Lucian's POV
There was a long sigh and silence.
"Your highness," said Martin.
I just hummed in response, still thinking about the little stunt she just pulled back in the dungeons. The kiss. The cheek. The way she looked at me after like she had won something.
"Lord Thalassa received the gift and said he would give the gift tenfold greater than what we gave him," said Martin, his face down.
I looked at him.
"What happened, Martin?" I asked.
He just looked at me.
"My lord, it's not my place to say but..." his eyes down.
"Say it," I said in the still room.
Martin's words hung in the air. Why don't you just speak it out with him normally about the incident 200 years ago?
I just glared at the floor.
"Leave." That was the only word that left my mouth.
Without another word, he sighed and left.
"My lor—"
"You too. Leave. Now," I said, and Tengshe, who was about to speak, also left.
I leaned back in my seat and thought about my past. The incident which made our peaceful lives hell. Speak with him normally? Speak with the man who burned my parents?
Past
-------------------
"Go... Lucian... leave now... you have to live for our kingdom... now leave," my father said while my mother was already trapped in the fire. Her screams still echoed in my nightmares.
"Leave now," my father said from the fire.
With his last ounce of energy, he opened a portal and sent me to some place and locked it.
I pounded on the other side until my fists bled. But it wouldn't open. It never opened.
--------------------------
No. No fucking way I would leave that bastard who killed my family and the one who helped in this mess. I don't let anyone live who is the reason for this agony. Not then. Not now. Not ever.
Next Morning-------
Lyra's POV
"ARGHHHHHHH... IT'S BEEN 14 HOURS! LET ME OUT!"
"I'm a human... not some demon... I'm hungry, you jerk!" I said to the empty halls.
My voice echoed back at me, mocking me. I plopped down on the bed.
Ouch. This rock-hard bed which he gave out of mercy. Mercy? More like punishment.
I really did underestimate him.
I rolled my eyes at everything that's happening.
Just then my nose sensed something.
Wow... my life....it's my world.
"chicken"
"My chicken, are you going to come back to me after many days of waiting?" I said once I saw the chicken in front of me brought by the demon guards.
They opened the door and put the chicken and some broth there.
"Thank you, my fellow demons," I said, patting his back.
And immediately — they went to their knees in fear.
"Your highness... we are ordered to give you food whenever you are hungry... or whatever you need, you can just ring this bell," he said out of fear, handing me the bell.
I nodded, flabbergasted. "You can go now," I replied.
They sprinted away like their lives depended on it.
God... they were such scaredy cats.
I quickly washed my hands and started eating.
He is such a jerk but knows what I want.
I finished my meal quickly and they cleared the room.
I started walking in the dungeons, thinking. I need a plan. Something clever. Something he wouldn't see coming.
I was pacing back and forth when I heard footsteps.
Suddenly, an idea hit me.
I fell on the ground with a dramatic thud, panting heavily.
"My heart is paining so much! Go inform his highness!" I said, clutching my chest.
"I want to see him for one last time before I die! Go inform him!" I called out to the shadow in front of me.
I heard jingling sounds. Keys. I smiled internally, thinking they were believing me.
But my smile soon turned to confusion.
Wait — to inform the lord, they have to go to him. Why are they opening the dungeon?
I slowly opened my eyes and looked up.
He was there. Standing with so much amusement in his eyes. Arms folded. Waiting.
"Didn't you want to see me? Why that long face?" he said.
I immediately resumed acting.
"Lucian... I thought I would die without seeing you..."
"Oh really?" he said, suddenly moving toward me.
"Yes," I nodded, adding a fake sniffle.
"What happened? Why are you on the floor?" he asked, but his tone said he wasn't the least bit worried.
"My heart... my heart is paining," I said, pretending to cry.
He let me go, moved back, and folded his arms.
"It's real this time! Don't you believe me?" I said, dropping the act with an angry face.
"I didn't know your heart was below your ribs," he said.
I looked down. My hand was on my stomach. Clutching it like I had indigestion.
Damn it.
"Princess, you have to act better in front of me," he said, smirking.
I stopped acting, removed my hands, and adjusted my hair, still sitting on the floor.
"Okay, fine. I know I didn't keep my promise about the contract. But this... isn't this too much? Putting a fragile human in this dirty dungeon?"
He looked at me, genuinely amused now.
"Fragile human? You took down two demon guards twice your size on your first day here."
I glared at him.
"And yes, this is the least punishment I can give you. You don't even know what would have happened if you went through that mirror," he said, his voice hardening.
"What would have happened? I would have gone home. To my master. To my people. To my world."
"Oh, princess. That's where you're wrong."
He stepped closer.
"You would have gone to the Abyss. The endless hell. The place where souls wander for eternity until nothing remains. No light. No death. No escape."
He smirked.
I stared at him, frozen.
"Why... why should I believe you? What if this is a lie?"
"Do you think I gain something by lying to you? I have no reason to lie. I needed you as my fiancée, so I saved you. If not, I wouldn't have given you a second glance. You could rot in whatever hell you found, and I wouldn't care."
He came down to my level and grabbed my chin.
"Remember. This is the demon realm. You cannot believe everything you see. And everything you don't see may not be false. Be careful. If you're smart, you survive. If not, you die."
His grip tightened slightly.
"This is my last warning. Cross your line again... and I won't wait for something else to end you. I'll do it myself. Personally."
He let go. Stood up. Walked away.
The guards followed.
Ahhh... PLAN A: FLOP.
I scoffed.
If not this, I have many plans hidden under my sleeve, you demon king.
Wait for my new scheme. I'll make you believe me completely. Just wait.
I crawled onto the bed and lay on my back, staring at the ceiling.
What did he mean by that?
Was he telling the truth?
Should I believe him?
But... he wouldn't have saved me if he didn't need me, right?
But also... if he's a demon king, can't he just bring me back from the mortal realm if I escape? Why stop me at the mirror?
And Leviathan... he's the one who sent me there. He knew I would die.
That means Lucian was telling the truth.
But I can't trust him completely. Not yet.
He won't kill me. I'm sure of that. He needs me. For now.
But why did Leviathan try to kill me? I didn't do anything to him.
Just because I'm Lucian's fiancée?
I need to ask Cathy about this.
Shit.
Wait.
I forgot about...
CATHERINE.
OH MY GOD.
CATHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!