Lucian's POV
As the piercing gazes of the assembled crowd bore into my very soul, their unspoken queries vibrated in the cavernous chambers of my mind. How dare they question my thoughts, they would receive ceaseless punishments. With an imperious gaze, I swept my eyes across the trembling staff members, compelling them to cast their eyes downward. Still, their endless inquiries echoed in my consciousness, a testament to their curiosity.
Since I possessed the unique ability to read their minds, I uncovered a single question that spread through the collective thoughts of the servants: How had a mere mortal managed to evade the clutches of the Demon Prince himself? The audacity of their ponderings irked me. My fists clenched involuntarily as a potent surge of power coursed through my veins, tempting me to unleash my formidable abilities. With a mere thought, I could reduce these insolent beings to naught but ash, their pitiable existence extinguished. Every fiber of my being throbbed with the desire to succumb to the intoxicating allure of unrestrained fury.
Without a doubt, I would have taken swift action had it not been for my sister, Celeste. She, in her capricious impulse, had chosen to play the role of interrogator for the day, gripping my arm with a such force that her nails drove deep into my flesh.
"What on earth are you up to?" I hissed at her, my irritation palpable as I questioned her inexplicable actions.
Without another word, she pulled me into a separate room with soundproof walls so that no one would eavesdrop. And if they did, I would definitely deal with them in the most harrowing way possible.
"So," Celeste began, with her hands on her hips.
Internally, I eyerolled, not liking the direction that this conversation was going in.
"Continue on Mrs. Interrogator Who Likes to Annoy the Hell Out of People," I grumbled, my voice laced with scorn.
"What is up with you and Lila?" questioned Celeste, a small smile dangling on her lips.
Now, I had a sudden thought about the baffling nature of girls. They possessed an uncanny ability for exasperating you with the most trivial matters, as was evident in Lila's case.
"Nothing," I exclaimed, my frustration evident as I threw my hands up in the air, "Look, I'm innocent."
"Then, why did you spare her?" Celeste inquired, her voice tinged with curiosity and suspicion as she desperately probed for answers.
"Because," I hesitated for a moment, carefully crafting my response, "Uh, because Lila's cooking skills exceed those of our regular staff."
Of course, that was a blatant lie. Judging from the rather unappetizing lunch Lila had generously prepared for me, it was evident that my taste buds were in danger.
"Is that so?" Celeste pressed, raising an eyebrow skeptically, "Then why did I catch you making a disgusted face?"
"I had totally not made a gagging face sister," I bluffed, hoping that my sister would not identify it.
However, it was a futile attempt. Despite my typically unreadable facade, Celeste happened to be the sole individual in the world capable of identifying my underlying emotions. This was largely owing to the fact that we had spent our entire lives in close proximity.
"What is it that you desire, Celeste?" I sighed, my fatigue palpable as I found myself growing weary of this seemingly fruitless conversation.
"I want to understand why you chose to spare her," Celeste replied, her voice laden with curiosity and a hint of determination. "All of your slaves have met their demise within the first day or two, except for her. It's clear that she holds some significance to you. So, Lucian, don't even contemplate deceiving me, for I would not hesitate to exact retribution. Summon the courage to enlighten me. Rest assured, this exchange will remain our secret."
Celeste's reprimand carried an undertone of anger, and it was apparent that she was channeling her entire pool of fury into this single conversation.
"Celeste, you better not laugh at this," I warned.
Celeste nodded. She knew that I was one to stick by my word and she knew the consequences of disobeying them - being the only person that has survived my torture.
"Lila," I began, my voice quivering with doubt,
"Celeste would never ridicule you," I repeated that thought like a mantra in my mind.
"She's my soulmate," I finally revealed, peering curiously at my sister to gauge her response.
Soulmates were individuals who held the highest potential for a romantic connection. Initially, the moon goddess had bestowed this blessing upon werewolves, but with time, other supernatural beings also came to possess this unique bond. It was said that soulmates shared an unbreakable connection, an innate understanding of each other's emotions, and the ability to soothe one another's fieriest tempers with just their voice and touch.
To my surprise, Celeste's reaction was far from what I had anticipated. Instead of displaying contempt or anger, her countenance radiated happiness, astonishment, and contentment.
"That's truly wonderful," Celeste exclaimed, her face illuminated by a growing smile.
