Third-Person POV
"Your Majesty, please calm down," the elderly seer said, raising one hand. "I understand that you all want answers, but I cannot tell you what happened until I consult the ancient spirits."
Kaden frowned impatiently. "Then what the hell are you waiting for? Do it!"
The seer bowed slightly before turning toward Logan. "I need a bowl of clean water, four candles, and enough space to perform the consultation. Nobody must interrupt me once I begin."
Logan immediately left to get the items, while Rebecca remained beside Melvin, watching the elderly man suspiciously. She studied him carefully, trying to figure out whether he was truly a seer or just another fraud who had been paid to deceive them. After everything that had happened, she wasn’t ready to trust anyone so easily.
A few minutes later, Logan returned with everything the seer had requested. The old man placed the bowl of water in the middle of the bedroom and arranged the four candles around it. He then lowered himself onto the floor, crossed his legs, and rested his wooden staff beside him.
"Whatever happens, do not touch me until I open my eyes," he warned.
Kaden folded his arms impatiently. "Just find out what happened."
The seer closed his eyes and began chanting in a language none of them had ever heard before. At first, nothing happened, but after several minutes, the flames of the four candles began moving strangely, even though there was no wind in the room. The water inside the bowl started trembling, and a faint golden light appeared around the seer’s hands.
Rebecca instinctively moved closer to Melvin. "What is he doing?" she whispered.
"Consulting the spirits," Melvin answered quietly, placing a reassuring hand against her back.
Across the room, Kaden noticed the gesture. His expression tightened slightly before he looked away. He had no right to be bothered by Melvin touching Rebecca, especially when Rola was sitting only a few feet away, but something about seeing them together made him uncomfortable.
The seer’s chanting gradually grew louder. His body began trembling, and the golden light around his hands slowly changed to a dark red. Nobody dared interrupt him as the minutes passed. An hour went by, then another.
Kaden spent most of that time pacing around the bedroom, occasionally stopping to look at the seer. Rola remained seated on the couch, watching him with concern, while Melvin stayed beside Rebecca. Every now and then, Rebecca caught herself looking toward Kaden and Rola, wondering how their lives had become so complicated overnight.
By the time nearly two hours had passed, everyone was growing impatient.
"How much longer is this going to take?" Kaden muttered.
Before anyone could answer, the seer’s chanting suddenly stopped, and all four candles went out at once. A sharp gasp escaped his lips as his body jerked backward. His eyes flew open, and for several seconds, he remained completely still, breathing heavily.
"Seer!" Logan called, stepping forward.
The elderly man raised a trembling hand to stop him, but Kaden had already approached. "What happened? Did you find anything?"
The seer slowly looked up at him, his face pale. "Your Majesty, I’m afraid what happened yesterday was far more serious than any of you imagined."
Kaden’s expression darkened. "What the hell does that mean?"
The seer swallowed before answering. "Someone used ancient forbidden magic to exchange the brides without anyone realizing it."
Rebecca’s eyes widened. "Exchange the brides?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. The spell did not change your bodies. Instead, it changed what everyone saw, heard, and smelled. It was powerful enough to deceive your wolves, the Dragon King’s senses, and everyone who attended the weddings."
Melvin frowned deeply. "So someone deliberately made us marry the wrong people?"
"Exactly, Your Majesty."
"Who?" Kaden demanded immediately. "Who the fuck did this?"
The seer lowered his gaze. "I’m afraid I cannot tell you."
"What do you mean you cannot tell me?"
"I tried to trace the magic to the person who cast it, but something blocked me. Whoever performed this spell possesses power unlike anything I have encountered before. Even the ancient spirits could not reveal their identity."
Kaden clenched his fists. "Are you telling me someone entered my territory, used magic on two kings, ruined our weddings, and you cannot even tell me who did it?"
"I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I have never encountered a spell this powerful."
Melvin dragged a hand through his white hair, looking equally frustrated. "Fine. We can investigate whoever did this later. Right now, I want to know how we can reverse these marriages."
"Yes," Rola quickly agreed, looking toward Kaden. "Surely, now that the spell has disappeared, everything can return to normal."
