Shall we bathe together, darling?

"Pet."

Abel raised his brows while she held on to his wrist with both her hands, guiding it to pet her head. No one dared touch him before because whoever attempted would lose their hands or life. But the little surprise she gave him pleased him in a way.

He smiled, chuffed at how she managed not to piss him more. So Abel ruffled her unique emerald hair with delight.

"What a smart pet," he intoned with a chuckle. "Will you bark for me if I told you to?"

'I think I'm saved,' she muttered internally, releasing his wrist and letting him pet her himself.

"Yes," she answered while sporting a weak smile. "Should I?"

"Hmm..." Abel twirled a finger around the tip of her emerald large locks. "No need. I'm not in the mood."

Aries nodded and didn't speak a word. She had long let go of her pride as a human being, as she already learned her lesson from that lunatic in Maganti. So, even if Abel told her she needed to act like a dog, she would.

At least, to Abel, she could stomach doing such things — a tactic she could never do in the Maganti Empire. After all, she never obeyed the crown prince in the Maganti Empire. Her hatred for that crown prince was etched deep in her bones that she would rather get beaten before sucking up to him.

But to Abel... Aries clenched her teeth secretly as she smiled at him. 'I'll make you happy, Your Majesty. Until... I am strong enough to escape and save myself... again.'

"You have nice hair color..." Abel paused as he noticed some blood stained on the strands of her soft hair. He withdrew his hand and his smile instantly disappeared. This made her panic a bit as his mood suddenly went from heaven to hell. She already knew he was fickle, but not this fickle!

"Your Majesty?" she called cautiously, raising her brows as Abel leaned back.

"Darling, rest your head here." He tapped his thigh, but his expression remained grim. "And bring your book."

Aries's breathing suspended, but she still nodded and obeyed his orders. She picked up the book she was reading previously and awkwardly rested her head on his lap. Her feet remained out of the divan, so it was quite an uncomfortable position for her.

"Lay down comfortably," he instructed, noticing how her body was all tensed up. "Lift your leg."

She glanced up at him for a second, lifting her legs up to fit the divan. Aries moved her stiff body until she found her comfort with her head still on his lap. Once again, she set her pair of emerald eyes on him and he was just staring down at her.

'Why is he looking at me as if he will snap my neck for no reason?' she wondered, swallowing down the tension building up in her throat. Instead of wondering, she cleared and throat and forced a smile.

"Do you want me to read you a book, Your Majesty?" she asked, but Abel just tilted his head slightly.

He glanced at the book and let out a dry laugh. "You will read me the history of my empire?"

'Well, do I have a choice? I don't have any other book in here other than the ones Sir Conan left.' That was what she wanted to tell him, but she just pressed her lips into a thin line.

"Sure." Abel nodded as he drew circles on her forehead. "Tell me about the empire. It might somehow kill my boredom."

Aries grasped the sarcasm in his voice, but she still read it in a soft tone. She picked up where she stopped reading, trying to focus on the book even though his fingertips that were stroking her hair tickled her. Her toes curled, stuttering until she couldn't suppress the laughter from slipping from her lips.

"Hah..." she flinched, covering her lips with the book. Her dilated eyes studied him. To her relief, her sudden chuckles didn't seem to offend him, but his brow quirked.

"What?" he asked, running his fingers through her hair.

"It... tickles, Your Majesty," came out a muffled voice, resisting from slapping his hand away.

"So what?" his brow raised even higher, staring down at her. He didn't care if she giggle more, honestly. It sounded pleasant to the ear, but what pleased him more was her struggling face while she suppressed her laughter. He wanted to see how long she would last.

"Go on, read." He perked his chin towards the book that was covering her lips.

Aries took a deep breath, clenching her teeth as she lifted the book. She cleared her throat and read again. She tried to ignore the ticklish sensation traveling through the end of her nerves, but that only made her break out in sweats.

In the middle of her reading, Abel suddenly clicked his tongue. So she stopped and moved her shaking eyes at him.

"You're breaking out in sweats, darling." He pointed out as he wiped her forehead with the back of his hand. Due to the sweat, the speck of dry blood on his hand smeared on her forehead.

"Dirty," he muttered while staring into his palm. But Aries tensed up, believing he thought she was dirty for sweating. Before she could apologize, Abel locked eyes with her and spoke.

"Shall we bathe together, darling?" he asked, causing the beat of her heart to stop for a second. "You've sweated a lot and I'm a little dirty... and bored. Just as I thought, the history is not fun when I already knew it like it was just yesterday."

Aries held her breath as the side of his lips curled up into a smirk. She already prepared herself for warming his bed, so bathing together shouldn't be a problem.

"Alright." She nodded, relieved that he seemed pleased about it. As long as he was pleased, she knew she would survive, and that she was doing a good job. Little did Aries know Abel was sharper than she thought he was.

In his eyes, he could see how she looked at him.

Someone she had to cling on to survive and toss aside once she achieved the goal. That what lies in her harmless and stunning appearance was someone who had a plan. And yet, this... thrilled him. Hence, she was still alive despite boring him to death.