The Cursed Prince

Chapter 946: Raphael Is Distracted

When Rowena closed the door in Raphael's face, he almost couldn't believe it. He went through so much to visit her, stayed with her even while she was asleep—and this is how she reacted.

"Why are you pushing people away?" Raphael muttered to himself.

It was clear that he was now unwanted here by Rowena herself—that she thought that he had done enough. Perhaps to another god, this would have been a message to say that his debt was already cleared and he didn't need to stay by Rowena's side any longer.

However, Raphael still couldn't find it within him to take another step away from the door, especially because he was aware that Julian was already gone.

"I promised to protect you..." Raphael said as he placed his hand on the door. "But I suppose, I don't have to do it where you can see me. And maybe I don't even have to do it nearby—"

After another moment, he finally turned around and the Seventh Prince made his way out of the palace and flew off—it was another attempt for him to leave.

And yet he didn't.

Instead of Raphael deciding to meet up with the rest of his friends, he decided to stay by the tree and turn invisible, or remain unseen by the eyes of humans.

He sighed as he sat by the tree and contemplated his thoughts and feelings.

"I can't be at ease when King Draco is around—not that I believe Rowena can be manipulated by him. She can probably see through his deceptions, but..."

Raphael understood that Rowena was in quite some terrible pain. She might not be able to think clearly. Grief could do so much to a person.

He decided to wait around for the messenger hawk of the God of Aviary before he'd make his next move. As a powerful god, Raphael was more than capable of eavesdropping on the infirmary's building, but he chose not to do it.

"While her bastard father is surely up to no good and I have to warn her..." Raphael stared at the palace. "She also needs to process her grief by herself and I was standing in her way. This is better."

He waited around for a couple of hours until the sky turned dark and then he came to check on Rowena.

Raphael found her asleep on the floor, her hand around Julian's. His gaze softened as he stepped in through the window and came to pick her up.

"I apologize for sticking around when you clearly told me to leave, Rowena," Raphael whispered underneath his breath before he carried her to her room.

Similar to before, Raphael tucked Rowena in her bed and then made a decision to come to attend dinner—at least to speak with Prince Jadeith and warn him about King Draco.

He would have conversed with King Draco himself but he didn't want to give

the mortal any ideas. However, it was at that moment that the hawk of the God of Aviary flew back and squawked loudly.

"What's the matter?" Raphael asked as he noticed the bird—but then watched the bird suddenly transform into the God of Aviary himself.

"Raphael!"

"...I did not expect that you were the messenger itself," Raphael said with a chuckle.

"Now's not the time to be arguing—I need you to resolve a fight between some of the other gods." The God of Aviary hissed.

"What?" Raphael's eyes widened. The gods who came with him were all friends—why would they suddenly argue?

"The Fire God and Water God are battling, and while I would like to resolve it myself, they're escalating too much. If this gets out of hand, storms and forest fires might suddenly start or something worse!"

Raphael blinked in surprise. "The Water God isn't easily provoked to anger, what might have triggered him to act—"

"I have no idea," The God of Aviary said. "The more we waste time here, the more destructive it's going to get, and if any other gods in Cretea catch whiff of it—"

"Father will start investigating." Raphael groaned and rubbed his face. He threw one look in Rowena's direction...

She was going to be fine, right?

"Raphael?" The God of Aviary was by the window. "Come on—I can't make you leave here against your will this time."

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Raphael whispered and then took off after the God of Aviary.

The two of them flew past the clouds and then soared past through them, taking off faster than any shooting star. However, when Raphael arrived at the forest—the fight was still ongoing.

The God of Fire was flying above the air, as he cast out fiery fireballs that attempted to consume the God of Water standing around a river.

In return, the other god simply put the fire out, and then a tentacle of water latched itself across the Fire God's ankle. Without another word, he tossed the Fire God into the trees, the forest burning all around him as animals fled their homes.

It was a fight that was rather ugly, but somehow entertaining for a certain goddess who flamed the fight. When Raphael arrived alongside the God of Aviary, behind one of the rocks, Nymia suddenly came out and ran towards Raphael.

"Raphael!" Nymia had purposely placed ash and smoke across her usually beautiful face to attract his attention.

"What is the meaning of this?" Raphael ignored Nymia and simply walked towards the Water God.

"Why are you taking his side, Raphael?" The Fire God called out as he flew off into the forest, fire trailblazing behind

him. "This bastard turned out to have destroyed one of the ports in my city—the people there worship me and yet you dare wreck the place and make them doubt me?"

Raphael looked towards the Water God.

"Not every incident happens on my account," the Water God protested.

Raphael sighed and raised a hand. "Let's put out the fire first and then discuss this properly—we're not brutes or barbarians."

The Seventh Prince thought that this was a pain to deal with, little did he know that so much would happen once he returned in the morning.

It was something that made him wish that he hadn't left at all.