Being exposed

Another dart was thrown, directed at his neck. He caught it, and another swiftly followed, sinking into his legs. He cursed. He was accustomed to darkness and he moved swiftly and he seized the person by the neck, his elongated nails plunging into the skin. The light turned on, revealing a man, one of the castle's servants.

"I think it's high time I checked every servant here to identify the backstabbers. What are you doing here?" he questioned, cornering the man against the wall. His hand was tightly wrapped around the man's neck, who struggled to free himself. As he choked, he clawed at Sebastian's hand. Extracting a small needle from his pocket, he plunged it deep into Sebastian's hand. However, this only caused Sebastian to tighten his hold on his neck.

Throwing him to the side of the room, Sebastian swiftly moved towards him and drove his index finger into his shoulder.

"Aargh!" the servant cried out, attempting to pry Sebastian's finger out. Lifted from the floor, his other hand stretched to the wall. Sebastian pulled harder, and the servant's screams intensified, feeling like his arm was being torn off.

"Ready to speak?" Sebastian asked, observing him to see his red eyes flicker in the light. Instead of replying, the servant only grinned before biting his tongue. Sebastian quickly pulled out his finger and forced his mouth open. The man bit down harder. Sebastian applied pressure to the man's jaw, causing his fangs to break. He pressed so hard that he also crushed his jaw.

"Useless loyal dog," Sebastian thought to himself. The servant raised his hand to touch his broken jaw, tears streaming down his face from the pain. Sebastian still held him up, and with his other hand, he searched through the man's clothes. He found a small bottle in one of his pockets.

"What's this for?" he asked. The man stared at him wide-eyed, prompting Sebastian to sigh. Of course, he wouldn't be able to speak. He dropped the man to the ground and opened the bottle, spilling a few drops of the liquid on him. Nothing happened, and he screwed the top back on.

"You can't speak anymore, rendering you useless to both me and whoever sent you," Sebastian said, looking down at him. His fingers curled around the man's neck, pressing him against the wall. In a few seconds, a snap was heard, and the man's head fell limp to the side. Sebastian pulled him by the legs and opened the window to throw him out. He pocketed the small bottle and turned off the lights before leaving the room. He made his way back to his quarters and entered his room. He picked out a black shirt and wore it before stepping out.

He gently turned the doorknob of Eve's room and entered. He walked to the fireplace and bent over it, gathering some of the cold ashes. How long had it been used and cleaned? he wondered. He opened a side cupboard and took out a few logs, which he arranged in the fireplace before lighting it.

He rose from his position and approached the bed where Eve lay, her blankets pulled up to half her face. Her hands clutched the quilt as she curled up. Her cheeks were flushed pink and he raised his hand to stroke her hair softly. Just some minutes ago, she was looking vulnerable and helpless. She was still trying to understand and adapt to her feelings and he was going to give her enough time. She would cherish his affections and also love him back the same way. With feelings attached, she would enjoy the thrill of a pure climax.

He bent over and placed a kiss on her hair before turning around to walk out. As he made his way outside the castle, the knights on guard bowed, unsurprised to see him awake. They often wondered if he slept at all some days.

Sebastian made his way to the horse ranch and took out his black horse. He rubbed its mane and ears as he inspected the horse for any marks on its body. Finding none, he threw the reins over its head and climbed on, using his right foot to spur the horse into a gallop towards the wide gates that were already open. The cold breeze stung his skin as the horse moved faster with each nudge from him.

The next day, Eve woke up, her lashes fluttering as she tried to make out the ceiling above her. She stretched and turned over in bed, using the blankets to shield her face from the light streaming in from the open window.

"You sleep too much these days, milady," Eve heard Ester say, and she groaned before sitting up in bed to look at her maid who stood by the door.

"Is it against the castle rules?" She grumbled before moving to the edge of the bed to get up.

"No milady, but the gossipers might think you're expecting a child which makes you more tired and spend more time in bed," Eve's eyes widened hearing Ester say those words and she quickly sprang up from the bed.

"Expecting a child? Whose child?" She questioned, flabbergasted. People say idleness causes gossip, but in this case, gossip spread even when they were busy. Ester had always been open and spoke a lot to Eve, which she appreciated. That's why she responded to her question.

"The king."

"W-what.. Never mind," Eve blurted, quickly making her way to the bathroom. The maid's words had brought memories of last night flooding back, memories she'd tried to ignore as she woke up. She couldn't possibly believe what she had done with Sebastian last night, especially in such an open place where anyone could have seen them if they had passed by. Remembering the way she had shamelessly clung to him and called his name made her cheeks burn, and she quickly pushed the thought far from her mind.

Luckily, breakfast had been delayed as everyone took their time getting up. At the dining table, Eve noticed the absence of the King and his stepmother. She wondered what she should call the woman now that Sebastian had stripped her off her title. She nodded in greeting to the human King and his ministers. Her parents were seated beside them, and she noticed Grace avoiding her gaze.

Ignoring her as well, she sat down to her meal, feeling suddenly self-conscious about Sebastian's absence and having to sit alone at the breakfast table. Leif engaged in talks with the humans who said they would be leaving tomorrow. Without another word passing between them, everyone finished their meal and filtered out of the dining room one by one.

Eve made her way back to her room, sitting behind her desk to pass the time with books and very slowly, the time tickled continuously till it was another day and yet, still no presence of the King.

Once it was midday, the Vrussia guests decided to leave, Eve stood in a balcony in one of the corridors, she was watching the servants carry trunks inside three carriages that was prepared. Soon, the guests stepped into the carriage and the carriages began to move.

Eve didn't know why but she wished her mother would turn to search for her, even if they was difference between them. There should be even if it was a little speck of motherly affection for her first daughter. But her hopes were dashed as her mother didn't bother to spare a second glance at the castle doors before entering the carriage.

She had learnt not to expect that but still, she couldn't help but want to feel loved by them. Her eyes followed the carriage until it rode past the castle gates and far away till it was out of sight. She turned away and looked below where Leif stood with some knights. Three guards had told they saw the King leaving the night before yesterday. Right now, Eve felt like she walking around with a noose around her neck which could be pulled at any time.

He had told not a word to anyone and they wondered where he had gone. Deciding to go outside the castle to meet Leif. Eve walked away two more turns and encountered the Mother Queen. She was accompanied by a minister and two guards who followed closely behind. Eve curtsied a bow before all of them, but Queen Rohesia was rather staring intently at her with her lips pursed fixing her gaze on the human's brown eyes; the sunlight fell upon her eyes, giving them an amber hue that danced in the brown color. As Eve raised her head, the light shine brighter in her eyes and the mother Queen could make note of the reddish tint in her pupils.

She raised her brows in confusion and wonderment, her lips were parted as she tried to speak and for a second, it looked she couldn't get her words out.

"Evilyna!" She suddenly blurted. Eve stared at her in surprise, For some moments, she saw fear flashing in her red eyes, same with the man who stood next to her.

"No, you're mista-" Leif said she would kill her if she found any resemblance between them. What was she going to do now? Sebastian was away, Eve thought to herself as the old woman raised her hand to interrupt her. Her heart was beating loudly behind her ribcage and she fisted her hands watching the woman's lips pull up in a cunning smile.

Eve was caught off guard, she wasn't expecting the woman to recognize her but how did she? Before she could process what was going on, she heard the mother Queen order.

"Guards. Seize her!"