Mated To The Hybrid Prince - Chapter 73: Chapter 73

(Queen Eden's POV)
I knew something was wrong the moment I saw Lily run out of the hall.
A mother senses things. And though I didn’t birth Lily naturally, my heart had always watched over her the way it did for Zion. Her pain hit me like a punch to the gut... I wanted to follow her, to ask what had gone wrong, but the moment passed, and the crowd's cheer overshadowed everything.
Celeste stood on the stage, basking in applause.
She said she was pregnant for my son, and that was what the people were clapping and celebrating for.
But all I could think about was Lily’s eyes when she left.
She had looked broken.
Her friends had also quickly followed after her.
Zion, on the other hand, stood frozen beside his mate. He didn't look proud or happy about the information Celeste had just shared. That silence from him spoke louder than any cheer in the room.
The cheers were still echoing when Lord Adonis and Lady Beauty, Celeste’s parents, approached us, their smiles wide and gleaming with triumph.
Lady Beauty had been my closest friend from school, and likewise, Lord Adonis to King Eros who were bestfriends.They had also fought beside us during the last war and were loyal to the throne... but somehow, over the years, we had drifted apart.
"Your Majesties," Lord Adonis began, bowing lightly. "This is a glorious day. We are honored that our daughter will be bearing the next heir to the throne."
Lady Beauty nodded, her voice syrupy with joy. "Yes, the wedding preparations should start immediately as she's having your grandchild. Everything must be perfect."
I forced myself to smile, not understanding why I wasn't genuinely happy about the news. Could it be that I'd expected my son to first ascend the throne before getting his mate pregnant? Or was it something else? I just couldn't tell.
My husband's hand tightened slightly around mine, a quiet sign that he was uneasy too.
Zion had run from the podium shortly after, toward the direction Lily went. I wondered why he hadn't told his father and me about Celeste's pregnancy before she announced it publicly. And then Lily...
Suddenly, my hybrid Tiara reminded me of the last vision we had about Zion and Lily. They were fighting ruthlessly on a battlefield... and Lily had been with those same three friends who just ran after her.
It made me wonder what could drive Zion and Lily to become enemies. They were raised as siblings, and although Lily had left the palace, I raised them in love.
Or could it have something to do with Lily being Pison's child?
When I told my husband about the vision, we were both deeply worried. And then Lily shifted at Zelda’s party. It became clear that the vision was a warning from the Moon Goddess.
That was why we sent her away.
It wasn't to punish her, but to protect her... and everyone in the realm.
But standing here in the royal seat, watching the smiles, the praises, the celebration... none of it settled my nerves. Not even Zelda’s hand on mine. My daughter looked pale too, lost in her own thoughts.
Even as Celeste came to join us, I forced myself to smile widely and caress her belly, smoothing the fabric of her dress as the others gathered.
“Oh, I’ll spoil this child so much,” I said. “It'll be my first grandchild!"
In truth, I meant it for the innocent soul growing within her... Still, it felt like doom was looming over us.
Then Zion returned, but before I could reach him, Celeste grabbed his hand and pulled him away. The way she moved so quickly caught my attention.
Moments later, Zion returned alone. His face was unreadable.
"I'm going home," he said flatly.
My husband and I exchanged a look. We had no idea what had transpired, but something was wrong.
With a polite smile, I turned to Lord Adonis and Lady Beauty. "We’ll speak soon. Excuse us."
They bowed and stepped back, clearly disappointed but too well-mannered to argue.
Zelda silently joined us, and together, we followed Zion out of the event.
I chose to ride in his car.
The silence was unbearable.
Zion sulked the entire drive, his jaw clenched tight. He didn’t say a word. He wouldn’t even look at me.
My heart ached. Whatever was going on, it had shattered something in my son.
At midnight, Tiara, my beast, still hadn’t settled. She paced within me—uneasy, restless. I had tried to sleep but tossed instead, finally rising and walking through the marble corridors.
I told myself I’d go to the garden to clear my head, but my feet led me to Zion's chambers.
A light burned behind the cracks of his door.
I was about to knock when I heard a voice.
It was Lily's.
My heart stopped.
"...reject me. Right now," she was saying.
My breath caught in my throat, and for a moment, I could hear nothing but the frantic beat of my heart. It couldn't be...
Zion's voice rose next. "Why are you doing this?"
"How dare you ask why! You lied to me... Reject me as your mate, let's go our separate ways!"
The weight of Lily's words struck me hard. My knees nearly buckled, and I gripped the wall for support.
Oh Goddess... my son and my adopted daughter are fated mates.
And they hid it from me... from their father.
I pushed the door open, my voice coming out in disbelief.
"What! You two are mates?"
Zion turned first, panic flashing across his face, while Lily stood stiff, her mouth parted open.
I took a step forward, not sure if I was about to cry or scream.
In that moment, everything inside me shattered.