bloom that chose to unfurl only when no one was watching? Or perhaps... a rare, lethal flower hiding deadly poison behind a mask of harmless innocence, waiting for the perfect moment to strike after luring her victim in.
Daniel mused as he stared at the blossom. 'This flower resembles you completely, my Flamingo. I truly cannot grasp who you are. Just when I think I have you figured out, you slip through my fingers. Tsk... quite the mystery.'
He let out a low sigh and turned around to face the Dragonfly, who remained kneeling before him in a mixture of reverence and shame.
Yet, after a silent moment, Daniel turned back toward the garden.
"I am well aware that Dinkley and Flavio were involved in shady affairs," Daniel said, his tone cold and calculated. "Those two idiots have been best friends since childhood, inseparable, like trousers and a belt. I am certain Dinkley is privy to every single dark scheme Flavio was involved in. We are missing something vital here... a clue or thread that cannot be uncovered by ordinary means. I also have a strong suspicion that the true mastermind, the one we discovered is perched at the very top of the food chain, is pulling the strings behind all of this. Unearthing the full truth will not be simple."
He paused, turning around once more to look directly at the Dragonfly.
"I want you to court one of the Sect's Spiders and secure their aid for this investigation. There must be at least one among them willing to drop their guard and cooperate with us. We must dismantle these bastards at any cost and purge them from this kingdom, so our people can finally live in peace without fear or compromise."
The Dragonfly saluted smartly, his eyes gleaming with resolve. "Of course, Your Highness. I will seek out one of the Sect's Spiders immediately and return with word."
Daniel did not verbally respond he merely let out a low, quiet hum, granting his subordinate leave.
The Dragonfly gave a final respectful nod before melting seamlessly into the surrounding shadows, vanishing without a sound.
After the Dragonfly vanished, Daniel turned his attention back to the garden, his gaze lingering once more on that mysterious blue flower he still could not decipher. A low snicker escaped his lips as he shook his head, finally turning to walk back inside his quarters.
His eyes swept across the room, coming to a halt at the door leading to the walk-in closet.
Instantly, his mind flashed back to the previous night.
The soft, sweet humming... the enchanting singing... that unexpected, accidental encounter. The breathtaking glimpse of a heavenly, gorgeous body he had never chanced upon before, yet had dared to steal more than a single glance at. Entirely by accident, of course.
As the vivid memory replayed in his mind, Daniel felt a primal,animalistic growl threatening to tear through his throat.
He knew he was stirring a dangerous urge, one he had no business awakening. If he allowed his mind to keep reveling in that memory, he would lose all control the very next time he stood before her.
He immediately averted his gaze from the closet door, closed his eyes, and took a deep, steadying breath.
"Damn you, Flamingo," he whispered under his breath. "What on earth did you do to me? Now it is going to take every ounce of my self-control not to seek out a taste of that heavenly pleasure." He shook his head, a dark chuckle escaping his lips. "Why did you have to be so damn beautiful? Just a single glance at you right now might drive me over the edge."
All hell would surely break loose.
This was the true reason he had not yet ventured down to join the event on the other side of the Flower Manor. He couldn't risk laying eyes on his Flamingo just yet, not when the beast within threatened to tear through his composure to claim what it so desperately craved.
It might have been manageable had it merely been an accidental glance. But he had touched her, a living goddess. He had inhaled her sweet scent, felt the gentle warmth of her skin, and burned with the lingering sensation of her touch against his own.
Now, his whole being demanded a taste. A desperate, relentless hunger.
He had even tried to dull the urge by indulging in something he hadn't done in ages, bedding a chambermaid the previous night.
Though it was against the rules, exceptions were always made for the Crown Prince, and those fools had already arranged everything just in case.
He had tried to sleep with the chambermaid, but no matter what he did, she couldn't stir even the slightest reaction,not even a spark. The woman had tried every alluring danc, style and seductive trick to arouse him, desperately hoping he would claim her.
Yet he remained entirely cold. Worse still, a wave of intense disgust had washed over him, stoking his frustration to a terrifying boiling point. In a flash of blind rage, he had nearly snapped the poor woman's neck.
