The second spy, disguised as Snake Clan, laughed wickedly and said, "Rexon thinks we are his loyal slaves who will deliver this girl directly to his feet. That foolish chieftain has no idea that we joined his team of spies only in disguise. Our real intention was never to hand this girl over to Rexon."
"Absolutely," the third nodded in agreement. "Our job is to instigate a fight between the four brothers—Rexon, Kevin, Alex, and the fourth brother, James—that will tear the entire Black Tiger apart. Kevin and Alex have already fought over this girl. Now, when Rexon learns that she has disappeared into the abyss, he will suspect his brothers. The four of them will fight to the death, and then our clan will seize power in this clan."
The four were actually rebels, seeking to exploit the rivalry between the four brothers to destroy the entire clan. They planned to use Genia as a pawn. They wrapped Genia's lifeless body in a heavy blanket and began carrying her down a secret passageway through a ravine that led to a desolate ruin beyond the clan's borders.
The green crystal given by Gia still glowed dimly within Genia, but the injury to her head was so severe that she lay unconscious, unaware of the entire plot. The spies were still passing through a narrow, rocky path at the bottom of the ravine when suddenly the air around them turned icy cold. There was a sharp rustle in the dry vines on the rocks. All four spies froze instantly. Their hands went to the hilts of their swords.
The spy disguised as Eagle Clan looked up, but there was only darkness. "Who's there? Come forward!" he shouted.
Just then, a shadow jumped down from a high cliff, very silently and agilely. He was no ordinary soldier. He wore a snow-white and dark brown royal robe, with a luxurious wolfskin muffler draped over his shoulders. His eyes were sharp and calm like an eagle's, and in his hand was a double-edged sword, glistening like ice.
He was none other than James, one of the four brothers. James was considered the most mysterious, calm, and intelligent of the four. However, he was constantly plotting against his own brothers, trying to eliminate them and become the leader of the clan.
James had also been informed by his people that Kevin and Alex were fighting over the same girl, so he came here to see for himself what it was about this girl that forced Kevin and Alex to fight each other. Therefore, he had been observing the activities around this ravine for quite some time.
James looked at Genia, her face hidden in a blanket, on the ground, and then pointed his sword at the four disguised men. "What are Rexon's spies hiding in this part of the trench so late at night? And the language you're speaking isn't that of the Black Tiger Clan. A plot to incite tribes to fight each other... very good. But you can't play this game on the border of my territory."
The spies realised they had been exposed. "It's James! Don't leave him alive, or our plan will be ruined!"
shouted the leader disguised as the Snake Clan. All four spies attacked James simultaneously. Two soldiers attacked with magical maces and poisoned daggers, while the other two used the Eagle Clan's magical archery. But James was faster than the wind. He swung his sword in the air, creating a magical wall of ice that froze the arrows in midair.
The next moment, James turned like a shadow. With a single powerful blow of his sword, the Snake Clan spy's sword flew into the air and crashed into a rock. The four disguised men were no match for James's magical physical strength. In just a few minutes of fierce combat, James severely wounded two of the spies. Seeing this, the remaining two spies trembled with fear. They realised that defeating James was impossible. "Run away from here! Save your lives!"
Dragging their wounded companions, they ran towards the dark passages of the trench. James did not pursue them. His full attention was now on the girl wrapped in the blanket. He slowly moved forward, sheathed his sword, and knelt. He removed the blanket and saw Genia's pale face. A thin line of blood ran from Genia's forehead to her temple, and her head was very hot. James looked at Genia's face carefully, but the blood on her face prevented him from making it out clearly.
"What's so special about this girl that Kevin and Alex are fighting over her, and Rexon is plotting for her too?"
James looked at Genia's face. If he hadn't come here today, he wouldn't have known about the conspiracy against the brothers. Granted, he wanted to eliminate his own brothers, but that didn't mean he would side with outsiders. Although he was unaware that this girl was the same Rabbit Clan girl Raghuvendra was looking for, his sharp senses sensed that a very rare and ancient energy was flowing within her.
Gia's green crystal began to beat a little faster in James's presence, as if it recognised that James was part of the same divine bloodline. "So Rexon's spies were taking such a huge risk for this ordinary-looking girl," James thought to himself. He checked Genia's pulse, which was very slow. "It's not safe for her to stay here. Rexon's soldiers or those rebels could come back. Kevin and Alex don't seem to be fully conscious either."
