"Zero." I was able to grab her face in an instant, pull her up, and get a hold of her mouth. As I became aware of her helplessness, I lost my ability to breathe completely. I stood up and pushed her down onto the bed as she was lying there. "It should be my turn, shouldn't it?" I kissed her breasts in less than a second, taking her nipples in my mouth as my hands slowly ran over her features. During this time, I ran my hands over her features, she clenched her eyes firmly and curled her fingers into fists as my hands slowly squeezed her behind. I was very careful as I tinkled with her nipples. Her mouth made some groaning noises. "Take a deep breath..." When I realized how quickly her heart was beating, I came to a stop. "There is nothing else that I can do." "I swear, I will kill you if you don't." She made the threat while keeping her eyes closed. My pupils dilated, and I couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "What gives you the right to threaten me at this very moment?" I had n
"It was bad timing." Whining, I pulled myself up and grabbed the drenched jeans and shirt from the wooden floor. Dirt was all apparent on the fabric, yet I had no choice but to wear it. I hopped my legs into the jeans and buttoned the shirt. The cold was biting me. Dang, I would be falling sick soon."Do you know who is it?" Caroline asked."Just cover yourself with it." On the way to the door, I grabbed a thin embroidered quilt from the trunk and threw it at her. She caught it in her hand and wrapped it around her body.Fixing my hairstyle, I trudged to the door and pulled it open, grabbing the doorknob. As expected, it was the head of the servants. He bowed seeing me. In his hand was a bag. "Your Majesty, I am sorry to annoy you. But...""Who told you I am here?" I cut his words off and looked at him, divulging confusion on my face and words."The boatman." He replied politely.I scoffed in incredulity. "How did he see me?" Of course, they had always their eyes on me. But it was not
Caroline's Pov...Unbuttoning his shirt, I slipped it off his shoulders. How was he wearing this? It was so cold here. “Atlas, you know what... you have got some issues.” I mumbled and gazed up at him. He was doing it again.He was staring at me as if I was a piece of magnificent art, as if I was something celestial he never witnessed before. His gaze silently read my face, and asserted so many things. Butterflies scrambled through my stomach. Every time he did these, I felt so damn special. I mean, who wouldn't?“Well, I know I do.” He had agreed to my assertion. Of course, he was always crazier than I could imagine. He was the opposite of what I thought.I let out a soft sigh being aware of his silliness. “And what do you think what are they?”He chuckled and reached his hand to my cheek, cupping it in his hand. “I am falling for you. Actually... I have fallen for you. Well, no...” He shook his head and smiled widely. “I will be falling for you even deeper and harder every following
For a while, Atlas stared at me. He was trying to study me hard as if the question that arose inside my head was written on my face. I chuckled without even realizing it. “Can I ask, please?”He let out a soft sigh and nodded. “I can't say no. So yeah.” He could say no. It was easy but something he was urging himself to do so. The cold King was doing this for me. Why? That was another question.I jerked my thoughts away and deepened the stare game. “Have we met before?” It might sound absurd but my mind kept telling me that we have met before. And the period was not too recent. He didn't take the question seriously. I understood as he grinned. “Yes. In this forest.” He was not even thinking about it. He was just answering with whatever came to his mind. I would have gotten angry if I was the previous me. But I had to be patient to get what I really need.“No... not there. I meant before that too.” I said politely, hoping he won't play his tricks on me.Blinking his eyes, he asked. “W
Haring what he had asked, my heart skipped a beat. I didn't know from where the certainty of a disaster popped inside my head. And I hated it. Biting my lower lip, I lowered my gaze. “Can it make me hate you?” I asked. Frankly, I didn't have any intention to hate him. At least now, at this moment. For a while. At first, he nodded. Then again, he shook his head. “I am not sure. Maybe... Maybe it can!” His response got me even more nervous. Damn, I didn't know about what he was going to talk but why couldn't he be sure? I sighed and hugged him again. “Then let's talk about it later. I am enjoying this moment and don't want to ruin it.” I said firmly. He just nodded, endorsing my decision. To be honest, I have just started to like him recently. It will be too soon to get my heart broken already. It would be so cruel and I was afraid that I won't be able to recover easily. “Caroline!” He again whispered between his hot and heavy breaths. I knew he would be saying or something differen
Outside, a woman in a long luxury gown was being stabbed by a silver weapon. I couldn't see anyone's face but the sharp thing cutting through her stomach and a man's hand was gripping onto the silver sword. Black liquid licked, running down from her body. My nostrils flared. I was in the urge to vomit. I had never been so scared before. Not even when the demon used to accuse me. Not even when he wanted to kill me. The body fell lifelessly there and that was when I felt someone holding my arm. I was startled. Turning in the direction, when I saw Atlas, I held his hand so tightly that my nails almost bit him. “A-Atlas...” I could barely make a single sound. Atlas gazed down at me, alarmed. “What's wrong?” He shuttered, cupping my face. As I pointed at the hole, he immediately cocked his head and gazed at it. Till then, the hand which was holding the sword wasn't there but the woman was. Her hands were gripped around the sharp silver. “Holy fuck!” He cursed underneath his breath. Befo
Atlas's Pov...Life had always a to slap us hard on the face when we try to find the least happiness for ourselves. It had been this way all the time. For me, for the people around me. No matter how far we go, no matter what height we reach, we can't just escape from the brutality of this Goddamned world.The rain was not harsh but it was biting — biting every corner of my heart it could reach. Caroline's life was so tough already. Why must she go through this again?Rushing towards the lake, I tried to scan each and every nook of the side. But I didn't see any boat or anything. Who the hell did this? What did he want? I was quite sure he was still here. And if this murder was committed here, it was obvious that someone from Xanthan had done this. But I was unable to feel it and indeed, it was weird.I looked around and that was when I excavated a trace. The man must've run so fast with the sword since the black liquid had its sprinkles to somewhere distant, probably in the more centr
Atlas's Pov... “H-How did this happen?” My focus was abruptly diverted from Caroline as a voice crescendoed from behind. The voice was immediately recognizable to me. Ryder was the one. He shall remain unforgettable, that much is certain. His speed was remarkable. His arrival was swift, taking little time to reach this place. However, my focus remained solely on Caroline, and I paid no mind to him or any other distractions. She had been inducing illness upon herself through excessive weeping. Ryder rushed to the lifeless form and dropped to his knees, tears streaming down his face in silence. "I was unable to protect you, Your Majesty," lamented the speaker. "Please forgive me," he pleaded with a heavy heart. The downpour had ceased, yet the heavens remained shrouded in a somber veil, as though the impending detonation had yet to transpire. A multitude of individuals had already congregated at this location. The collective astonishment was palpable among them. I was privy to thei