chapter 41- A hostile encounter

(flashback)

Lily's POV:

Arthur and I were both nervous as we approached the grand estate that belonged to Olivia and Malachai's family. We had been sent on a mission to gather information about the royal family's next moves, but we knew that encountering Olivia and Malachai would be dangerous. They were notorious for their sadistic tendencies, and we couldn't let our guard down around them.

I nervously fingered my sword as I silently surveyed the room, the feeling of disdain washing over me like a wave of cold water. It was my first meeting with Olivia and Malachai, the sadistic twins who served as the lapdogs of our bitter enemy, the monarchy. Though my brother Arthur and I had infiltrated this estate, intent on revenge for the murder of our parents, I shivered at the sight of these strange villains.

Arthur, I noticed, was fighting his own inner battle, but his façade remained firm. With an entourage of loyal liegemen by his side, he held his head high and stepped forward with an air of confidence.

Olivia, who I assumed to be the more dominant of the two, met us in the center of the room with a playful smirk on her face. Malachai, her brother, gave a mischievous wink as his hand caressed the hilt of his blade.

'Ah, welcome Arthur, Lily,' Olivia uttered, her voice dripping with flirtatiousness, 'how lovely it is to meet you.'

Malachai then chimed in, his tone similarly dripping with eagerness. 'And I must say, my dear Lily, you are absolutely breathtaking!'

I stiffened at his comment, trying to suppress my hatred. How dare they be so flippant in light of what they've done? I thought, narrowing my eyes at both of them.

Arthur seemed to have the same thought as me, his face a steel wall of annoyance. 'Oh, please spare us the frivolous pleasantries,' he spat, his own words teeming with contempt. 'You both know why we've come here.'

Olivia and Malachai shared a knowing glance, but said nothing. They simply returned my brother's stare, the tension in the room thickening with each passing second.

It was then that I realized how truly cautious and careful we would need to be in this situation. While Olivia and Malachai thought they were flirting, clearly unaware of the truth behind our motives, both Arthur and I knew that it was really a battle of life and death .

Olivia and malachai chuckled. "I like your spirit, Arthur. And you, Lily," malachai said, stepping closer to me. "You're quite beautiful, aren't you? I'm sure we could have a lot of fun together."

I felt my blood boil at her words. How dare she be so flippant about our cause, and so brazenly flirt with us while her family was responsible for our parents' deaths?

"Stay away from us," I said, my voice shaking with anger.

Arthur spoke up again. "We're here on official business. We don't have time for your games."

Olivia and Malachai exchanged a glance, and then Olivia turned back to us with a smirk. "Fine. But I suggest you watch your backs. You never know who might be listening in on your conversations."

With that, they sauntered off, leaving us feeling both relieved and disturbed by the encounter.

Arthur's POV:

I couldn't believe the nerve of Olivia and Malachai. How could they be so brazen and flirty, when their family was responsible for the deaths of Lily and my parents?

I knew Lily was angry, and I was too. But I also knew we needed to stay focused on our mission. We couldn't let our emotions get the best of us.

"We need to gather the information and get out of here," I said to Lily, trying to keep my voice steady.

"I know," she replied, her fists clenched at her sides. "But they make my blood boil. I can't stand their flirting and their arrogance."

"I know. But we have to keep our cool. We can't let them get to us."

Lily nodded, taking a deep breath to calm herself down. "You're right. Let's get to work."

We spent the next few hours gathering information, keeping our eyes and ears open for any hint of the monarchy's next move. But every time I heard Olivia's laugh or caught sight of Malachai's smug grin, I couldn't help but feel a simmering anger inside me. This mission was going to be a lot harder than I thought.