Tiger meat

The corner of his lips tugged up in a smirk but he did not explain himself further.

She glanced at the mysterious smile on his face while he gazed at her unblinkingly. She tucked the loose strands of her hair behind her ear before averting her gaze, "What did you do to her?" She asked, looking at the fireplace.

"She is still kept here in Visteria," He glanced at her face which had recovered from its earlier pallor. Satisfied, he placed the wine glass on the table, "But just to let you know…she is innocent.''

''She is not,'' Esme glanced at him.

"She is."

"Do you think I am lying?" She stood up from the chair, "Or am I sick? I mean it when I say that it is her.''

''I did not imply that. Listen to me-''

"It's getting late, My Lord. It's inappropriate for me to be here. I shall leave now," She interrupted him before she could lose control over her emotions, "I appreciate the kindness you've shown to me all this while,'' She said, pointing her chin at the food.

With that said, she turned around and walked out with her shoulders squared like there was nothing that could faze her.

But her clenched fist betrayed her brave façade.

Aleister leaned back on his chair as he grabbed the glass of wine from the table, ''Stubborn,'' He took a sip before letting out a helpless sigh.

He wondered...What was he getting himself into?

As soon as Esme walked out of his room, she let out a sigh of relief. The walk from the table to the door in the dark had scared her. Like she told him, she was not scared of the dark but this place was making her feel unsettled.

He looked sure about what he said about that woman and she would have believed him after the way the woman behaved but she had painted her and there was no mistaking that the woman in the painting and the one in the dungeon were the same person.

She was grateful for his help but their paths were not meant to coincide. He was dangerous. Emotionless and ruthless. He was everything that she should stay away from.

She did not know why he was entertaining her right now, but there might come a day where he would not mind killing her just because he felt like it. To him, human lives were fragile and they meant nothing. A person who could kill a Princess in the middle of a court without a shred of hesitation….what else can he not do?

Neither did she want to push her limits nor was she fond of playing with fire.

With countless thoughts in her mind, she dragged her exhausted body back to her room.

The next morning.

Esme was faced with countless judgmental gazes from the moment she stepped out of her room. Even after she finished her work in the garden, she could feel many such gazes on her.

Not paying any attention to it, she finished her work and walked towards the barrel of water in the distance. Squatting down, she splashed some water on her face. A pungent smell entered her nose as she felt a sticky sensation on her palms. She slowly opened her eyes and her expression morphed into horror. "AHH!!" She fell on her back, far away from the barrel.

The barrel filled with blood. She glanced at her blood-soaked palms in disbelief as she quickly wiped her face with the back of her hand.

"Miss Esmeray, are you alright?"

"Mr. Reiner-" Esme quickly turned around to look at the man.

He grabbed her shoulders and helped her up, his brows tugged together at the sight of her horrified face, "What happened to you?" He glanced at her in concern.

''There is blood…"

"Where?"

"In that barrel…There is blood. It is filled with blood.''

Keith glanced at her like he did not know what she was saying.

Esme raised her hand so that he could take a look at the blood that soaked her palms…but she stiffened at the sight of her pristine white palms without a hint of blood in it.

She quickly turned around to look at the barrel but there was nothing unusual. Just plain water.

She blinked.

Feeling a strong grip on her, she glanced at her shoulders which were held by Keith. She retreated a few steps back hastily, "I am tired. Perhaps that's why I got a bit confused.''

Keith looked at her quietly for a few moments before nodding, "Since your work is over, you should take a rest now.''

She nodded back at him, wondering whether she was that exhausted that she has started seeing things. Lost in her thoughts, she walked away.

"Miss Esmeray,'' He called out just when she had taken a few steps.

Esme paused as she turned to look at him.

"Is it true?" He asked.

"What?"

"The rumor regarding you being the Prince's lover….are they true?" He repeated the question.

Her eyes narrowed as her lips thinned.

…

The moment Esme stepped inside his room, her footsteps came to a halt.

Aleister was sitting on the bed with a glass of wine in his hand. A lazy smile was drawled on his face as he glanced at the middle of the grand room.

Slowly, she followed his gaze and her mouth dropped open at what she witnessed. A white tiger was suspended upside down in the air while the fire was burning on the wooden floor right beneath him.

Her heart ached at the sight of the beast's pitiful face as he looked at her hopefully.

She glanced at the man who now had his attention on her.

"You are right on time, Princess. Come here and join me,'' He nodded at her.

''Join you for what?" She avoided the way he called her 'Princess' even though she wanted to correct him that she was no longer a Princess.

"Join me for lunch. Tiger meat is a rare delicacy. Won't you have some?" Aleister raised an eyebrow.

Esme choked on the rest of her words as she glanced at the beast who was pitifully flying in the air, right above the fire, his snow-white fur had turned black while parts of his body looked red and swollen.