“Do you wish to see your servant or not? I’m short of time and the shifts are about to change.” Laylin jerked up straight with her mouth gaping. She had assumed he would come up with an excuse after what her ex-governess said. She had assumed Eloise was dead and was planning to torment the King by pestering him. “Are you taking me there right now?” She carefully asked, looking out of the window. It was dark outside, almost midnight. He was staring at her with a mix of strange emotions, feeling queasy. She turned her head away. He was curious about the nightmare she had but when she seemed this reluctant to let him dwell on it, he decided to ask her later. Laylin too didn't wish to relive it again. She was scared and the worst part was she couldn't recall what she was afraid of or what she saw. He gave a nod, looking away from her beaming smile. “From what I know, she’s planning to leave the capital. You only have tonight.” “I-is that so?” she asked slowly, her head turning jerkil
In these guards' life, it will be their greatest misfortune if they were to catch this King on his secret trip. Looking into his eyes in the dim lighting, she felt her whole body numb under his administration before she finally summoned the courage to push against him. His head turned to her before he wordlessly stepped away from her. The commotion had died down by now too. Instead, a deafening silence followed. They stayed there for several seconds. Her heart beat a million miles a second. Getting anxious she was ready to speak when she felt a tug on her arm and he moved in the dark. With his touch gone, she desperately reached for him. She caught the end of his cloak but it was creeping her out. He had shoved the strange situation on her with no context. All she wanted to do was see Eloise but instead, another thing dawned on her. Even the King wasn't free to make a light of public opinion despite being a ferocious beast who could wipe them all out. She would never have taken h
She stared at his back in shock at the revelation. It was infamous that Ambrose had killed his blood relatives to get to the position he was in out of resentment, but this was news to her. Life of the King before taking over the throne wasn't widely known but to live in a such a dreary place to await your Execution... it couldn't have been a bed of roses. People just knew he was a General, the king's dog on a leash to keep nobility and other Kingdom's in check. A war crazed maniac. Apparently, his life was not as dandy as people liked to portray, which, for the record, didn’t excuse his heartless demeanor. 'There was truth in it when they say monsters aren't born but are made.' Laylin grimaced. The uneven floor was never-ending and she was sweating buckets and getting dizzy with all the footwork. Hesitantly, she asked the question that was weighing heavily in her head. “Are you… really taking me to see Eloise?” Snorting, his head turned back to glance at her before turning away,
She had to get to the root of this. If she knew the secret of the King and a secret that is related to Demons she would be indispensable. Her thoughts kept her busy until they reached a rundown hut in the middle of nowhere with nothing around but tall trees. As she was to pass by it, the King held her arm and pulled her in front of it. “It looks abandoned…” She solemnly murmured, looking around the strange dwelling. Giving a shake of his head at her, he kicked the door open. A shriek from the young woman inside was about to wake the wild animals, but Ambrose was quick to shut the young witch. Realizing who the captured girl was, Laylin lept to her at once and urged him to let her go. “I’ll take it from here." Once freed, Eloise bowed her head in utmost respect, her eyes still wild in surprise “Thank you, my King! I sincerely don’t know what else to say for what you have done for a lowly servant like me. Thank you so much.” Eloise thanked profusely, bowing her head deeply to the b
Eloise was too dumbfounded to speak but the reply came from behind her. “You seem awfully suspicious of your savior's intentions. I assure you, Princess Laylin. Our King is a man of his word.” Mark began, with a wide, roguish grin. Displeased by the interruption, the Princess raised a brow at the boy who looked like he was hardly past his teens and was trying to be smart with her. “The King had been generous to spare your little witch from capital punishment.” And he rubbed it well on her face. There was a rush of emotion circling inside her as Eloise thanked the King profusely when it was she who had lost everything because of her maid's mistake. Her hands grew clammy but her grip on her dirty cloak tightened. Feeling her body grow colder every second, she had to grind her teeth to witness this scene. Could she ever say out loud, the treacherous snake their king was and what he did to her? Never! 'A man who sets a price for his generosity is no man at all,' Laylin bit her lip fr
‘Tell her Esmeralda’s daughter will bring her the head of her coven’s greatest enemy. The Beast King.’ Eloise sprung apart from her, her eyes wide with astonishment. The brutality that ensued on the Sarng Tribe about eighty years ago by the beasts, was still a fresh memory for witches. Witches weren't always despised or had to hide like this. The Sarang Tribe was a traveling tribe. Their current barrier city was once an open house of knowledge to all, a treasure for scholars. Though there was a certain dislike for each other, witches and Beasts lived with a mutual understanding but when the previous King took over he made a sport out of hunting witches. Thousands of witches fell victim to his campaign, he almost annihilated them and sold the orphaned children as slaves. Eloise's own mother was a victim. If the witches' elders hadn't sacrificed themselves to build that Barrier, they would have perished and their knowledge dispersed. “Princess!” She shrieked, catching the eyes of
