Chapter 8 Embracing the Abyss

The air was heavy with anticipation as I awaited his response. His gaze never wavered, his eyes burning with an intensity that made my heart race, his expression unreadable. The silence between us was palpable, like a living entity that pulsed with its rhythm.

I looked down at the Golden Pheasant dish he pulled in front of me instead of answering my question.

"You're not answering my question," I said, looking up at him with a hint of frustration.

"I'm just prioritizing your needs, my lady," he replied, his voice calm and soothing. "Food first, questions later."

I felt a surge of surprise at being addressed as "my lady". It was a title of respect, one that sounded foreign to my ears.

I felt a flutter in my chest, and my eyes widened slightly as I met his gaze.

"I...thank you," I stuttered, unsure how to respond.

He smiled, and his eyes crinkled at the corners. "You're welcome, my lady. Now, please, eat."

The aroma of the roasted meat and exotic spices filled my senses, making my stomach growl with hunger.

I looked him in the eyes, and it was a plea to obey.

"But after this, be prepared to tell me everything about you," I said, trying to sound firm.

"Yes, I will," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. For a moment, unease flashed in his eyes, barely visible, but I caught it. And in his reply, I felt a hint of sadness, a subtle undertone that made me wonder what he was hiding.

"Please, eat," he added, his eyes never leaving mine, his expression softening.

I nodded, feeling a pang of curiosity and concern. What was he hiding? And why did his words feel laced with a quiet melancholy?

I savored the delicacy before me, indulging in each bite as if it were my last. For the first time in a long time, I truly tasted good food.

The flavors danced on my tongue, a symphony of delight that awakened my senses. I closed my eyes, letting the aroma and taste transport me to a place of comfort and joy.

As I opened my eyes, I met his gaze, and a soft, embarrassed smile spread across my face, revealing my vulnerability.

"Forgive my manners," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, filled with shame and a hint of self-consciousness. "I got lost in the moment."

He chuckled, a low, husky sound that sent a shiver down my spine, his voice barely above a whisper, but I heard him clearly as if his words were meant only for me. "You're beautiful," he breathed, the words whisper-soft, yet resonating deep within me, his gaze still on me, piercing and intense, making my heart race and my breath catch.

I felt my cheeks grow red, a flush spreading across my face like wildfire, as I struggled to maintain eye contact, my embarrassment and pleasure mingling in a heady mix.

My pulse quickened, and my skin tingled, as if his words had awakened a deep longing within me.

The air between us seemed to vibrate with tension, a palpable connection that I couldn't ignore, as if our gazes were tied by an invisible thread, pulling us closer with each passing moment.

I felt exposed, yet drawn to him, like a moth to a flame, helpless to resist the allure of his words and the warmth of his eyes.

"I'm glad you're enjoying the meal," he said, clearing his throat to ease the tension I was feeling. His eyes never left mine, and I felt a connection spark between us, like a gentle touch that left me breathless.

I smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards him, and a sense of wonder at the connection we shared.

"It's delicious," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper, my eyes still locked on his. "Thank you for sharing it with me.”

We sat in silence for a moment, the only sound the soft clinking of silverware against plates. I couldn't help but steal glances at him, my heart racing with excitement. Who was this man, and why did I feel so drawn to him?

The silence between us was shattered like fragile glass by his question, "If I tell you who I am, will you run away from me?" his voice low and menacing, sounding like a whispered threat from a stranger in the dead of night, sending a shiver down my spine as he spoke, his words dripping with a quiet intensity that hinted at secrets and dangers lurking just beneath the surface.

"Run away?” I whispered, my voice a mere breath, a fragile sigh that threatened to shatter like glass.

"You saved me from the jaws of death, from the abyss of despair... Your kindness was a lifeline, a ray of hope in the darkness.

I don't know what kind of being you are, but you showed me kindness when I needed it most."

My words poured out, genuine and raw, straight from the depths of my soul.

But his expression turned glacial, his eyes freezing into icy shards that made my heart skip a beat, Fear gripped my heart, but I stood firm, my gaze locked on his.

"When I look into your eyes, I see a light within”.

You can't intimidate me into leaving, not now that I've seen the beauty within you."

I glimpsed a fleeting flicker of sorrow in his eyes, a momentary crack in the icy facade, but it was swiftly extinguished, leaving only an unyielding chill.

And then, his voice dropped like a guillotine, severing all hope:

"I'm Death incarnate... I'm Lunaria's dark prince, Romain Grimaldi."

His words crashed into me like a tidal wave, leaving me gasping and stunned. My heart raced like a wild stallion, threatening to gallop out of control.

I trembled with fear, confronting the monster that had almost consumed me, the very embodiment of death that I had narrowly escaped - now standing right before me, his presence suffocating and inescapable.

Terror clawed at my soul, its icy grip suffocating me.

I felt like a tiny, defenseless creature trapped in the jaws of a predator, staring into the abyss of despair.

The air seemed to thicken, becoming a heavy, oppressive shroud that crushed the life out of me.

I was paralyzed, unable to move or speak, as if my very existence had been reduced to a mere whisper.

"Run, RUN!" he bellowed, his voice a thunderclap that shook the very foundations of his chamber.

"I'm a monster, flee from here!

No one can touch you, you're free to leave the kingdom unharmed!"

His words tumbled out in a torrent, a desperate attempt to shield me from the darkness that lurked within him.

I could feel the anguish in his voice, a pain that masqueraded as fury, a cry that echoed through the chambers of his heart as he beheld my countenance frozen in terror, my eyes wide with a mixture of fear and disbelief, my very soul recoiling in horror.

"I'm free..." I whispered, the words tasting like honey and ash on my lips. "Free from slavery, a wish I could only dream of, and now it's given to me... my freedom."

I should have been ecstatic, but my heart was heavy with a strange, unnameable sorrow. Why was I pained when he, of all people, was granting me my liberty? Why was he scaring me away?

A force I had never felt before, a primal pull, beckoned me to stay. My head screamed at me to seize the chance at freedom, but my heart yearned for him, for the monster who had become my captor, my savior, my...?

My heart racing, my soul screaming, my very existence defying the logic of reason and sanity…,

I did the unthinkable...