The beast within craved his Flamingo, no one else. This chambermaid couldn't hold a candle to her. His mind was so utterly consumed by the memory of Ariel's heavenly body, her intoxicating scent, and the lingering warmth of her skin that even two freezing showers he took earlier had failed to wash the sensation away.
Yet the woman his soul demanded was currently far out of reach. If he so much as dared to lay a finger on her now, his grandmother would have his head, and the political wolves of the court would seize the scandal to tear them both to shreds. That was precisely what his enemies were waiting for a single misstep to ruin him and usurp his power. He would never allow that to happen not whilst he still breathed.
Still, his inner beast refused to entertain the sight of any woman other than his Flamingo.
It was a dangerous dilemma. When it came to desire, his beast wielded absolute power, always threatening to overpower his rational mind. That was the real reason he was delaying his entrance into the garden. He needed to chain the monster within before stepping out to face the treacherous reality awaiting him.
Come to think of it, that chambermaid had looked strangely familiar. 'Where have I seen her before?' he pondered, his gaze sweeping across the room as his mind drifted back to the previous night's incident.
He had just finished dressing in his nightclothes after taking another futile cold shower. Per his request, the chambermaid had slipped into his room under the cover of night, wearing nothing but a sheer, body-hugging gown that left almost nothing to the imagination. Her intent was undeniable, she was practically begging to be claimed by the Crown Prince.
Yet, rather than revealing her face, she had arrived wearing a mask. He couldn't begin to guess why she chose to conceal her features, but the disguise had served as a fatal trigger because the mask instantly brought his mind back to his mysterious woman.
Perhaps that was what had truly shattered his patience and driven him to near-lethal rage, his emotions were completely tangled. He had believed his sights were set firmly on that mysterious woman, the bold, defiant siren whose very presence set his blood ablaze and wreaked utter havoc on his self-control.
It was a sensation he had never experienced in his entire life.
He was so certain he held feelings for the mystery woman. But then his Flamingo appeared, awakening that exact same intense effect within him. He had initially tried to convince himself that his Flamingo was inferior by comparison, yet after stealing that glance at her divine beauty, that heavenly pleasure, the previous night, perhaps it was his mystery woman who paled in comparison after all.
That realization had caused him to completely lose control. Staring at a new woman who, despite being serene, sexy, meek, and alluring in her own right, couldn't hold a candle to the exquisite vision he had witnessed earlier—had driven him to pure fury. His anger had boiled over to the point that he almost strangled the chambermaid when she dared to step close, seductively running her hands over him to provoke a reaction and command his attention.
The woman had been fortunate. During their struggle near the bed, a lampstand was knocked to the floor, shattering with a sharp crash that broke his bloodlust just enough for him to release her—giving her time to flee before his raging beast reclaimed control.
The poor girl had bolted from the chamber as if fleeing a literal monster. And in truth, she was. He was that monster. He knew with absolute certainty that if he caught even a passing glimpse of his Flamingo right now, all hell would break loose.
Daniel let out a heavy sigh, raising a hand to rub his aching temples.
He forced his mind to return to the present, eager to banish the memories of last night's chaos before he lost his grip again.
Maybe a drink will clear my head.
Just as he turned toward his cabinet to pour himself a glass of brandy to anchor his focus, panicked whispers echoed from the corridor outside his bedroom door. Hearing the sudden rush of hurried footsteps, he moved closer to the door, listening intently to the commotion.
"Oh my goodness, did you hear what just happened down in the garden?"
"Yes! I just heard. I'm heading over there right now. A grand spectacle is about to unfold!"
"I heard that pardoned girl is about to be punished for getting into a fight with that lady from Draskia!"
"Oh my word, really? We have to hurry and see this! It's going to be so scandalous!"
"The Flamingo?" Daniel muttered, his eyebrows knitting together in immediate concern. "What on earth has she done now?"
Abandoning all thoughts of brandy, he yanked the door open and headed straight for the garden to witness the chaos firsthand.