When the news of the little witch's death had finally spread, Scarlet felt hot searing anger flood her body at the absurdity. It was a game, a fishy game. Laylin was truly a gem, after all, that bitch! She scoffed, barely able to keep her balance as she staggered to stand. “She really was a whore! I must praise her for the daring feat.” She gritted her teeth as her servants cowered in front of her. Her anger was mostly because her pawn, she had perfect plans in monopolizing power in the inner court, rolled to her brother this skillfully. 'Laylin... I was right! The King really was enamored by her beauty and now I was left to rub her empty hands.' She bit her lips with a force her skin tore, 'I shouldn't have been so impatient to discard her! She was supposed to be my ace!' Everyone had assumed she was confined to the investigation when the King had taken in the witch but how the tables had turned... “Ha! She flipped the whole game just by spreading her legs like a low life. How
Setting his eyes back on Laylin in the mirror he could only grin. She was half-laying on the settee with the throw-back blanket and reading a book while conveniently ignoring his presence. Sprawled lazily, she resembled an arrogant temptress disregarding her mortal admirers. He wondered how she could so indifferently keep him at the tip of her toes when even the previous King never dared to look down on him. His chosen bride had grown a spine. She was a very clever woman and was good at reading people. Since he had lost his reason in her embrace, she knew he was enamored with her. The Ehanian Princess knew how to use his favor well. True blue blood, indeed He had come back after his conference where he announced her newly found authority. He had expected her to be fuming, instead she was still lazing around in bed, barely dressed. His smirk widened as memories from a while ago flooded his mind. “Get off me!” After their coupling had ended, the passion and yearning that was almos
“So Crimson Rukh, how do you feel about marrying me?”His question left everyone present speechless. Even bloodied and battered Ambrose scoffed. Laylin clenched her jaw and tried to walk past him but he blocked her path yet again.At the end of her wits, Laylin burst out. “Get out of my way while I’m being nice!” Her voice trembled as she tried to run to her husband.Tilting his head in confusion, the demon sneered with contempt a second later. "Oh… Is that this dog’s filthy mark? Now that complicates things," he jeers. “I will have to kill him.”With his one tendril, he threw Laylin at a broken pillar and held her there while he slowly walked to the Lycan King."Screw you!" Ambrose spluttered, exerting himself to the fullest despite his state.The demon cackled, throwing his head back, “Your worthless mother didn’t teach you manners.” He picked him up in the air and slammed him back down.Laylin screamed and struggled but her aura couldn’t fight against his sheer force. With her, sev
"...I still think you should see her," Laylin mumbled, in his embrace. When he didn't reply, she buried herself deeper in his embrace. "...Sorry. I should not talk about it recklessly." She mumbled saltily. It was a sensitive subject and she didn't have the courage to look him in the eye.He smirked, looking down at her. She was on edge and sensitive to his emotions. He wanted to pinch her puffed-up cheeks with how adorable she was being. His darkened features at that time must have put her on guard. Instead, he settled with running his hand in her hair. He still remembered the spitfire she was, ready to bite him when he first forced her to be his Mistress.He laid back suddenly on the divan, making her fall on him. "Ambrose!""Laylin." He held her by the waist, settling her on him. She instantly struggled to get off him but he held her there."What?! Someone will see!" she was huffing puffing while her face reddening in embarrassment."Laylin." He called her out again in his low se
"I'm sure you know if you try something, she dies." His eyes swept over Valerie and Ivan. "One less pawn won't make a difference.""No. Not her! Don't touch her!" She desperately tried to crawl but only ended up stumbling and falling on the bloody arena ground. "Let her go this instant!" She begged desperately as her heart was bursting out.Her mother shook her head, her eyes telling her to let her go but it only made Laylin more desperate."Oh, so you love the mother who abandoned you?" Sansy seemed amused and he cackled. "What to do though? You didn't want to be part of my 'shitshow'."Laylin shook her tear-soaked face, "Okay! Okay. Tell them to step back. Let her go and I promise, I will!" Sansy scoffed at the naivety of the Princess, "And why should I let her go?"At the end of her wits, Laylin snapped back. "I will help you!"She couldn't use her aura easily in these handcuffs. No matter how fast her aura might be but the moment she unleashes it, every wizard here will feel the
