[Helena’s Point-of-View] I couldn’t help but shoot a daggering stare at Eodelle, who was silently eating at her usual place at the table, beside Marian.I always have a bad impression of the two. Of course, Eodelle is the daughter of the sick former Emperor, and Marian with her oddities tolerated by Aster when she moved all her stinky, exotic animals living here in the Headow Stronghold.Many say there is one permanent expression on my face and that’s suspiciousness over people around me. I always follow my instinct. I never trust anyone unless I have something to counter them whenever they think of betraying me. And the last person who drank the sweet poison of my beauty was the former Emperor, that sick, fat man who made my life hell in this place. Seeing Eodelle brings back all the nightmares I endured at the hands of her demonic father and I couldn’t help but despise her. Another reason was her, being a princess. Yes, I wasn’t born into a wealthy family. I had to work to the bon
[Eodelle’s Point-of-View]Beta Emyr looked down at me, puzzled by my sudden presence in the library. The huge, wide, circular hall was empty, and the noise of the birds singing at the incredibly high ceiling echoed at the thick bricked walls, giving an eerie feeling inside with only the Beta sitting at one of the study tables inside. He tipped his head, still waiting for me to explain. I am still not comfortable being in here because of the disgusting memory I had the last time I tried to sneak into this place. I have no idea what my inner wolf wanted to tell me but deep within me, something wants to convince me that it was not Aster who I heard being here with Helena. The last time I confronted Aster about it, he looked as if he didn’t know what I was talking about. Or maybe he was just lying to me? But Aster would never lie. I believe he is not that kind of person.That’s why I decided to investigate. There is something going on in this palace and Helena was hiding a dark secret f
“Aster!”He didn’t say anything but his eyes didn’t even blink as he glared down at me, his eyes looked sharp and angry about something. I got lost for something to say because he was the last person I expected to see in this place. That morning when Helena walked out while we were having breakfast together, he started to act strange. As if something disturbs him. Every time I looked at him, he always had that crease formed between his eyes. He was always deep in his thoughts. “What are you doing here? I thought you were with the council?”His frown deepened, “Is that why you were sneaking here in the garden at this kind of hour?”I sensed furiousness in his tone and it confused me. What does he mean by that?“I am just looking for—”“I know who you are looking for, Eodelle,” Aster sounded annoyed as he cut off my next words. It was obvious he didn’t want to hear Laurent’s name from my lips.I tried to be impatient but I don’t like how he behaves, “I thought you were friends?! Why ar
I am not ready to face Aster yet.My heart started to ram against my chest and I panicked. My hand trembled and I picked my finger with the needle. The blood trickled and stained the silk I was sewing. Marian immediately stood from the mountain of the pillow she was sitting on with an excited look on her face. She gave me a teasing grin and I felt my whole face blush while waiting for her to confirm if it really was Aster. Since our last confrontation, when he asked me to trust him, he didn’t have enough time to spend with me again. Aside from that, Helena was making sure Aster’s schedule was so overwhelming that he couldn’t even stay in the Headow Stronghold and has been staying in the meeting chambers, busy being hospitable to the wealthy traders visiting the Empire palace to see him.I watch Marian and hold my breath, wishing it’s not him. But my inner wolf has been very miserable not seeing him and I know deep inside, I am missing him more than I admit to myself.Marian’s shoulde
I was totally stunned.The place has a vast space compared to seeing outside the building. There are so many exotic decorations such as horns of different species of animals, expensive silks, and furniture. But what caught my attention most was the fountain in the middle of the room that had red liquid on it, flowing perpetually as it glimmered under the dim light of the torches inside the whole place.“Is that a—”“Yes, it’s a f*cking wine fountain, Lady Peacock. So let’s go inside!”My eyes widened at the vulgarity of Marian’s words. I have never heard him talk to me like that before. Maybe because of the place? I started to notice every woman inside as Marian and I walked into the middle of the room. I made a helpless short glance at Beta Emyr but he only bowed at me with a wicked grin on his lips as if saying ‘good luck’.I started to get worried so I shoved my hand from Marian to stop her from dragging me deeper into this place. My heart rammed against my chest when I noticed how
It has been two days since Marian and I attended that bizarre party Beta Emyr invited us to.I couldn’t get Penny away from my mind. Until I decided something that I believe would change her perspective in life.“Are you sure you really want this?” Beta Emyr asked, a small smile on his lips while looking at my serious face. I told him that I didn’t entertain the kind of pastime he offered me in that place and told him that I want to take Penny as one of my hand servants here in Headow Stronghold.“Yess. I have a feeling she really never wanted to work in that place,” I said to him after we discussed something about a problem in one of the farmlands on the west land of the Empire. We succeeded in working on some of the problems regarding the budgeting but the council never knew about my helping Emyr so all the acknowledgments about the success were all credited to him.I didn’t mind any of the recognition from the Emperor and his council though but Emyr knew he owed me something and t
“Your Grace—” I tried to protest. My breath ragged while I felt his warm hands smoothening my round, thick thighs. I am not sure if it was appropriate to do it in this kind of place, “I am afraid someone might see us here.”I felt as if I was burning alive with how intense his glare was. I missed him. I won’t get tired of screaming it inside my head. My tears fell from my eyes. I saw how the expression on his face softened. He reached for my face and felt his fingers wiping my tears, tracing them down my face, and then kissed my lips so gently it almost felt feathery.“Shh…” he hushed me and then embraced me tight, “I know you are confused about what is going on, Eodelle. I am trying to fix things on my own. I never want you to get involved in it. I would never put you in more danger.”“You are the Emperor, Aster. There is no one more powerful than you are…” I whispered to him, my eyes filled with perturbation, scared for his safety. I can feel the level of danger in the way he said
The path towards the west wing tower was dark.It is one of the parts of the palace that no people go to. It was like an abandoned place already, visited only to check if it needs to be maintained and fix something so as not to cause any accidents that would endanger the lives of the people in the palace.I stepped blindly as I ascended the stairs, my hands carefully holding onto the rough and cold brick wall. I can feel the wet molds formed on it, indicating that the roof must have leaks and holes and the rainwater gushes down the walls, creating minds and fungus on it.Not feeling well because of what happened between me and Aster, I'm still angry by the fact that he can never be mine no matter what I do. Now, I need to divert this anger to something useful and help the people I believe need help and that is Penny.I have this urge that I need to release her from the life she has in the brothel. A life she was forced to have because of what my father did to her family.Swallowing a