The Alpha King's Nemesis-Chapter 107: Not Again ()

As Zariah stepped out of the cell, she saw the surprised looks on the faces of the Sea King and Prince Treyton and it took her a moment to recall she was supposed to be locked in.

Zariah passed a glance to King Askel who had a blank expression set on his face, not the slightest bit fazed by the reaction of the Sea King.

"I’m a flame wolf, you can’t keep me locked in with metals and barriers, try silver next time... enchanted silver lined with wolfsbane... I have a high pain tolerance, the more wolfsbane, the better." Zariah advised with a casual shrug.

"Mhíjani!" King Askel exclaimed at Zariah’s reveal and Zariah chuckled quietly.

"Wolfsbane and silver won’t even be as potent in the Sea...in short, you just have the wrong habitat to lock up shifters." Zariah added,

In addition to that, Zariah would kill anyone who brought a silver chain anywhere near her ever again, she had had enough of that in her past lifetime.

Zariah could still remember the burn and the sizzling sound as her own skin was charred, it was not an experience she ever wanted to go through again.

"So you have broken through the door since the first day? Why didn’t you come out then?" The Sea King asked,

Zariah quirked a brow at the silliness of the Sea King’s question.

She wondered what his reaction would have been if truly she had come out after melting the locks, he most likely would have had his battle mers send her right back to the dungeons.

"Go out? Whatever for? To start a fight? I would not have let myself be locked up in the first place if I intended to start a fight, Your Grace." Zariah replied with a shrug.

The Sea King regarded Zariah quietly for a moment and Zariah held his gaze unflinchingly and eventually he nodded in understanding.

"How do you intend to handle Imain?" The Sea King asked, getting down to business.

"Just as King Askel suggested, we have to get all related parties together in one place at the same time." Zariah said thoughtfully.

"But how? I will need a good reason to summon the Sea Lords but Imain most certainly would not honor the invitation and it may even stir his suspicions." The Sea King pointed out.

"Someone already summoned the Sea Lords to plot an overthrow." Zariah reminded.

Prince Treyton exchanged a look with his father before returning their gazes to Zariah.

"Lord Imain did summon the Sea Lords to discuss the lost trident, but they remain ignorant of his intent to overthrow," Prince Treyton said,

"Precisely, it is natural for the feudal lords to debate the fate of the Sea Kingdom in such an event that the Sea Kingdom’s divine treasure has gone missing." Zariah began,

"The Sea Lords will head to the Northern Seas unaware of Lord Imain’s true intent, of course he must want to break it to them on his own turf to avoid being apprehended for bearing treasonous intents."

"Just as the main sea, the armies of the Northern Sea cannot withstand the armies of all other six seas combined."

"Lord Imain is in a rush, he knows fully well the moment the Tide Trident is found, he loses his opportunity and justification. He will need the other Sea lords to remain out of his way when he does attack."

"Lord Imain must believe he has ways to convince them to stand with him yet if they do not, do you reckon they will leave the Northern Seas?"

"Bearing in mind that if they do leave, they will rally their armies against him and he will end up unsuccessful. Lord Imain is betting his all on this one attempt, he cannot afford failure."

" If Lord Imain is as resourceful as I have heard, his thought process will be the same as ours." Zariah explained.

"Isolate the Sea lords so they cannot muster their armies till he claims the throne!" Prince Treyton exclaimed,

"Imain will seize the six sea lords and lock them up, that is why he called for a gathering of the Lords. To give them a choice to stand with him and should they refuse him, they will be apprehended." The Sea King murmured in understanding.

"Exactly, but plots when made in a hurry, they always end up being sloppy. And with a little push, everything will fall apart." Zariah said.

"What do you want us to do, Lady Zariah? We will follow through with your plan." The Sea King said, now seeming more convinced that Zariah could get them out of this situation.

"We don’t have to do anything, we only need to stand back and let him isolate the six Sea lords for us, exposing his true face to them as well."

" It is also ideal to bet on the loyalty of the six sea lords, that way we know who is truly loyal amongst them." Zariah continued.

Zariah could see the Sea King and Prince Treyton was yet to understand her point so she explained further.

"Then we get to play the heroes and save your Sea Lords, thereby solidifying their loyalty to you for many centuries to come... killing two birds with one stone, or rather four birds." Zariah said with a roll of her eyes.

The Sea King’s eyes lit up as he stared at Zariah in awe.

"I told you we could count on Lady Zariah, father." Prince Treyton said with a smirk.

"It still gets better." Zariah added.

"What do you mean?" Prince Treyton asked,

"As I said, from what I have heard of the sea barriers, we stand no chance if Lord Imain lifts the Northern Sea barrier. " Zariah reminded.

"Indeed. The barrier was erected by my predecessors, once activated, it closes off the Northern Sea from the rest of the Seas."

"It was a fail safe placed around the Northern Sea to protect the seas in case the darkness ever escaped the Sea Dome."

"The barrier would keep it locked in within the Northern Seas and prevent it from spreading to the other six seas. It is impossible to penetrate it without the Tide Trident." The Sea King said in a grim tone.

"We still have to infiltrate the Sea Dome regardless and not with aggression, we will get ourselves invited in." Zariah said.

"But how? Lord Imain will never let the army of the main sea anywhere near his borders." Prince Treyton said.

"The missing Tide Trident and the gathering of the Sea Lords already provide the perfect opening, now all that is left will be how determined Your Grace is." Zariah said with a shrug.

"Tell me what you need me to do." The Sea King said without hesitation.

"When is this gathering to hold?" Zariah asked thoughtfully.

"In three days." Prince Treyton replied.

Zariah ran a hand through her hair as she thought over her options, to examine the Sea Dome for herself, she needed to get into the Northern Seas and without alerting Lord Imain or the mastermind.

’The mastermind had hatched this plot to get rid of me, although he seems unaware that I am Crimson Alpha. He probably harmed Kristen hoping the Sea King would execute me and then the Ethereal Domain and the Sea Kingdom would become irreconcilable.’ Zariah thought to herself.

’Once again, you hope to incite a war by just moving the pawns on your chess board, and even I nearly became one of your pawns... again,"

’I would be damned if I let things go your way. You think you can get rid of me so easily?’

’You are sadly mistaken, henceforth you will find me at every turn sabotaging your plans and ruining everything you have worked hard for, till you have no choice but to show me your true face.’ Zariah thought, her gaze glinting with a deadly light. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

’But if he wanted the Sea King to execute me, then it means Lord Imain must know of my presence and that of Askel here in the Sea Kingdom...’

’He must know I was imprisoned under accusations of harming Kristen, he must know I snatched the Tide Trident. The only thing he does not know is what my true intentions are and that is my advantage.’

Zariah realized as a plan formed in her head.

"First, announce to the Sea Kingdom that the culprit who snatched the Tide Trident is in Your Grace’s custody."

"Let them know the culprit is to be taken before the Sea Lords at their gathering in the Northern Seas where the Sea Lords shall decide what must be done." Zariah instructed,

"Infact, let it be known that the culprit will be executed in the Northern Seas if the Tide Trident is not returned to you. Let the Sea Kingdom and the Lords believe you will spare no efforts to make up for loosing the Tide Trident." Zariah added as an afterthought.

"But who do I present before the Sea Lords as the culprit that would be convincing enough and what motives would they have?" The Sea King asked.

"The real culprit is right before you, isn’t she? Whoever else do you need?" Zariah asked with a raised brow, her lips twitching as all expressions turned horrified.

"Gods Mhíjani! Not again!" King Askel exclaimed, shaking his head adamantly.