"I... I'm not certain how to approach this," I confessed, my gaze cast downward in embarrassment. Love was a concept that had always eluded me, and I felt utterly incapable to navigate it.
"Just start by assisting her," Celeste advised, her tone gentle and supportive. "Drop subtle hints of your affection, and one day, find the courage to confess your love."
"It's not as simple as it sounds," I lamented, my heart heavy with uncertainty.
"Right," Celeste exclaimed, "Let me talk to Lila. Tell her to give a chance to trust you."
With that, my sister finally skipped away, humming a tune to depict her happiness.
As I sat there, lost in thought, I couldn't help but ponder the role Lila had come to play in my life. She appeared to be the kind of person who exuded innocence and fearfulness, and I found myself wondering how she would react when faced with my formidable powers - considering that they are all torturous.
"Lucian!" a voice jolted me from my reverie. "I just witnessed Lila being attacked by two guards. I arrived just in time, but Lila managed to escape in the midst of the argument."
My heart pounded in my chest as a surge of anger and fear coursed through my veins. Lila had escaped, and a potent mixture of anxiety and frustration enveloped me. The room seemed to close in around me as I struggled to contain the overwhelming power surging within me, and a cold sweat broke out on my forehead.
"Search every corner," I ordered, my voice tense with urgency.
The soldiers sprang into action, scouring the area meticulously in their quest to find any trace of Lila. Yet, despite their thorough efforts, there was no sign of her.
"Master," one of the guards proposed, "Why don't you utilize your powers?"
With a heavy sigh, I acknowledged the accuracy of his suggestion. Reluctantly, I knew that invading Lila's mind was the only way to make contact with her, despite the invasion of her privacy. As much as I wanted to respect her solitude, the circumstances demanded otherwise.
Closing my mind, I made it drift off to the sleeping realm. As I stared into the spirits of many beings, I focused my mind so that I could get nearer to Lila. The guardian of the spirits all bowed down to me, recognising that my status was far higher than theirs. It was better as I could have more space to focus.
"Lila, Lila, where are you?" I muttered under my breath. About a couple minutes of later, I noticed the floating image of her, eyes closed.
"Aha!" I triumphantly hooted.
As I approached Lila's location, I gently pressed my fingertip to her forehead, using my powers to unveil the mystery of her whereabouts. The mental image that formed in my mind was unsettling—a dense, dark forest situated approximately an hour's walk from the palace. This forest was notorious for being a haven for rogues and danger lurked at every turn.
The mental picture sharpened, revealing a crooked, decrepit shed. The sign above the entrance ominously declared, "Visitors allowed in." However, I knew better than to be deceived by such a facade. It was a classic trap designed to lure unsuspecting passersby into a perilous situation. And it was within that ominous cottage that I sensed Lila's presence.
My heart clenched with worry for her safety. I couldn't afford to waste any time.
With the determined thought of the cottage in mind, I quickly teleported through a black shadow and arrived. Pressing my ear to the door, I could make out a witch's voices.
"So, the girl is drugged?" a girlish high-pitched voice nearly pierced my ears.
Immediately, my inner-demon's voice shattered my ears.
"That witch is going to endure our most agonising torture," he snarled, voicing how furious he is about seeing his mate being drugged.
Quickly, I disguised myself as a commoner and hid my aura - that way, those useless witches would not recognise me.
My hand made a resounding impact on the door, causing it to splinter and yield easily to my touch. It wasn't my fault that the door was so flimsy.
"What are you doing?" My voice growled with authority, making my presence known to the kidnappers who stood there in trepidation.
"Your Highness," the two kidnappers bowed hastily, their fear of my wrath evident in their trembling forms. "We... we..."
"No need to explain," I interrupted, my voice laced with an underlying threat. "Give me the girl now."
"I... I..." one of them stammered, quickly handing over the unconscious Lila to me.
Lila's pallid face sent a pang of concern through me; she had fainted, looking as pale as a ghost, and it turned my stomach upside down.
As I began to walk towards the door with Lila in my arms, I abruptly spun around.
"Wait," I snarled at the trembling kidnappers. "Do you think you'll be let off the hook so easily?"
"Guards," I commanded sharply, "Take them to the dungeons. I will deal with them later."
As much as my inner demon hungered for vengeance and the urge to torment them endlessly, I knew my priority was to get Lila to safety.
"It's going to be fine," I murmured softly, pressing my lips gently against her pale cheeks.