Without wasting any time, James carefully lifted Genia into his strong arms. He headed towards the secret passage through the ravine that led directly to his own safe, icy territory. He rescued Genia from the clutches of the conspirators and led her towards his tribe, completely unaware that with this single step he was about to become part of a battle whose script destiny had written long ago.
With Genia in his arms, James emerged from the secret narrow passages of the ravine. He moved forward like a shadow in the darkness of the night, until he reached the icy, safe boundaries of his own territory.
James's territory was renowned throughout the Black Tiger Clan for its lofty snow-capped peaks, cold winds, and impenetrable defences. Rexon's spies couldn't venture here. Arriving at his luxurious and secluded palace, James gently laid Genia down on the silken, warm beds in his private room. He immediately summoned the clan's most skilled and oldest physician. "Physician, this girl has suffered a severe and magical blow to her head. Her life must be saved at all costs," James ordered in a serious voice.
The old physician checked Genia's pulse, examined the wound on her forehead, and began preparing a medicinal infusion. "Prince, the wound is deep. Some rare magical energy within her is protecting her life; otherwise, it would have been impossible to survive this blow. I am applying a paste of very rare icy herbs to her. She will slowly recover, but it will take some time for her to fully regain consciousness."
The doctor finished his work and left the room. Now, the only people in the room were James and Genia, lying unconscious on the bed. The warm, yellow light from the fireplace burning in the corner of the room fell directly on Genia's face. James, always known for his stern and unemotional personality, slowly sat down on the carved chair beside the bed. He gently brushed back a few tangled strands of hair from Genia's face.
As he gazed intently at Genia's serene, innocent, and profoundly beautiful face, his heart momentarily stopped beating. Genia's appearance now resembled not that of an ordinary girl from the Beast World, but rather that of an angel from the immortal realm. Her face held a supernatural radiance, and the innocence of her lips could melt even the hardest of hearts.
James, who had never even looked at a girl before, was completely captivated by Genia's astonishing beauty. A storm of emotions arose within him, unlike anything he had ever experienced before.
His eyes lingered on Genia's face. Only then did the pieces of information in James's mind begin to connect. He thought to himself, "So this is it... Now I understand why calm and loyal brothers like Kevin and Alex fought over this girl. Now I understand why our cruel elder brother, Rexon, has deployed the entire Black Tiger Clan army to find this one girl. This girl is no ordinary Rabbit Clan fugitive. She is a precious gem; whoever finds her can conquer the entire world."
James's heart was now unwilling to let Genia go away from him at any cost. A strange sense of possessiveness and selfishness arose within him. He began to think deeply about what excuse he could come up with to keep this girl safe in his own palace forever.
If Kevin and Alex find out, they will take this girl away from here. If Rexon finds out, he will attack. He was still lost in this dilemma and deep thought when there was a slight movement on the bed. Genia's lips moved, and a soft sob escaped her mouth. She slowly opened her heavy eyelids.
James immediately came out of his thoughts and moved forward anxiously. "Are you okay? Don't worry, you're completely safe."
Through blurred eyes, Genia took in the surroundings—the luxurious room, the burning fireplace, and the handsome yet strange prince standing before her. She tried to touch her head, where the bandages were tied.
As she strained her mind, an unbearable, sharp pain swept through her entire head. Her eyes opened wide, but they held no message from Gia or any old memories. There was only a deep emptiness and dread. Frightened, she clutched the blanket to her chest and, looking at Shantanu, asked in a voice that was so innocent and trembling, "I... Who am I? How did I get here? And... and who are you?"
James was stunned to hear this. He looked into Genia's eyes, and it didn't take long for her to understand. The devastating blow from the magical mace to her head had completely wiped Genia's memory. She had completely forgotten her name, her past, Kevin and Alex's lies, Gia's message, and even her own identity. She was now as clear as a blank sheet of paper.
Seeing Genia in this state, a deep, mysterious, and devious smile appeared on James's face. Fate had presented him with the solution to his biggest problem. Now he didn't need to lie or force Genia to stop her. The emptiness in Genia's eyes and her innocent question sparked a storm in James's mind, which immediately transformed into a well-thought-out and profound plan.
James knew this was an opportunity that could give him the power to keep this unique girl with him forever.
He immediately changed his stern expression and sat close to Genia, making his voice soft, affectionate, and trusting. He gently took Genia's trembling hand in his. "Don't worry," James said, looking into her eyes. His voice had a magical charm that could win anyone's heart. "Your name is Olivia. And wherever you are, it's your home. I am James... the second prince of this Black Tiger clan, and your mate."