It happened when all soldiers lost hope and thought they were fighting a battle with the fate to be defeated. ‘BOOOM!’ ‘THUD! THWACK! THUD!’ An explosion collapsed the outer wall of the palace and dark wizards and soldiers alike flooded in water crushing through from who-knows-where. But shock registered when they met the eyes of the person standing where the wall once stood. “I see. I almost missed all the fun.” There stood Princess Laylin scowling at her torn dress getting wet and an equally pissed woman behind her. “Did you really have to go this far? How am I going to walk around in this now!” Valerie was about ready to knock this stupid Princess out. Every man on the ground, thanks to the knee-high water flooding the palace, was shocked at the carefree women barging in as if they were taking a stroll in the garden. Ivan’s eyes widened. ‘That foolish Princess was here, in the middle of a battle! The King was right out of the door. If she dropped dead here, they wouldn’t b
She kept her hand on her belly and smiled solemnly. He was a piece of her and her husband. An heir to her lover. “Ahh.. To be young. Though I don’t really like the man, I certainly despise him less than your mother does. I’m not much of a success as a Red Witch so I have no such obsession with bloodlines or species. I just care for my family.” Laylin bit her bottom lip, shrugging. “Mother is... She will come around.” “Hmm, hope so. But I see... you look madly in love.” Berilla teased, looking at her distracted expression. "It must hurt your pride to love him more than he loves you." “What? No!” Laylin rolled her eyes, her smile still playing on her lips. “He’s the one who is chasing me. I just set my grace on my eager lover.“ She was flexing when both of them knew, Laylin was crazy enough in love to dive head-first in a war zone or in front of a raging monster. Laylin looked away. Her smile deepened. She did love him more but it didn't matter as long as he loved her back. A silen
The palace stood tall and imposing, its marble columns reaching the sky. It had been days since the rightful King had set foot in the home he despised and lived for.But now, with a burning sense of urgency in his heart, he returned to reclaim his throne. Laylin was expecting, he could feel his spawn growing stronger by the day. ‘SHIIINGG!’He walked solemnly, his two long swords dragging behind him. Electric zapping brutally filled the silence as his swords screeched.Previously when he had imagined her carrying his heir, he had wanted to keep her on feathery cushions day in and day out, lavish her with jewels but now he wanted to kiss her the path she walked on.He had no patience left for morons. His Queen was carrying the future King and she deserved better than a humid cave.As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden hue over the palace walls, Ambrose stood lonely at the grand entrance.The military he had himself cultivated stood before him, pointing trembling spears
"N-No, please!” The startled young witch screamed and poured her aura in with all her strength as her life flashed before her. ‘FWISSSH…’ The witch toppled back on her ass, waiting to die but as the creature collided with the magic circle it emitted a bright, blinding light. The monster's movements slow, and it gradually, in a fraction of a second, evaporated in the air. It became quiet and all the witches huffed in disbelief, as if under a spell. “Good work.” Laylin turned to the witches with a smile. “This is how any witch, weak or strong, can make the teleportation magic circle.” She clapped her hands, “Well, nobody’s dead, so let’s go under the lake.” It may sound twisted but she enjoyed their fear especially Valerie who was pale. She felt gleefully satisfied. Now, sure, no one will question her about the potency of her magic circle. She felt bad for Eloise but it couldn’t be helped, she was the weakest witch and thus the perfect person to show them the spell worked. Seizing
With a deep sigh, she went to the young Princess. “You think you can handle it after all the… commotion?” She was talking about the things she heard them talk about.The Eldest of the Red Witches looked at the Princess with a faint smile. Laylin remained still. Her countenance was quite ample as she looked ahead at the lake in front of her.Ultimately it didn’t matter if Laylin could or couldn’t. She will have to. For the sake of everyone. For the future.Valerie sighed, “We can do it ourselves too.” Laylin knew it too.The witches could very well pull off a teleportation spell but they didn’t trust her or the magic circle she had drawn especially after Aunt Berilla couldn’t perform the designation spell. The battle with demonic monsters will take more than just technique, hesitation could cost these witches their lives.Only Laylin knew Berila couldn't do it because the Great Mistress had made that spell to pull her into the memory abyss.So the witches needed to believe any of them
‘AAACK!' She pointed the dagger at him and flicked it down. His leg bent at an unnatural angle, his bone stuck out bringing him into a half-kneeling position. “Keep it down. I don’t want a commotion.” She was so calm that it was creepy. Her lazy eyes fell on the Dark Wizard and she smirked. The Dark Wizard tried to cast a spell but nothing worked, he couldn’t take anything as the source. The Dark Wizard had little to no aura or couldn’t control their auras like Valerie. There are two sources for using magic. One is auras that are taken from nature and one is life sources. Dark magicians fuel their magic with life forces which means they kill to do magic. But it doesn’t have to be beasts or humans, depending on the magnitude of the spell even insects can be used for simple spells. She had protected every living being with her aura in the perimeter. Her snake rubbed its head against her neck, and she caressed its scales with a smirk. She enjoyed the Dark wizard's desperate attempts