Chapter 699

"Sir, may I inquire as to the location of this place?" Daniel asked urgently. "Why have you taken my family captive? Have I offended you or your family? If so, I apologize. But my wife and children are innocent. Please release them. If you have a grievance, take it out on me. Kill me, torture me—do as you will."

"When the time comes to kill you, I fear you'll simply hide behind your wife and children," Henry replied coldly. "You're a worthless coward. Be quiet."

The drug's effects were wearing off. Daniel leaned against the small window, peering outside. "I won't hide. Just let my wife and children go. I don't care how I die."

"I loathe your kind—those who pretend to be brave," Henry retorted. "It's as if you look down on a prince consort like myself." He turned away icily and entered one of the cells.

Eleanor had forbidden Henry from visiting during the Emberfest Festival, so he'd hidden in the dungeon to be with Melanie Lester. He had bribed the guards, but releasing the concubines was impossible. Even if he had wanted to enter, he didn't need Eleanor's permission. Sometimes, feigning a plea for her kindness was merely a ploy to make her feel in control.

Daniel stood frozen, stunned. A prince consort? The man outside was a prince consort? Which princess was he married to?

Considering the woman's erratic behavior and the man's claim, Daniel recalled an old story. Long before his birth, Eleanor had been infatuated with his older relative, Hector. She'd petitioned King Augustus for marriage, but he'd refused. Hector, having no affection for Eleanor, had openly and subtly avoided her.

From that moment, Eleanor harbored a deep hatred for the Sinclair family. Daniel remembered his father saying that, of the Sinclair sons, only Daniel and Hector closely resembled their great-grandfather.

A chill ran down Daniel's spine, followed by a wave of suffocation. The feeling slowly subsided. It seemed absurd. So many years had passed—Hector had sacrificed himself, and his sister-in-law was gone. Yet, was Eleanor still fixated on Hector? Even if obsessed, why abduct Daniel? Was she planning to…?

Shame and anger churned within him, hindering his thoughts. It was absurd—utterly absurd! But then he remembered the miniature chastity belt Eleanor had sent after Hector's fall. Initially, they'd been unaware. Carissa's return of the sculpture had caused a stir, revealing the truth. Daniel had only learned of it after returning to the capital.

As absurd as it seemed, it was possible. Eleanor was far from the virtuous woman the public perceived. Her facade had blinded everyone. Even when family members reported her, no one suspected imprisonment.

And it wasn't just imprisonment. The self-proclaimed prince consort had said that the only way out for Daniel and his family was in a coffin. No one knew they were missing; no one would rescue them. Given Eleanor's insanity, it seemed they would perish.

Despair washed over him. He embraced his wife and children, his voice trembling as he comforted them. "Don't be afraid. Ultimately, it's just death. We are Sinclair men; we do not fear death. Jack, Curtis, remember what I told you about your Uncle Hector and his sons? They are our family's and the kingdom's true heroes. They sacrificed themselves, fighting countless battles to reclaim our kingdom's territory. We must be like them—fearless in the face of sacrifice, unafraid of death."

The children stopped crying. They remembered Hector, a hero of the Sinclair family and Starhaven.

Chapter 690 (This chapter is included in the above edit, as it was logically a continuation of the narrative.)