Kaden met her gaze, and for a brief moment, his expression softened. He had waited so long to make Rola his wife, and now he couldn’t even reach for her without remembering the claiming mark another man had left on her neck. He knew Melvin hadn’t done it intentionally, but that didn’t make it any easier to accept.
The seer remained silent, and Rebecca immediately noticed the troubled expression on his face.
"Seer?" she called, her stomach tightening. "Why aren’t you answering?"
The old man slowly turned toward her. "Because I’m afraid it isn’t that simple, Your Majesty."
Kaden’s patience finally snapped. "Would you stop speaking in riddles and tell us what the hell is going on?"
The seer took a deep breath. "Your Majesties, I understand your anger, but I’m afraid these are not ordinary marriages. The spell may have disappeared, but the bonds it created remain."
Melvin frowned. "What bonds?"
"The royal marriage bonds. During the ceremonies, you exchanged vows and rings with the people physically standing beside you. The ancient magic joined your souls together, regardless of whom you believed you were marrying."
For several seconds, nobody spoke. Rebecca looked down at the wedding ring on her finger before slowly raising her eyes toward Melvin. She had worn that ring believing she was becoming his wife, and the thought that it might actually bind her to Kaden made her feel sick.
Kaden shook his head. "No. That’s impossible."
"I’m afraid it’s true, Your Majesty."
Kaden pointed toward Rebecca. "Are you telling me that I’m actually married to her?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. You are legally and magically married to Lady Rebecca." The seer then turned toward Melvin. "And Dragon King Melvin is married to Princess Rola."
"What the fuck!" Kaden roared.
Rebecca felt as though the floor had disappeared beneath her feet. "No..." she whispered, shaking her head.
Melvin immediately looked toward her, his expression filled with concern, but before he could speak, Kaden turned back toward the seer.
"We were deceived! I never intended to marry Rebecca! Rola is the woman I chose, and she’s the woman I wanted as my wife. Surely, that makes this marriage invalid!"
"Under normal circumstances, yes," the seer answered. "But whoever did this used ancient blood magic. The moment you exchanged your vows and rings, your souls became bound to your new spouses."
"Then break the bonds!" Melvin demanded. "I don’t care what kind of magic was used. Rebecca is the woman I love, and I want my wife back!"
Rebecca looked at him, her chest tightening. She could hear the anger in his voice, but it was the desperation behind his words that hurt the most. Only yesterday, they had been looking forward to beginning their married life together. Now they were standing in another man’s bedroom, begging a seer to undo something neither of them had chosen.
The seer slowly shook his head. "I’m afraid an ordinary divorce or rejection cannot undo these particular bonds."
Kaden stared at him. "What?"
"Your Majesty, you can reject a mate or divorce a spouse under the laws of your kingdoms. But these marriages were created through ancient magic. Simply declaring a rejection will not separate the souls that have already been joined."
"That’s ridiculous!" Kaden snapped. "I’m the Alpha King! If I reject Rebecca, then the marriage is over!"
"Not this marriage, Your Majesty."
Rebecca could no longer remain silent. "No! I refuse to accept this!" she exclaimed, rising from her seat. "I spent years trying to move on from everything that happened between Kaden and me. I finally found someone who loves me, someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. And now you’re telling me I’m married to Kaden because someone decided to play with our lives?"
Her voice trembled, but she refused to back down. She turned toward the seer, her eyes filling with angry tears. "There has to be a way to undo this. I don’t care how difficult it is. Just tell us what we have to do!"
Melvin immediately moved closer and gently took her hand. "Rebecca, we’ll find a way."
She looked at him, struggling to control her emotions. "We have to, Melvin. I can’t go through this again."
"I know," he answered softly, squeezing her hand.
Kaden looked away, his jaw tightening. He knew Rebecca had every reason to be upset, but hearing her speak about their past in front of everyone was uncomfortable. What bothered him even more was the way she clung to Melvin, as though he was the only person who could make everything better.
The seer watched them for a moment before finally speaking. "There is a way to break the bonds."
Everyone immediately turned toward him.
"Then why the hell didn’t you say that earlier?" Kaden demanded.
"Because the bonds cannot be broken immediately."
Melvin narrowed his eyes. "How long?"
The seer hesitated before answering. "Ninety days."