A steel harpoon pierced the mercenary’s temple, embedding itself deep in the carriage wall. His body went limp instantly, his head grotesquely skewered on the harpoon’s chain before he could manage a final scream. Liliette’s breath caught in her throat. She whimpered softly, paralyzed by sheer terror as she collapsed to the ground. Before she could even begin to retch, the harpoon was yanked back, dragging the mercenary’s lifeless body with it.
“The carriage is tipping over!” the nursemaid shouted in panic.
The carriage loomed over her, casting a menacing shadow as it teetered precariously. Just as it began to fall, a figure on a black steed burst into view and leaped between her and the carriage, chains rattling ominously through the darkness. In the faint starlight, Liliette could just make out the form of a man clad in black armor, sitting astride a massive horse whose dark mane billowed like a storm. The dim light seemed to fracture before it could even reach him, as though the darkness itself recoiled in his presence. In his hand, he held a long chain with a steel harpoon at the end. He looked like a lord of the underworld, risen from the abyss.
“He’s holding up the carriage with one arm…” the nursemaid whispered in astonishment, bringing Liliette back to her senses.
The man was indeed holding the entire tipping carriage with just one hand. His black steed, as powerful and imposing as its rider, snorted and stepped back. With a grunt, the man shoved the carriage away, sending it crashing onto its other side with a deafening thud. The horses hitched to the fallen vehicle panicked, their terrified whinnies filling the air as thick, suffocating dust rose around them.
The man turned his head slowly, locking eyes with Liliette. His eyes burned the deep, fiery red of fresh blood, searing into her so intensely that it felt as if they could pierce through her very soul. Her lips went dry. Beneath his gaze, she felt like a prey animal.
Suddenly, the harsh sound of retching shattered the moment. Liliette turned to see her nursemaid bent over the fallen carriage, vomiting violently. Liliette’s own jaw began to tremble uncontrollably.
What just happened?
She stared at the mercenary who had been gripping her hair moments earlier. His head, now impaled by the harpoon, looked horrifying even in the darkness. She pressed a hand to her mouth, fighting the urge to throw up. She had just witnessed a man die right in front of her. It wouldn’t have been surprising if she fainted right then and there, yet she somehow managed to tear her gaze away, swallowing the bile rising in her throat.
Suddenly, the mercenaries began to shout out in alarm.
“Someone’s coming!”
The rumble of galloping hooves filled the air like an approaching storm. Moments later, knights emerged from the shadows, their swords drawn as they surrounded the mercenaries.
The leader of the group turned his horse toward the black-armored knight. “My lord, who are these people? When you charged ahead, we thought it was another monster.”
Liliette’s eyes widened. If they were addressing him as their lord…
“Are you… my husband?” she blurted out.
A heavy silence fell over the scene. Liliette slowly rose, her gaze fixed on the imposing figure before her. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, his features became clearer. He wore a helmet shaped like an eagle’s head, and his broad shoulders made his waist seem impossibly narrow beneath the sturdy breastplate. Despite the heavy armor, he seemed agile, his long, powerful limbs giving him an air of both grace and strength.
“Are you Duke de Winter, my husba— oh!”
She was cut off by a monstrous roar, much closer than before. Instinctively, she covered her ears and hunched her shoulders as the ghastly sound scraped at her eardrums.
“Escort my wife to the castle while I deal with the monster,” the armor-clad man said once the roaring stopped. His deep voice sounded even more commanding when amplified by his armor, powerful enough to crush any opponent.
“Yes, my lord,” the knights responded in unison, sheathing their swords.
“Wait, please!” Liliette called out, desperately rushing toward the Duke. Driven by a single pressing thought, she had quickly forgotten the horrors she had just witnessed. Her voice trembled as she continued, “Are you going alone? I know a whole battalion is needed to fight a monster. Going alone is… it’s madness, Your Grace.”
Of all days, a dangerous monster had appeared on the very day she was supposed to travel to her husband’s castle. The mercenary’s ominous remarks about her being cursed echoed in her mind. She was terrified—of this man before her, of the entire situation—but the fear of becoming a widow for the third time overshadowed everything else. Yet the knights remained unperturbed, their calm baffling her.
“Why aren’t you stopping him? Don’t you care about his safety?” she demanded, her voice rising. Her words seemed to hang in the air, creating a palpable tension.
“Concerned, are we?” the Duke finally responded with a low chuckle. “Wait for me in the castle. I won’t be long.”
Without another word, he turned his horse around. As he gathered the reins, he shot a sharp look at the knights.
“Tallin, take her on your horse,” he ordered.
Before Liliette could protest, he disappeared into the shadows, the rhythmic pounding of his steed’s hooves fading into the night. Her mind went blank. Was he really leaving just like that? What if he were to die? A chill ran down her spine. If the Duke perished, she’d have no choice but to believe the horrible whispers—that she truly was cursed. As a tight knot of panic formed in her chest, she turned to the tall knight who had stepped forward to escort her.
“I won’t insist on following him, but surely you and the mercenaries should go with him,” she pleaded. “He shouldn’t face that monster alone!”
“His Lordship has given his orders,” the knight responded, her tone flat and unyielding. Her expression was as hard as stone, and Liliette realized nothing she said would sway her.
Her nursemaid, who had been lingering nearby, wiped her mouth and stepped forward. “Miss Liliette— I mean, my lady. Let us not argue further and go to the castle. You must be terrified… You can sleep with me tonight, if you’d like.”
But the knight shook her head. “Only the lady will go to the castle,” she said firmly.
The nursemaid’s eyes widened in shock, and the mercenaries shifted uncomfortably, clearly just as stunned.
“But I’m her nursemaid! I’ve looked after her all my life. How can I send her to a strange place alone?” she protested.
“Are you defying His Lordship’s orders?” the knight asked sternly.
The wind rustled through the dark forest, its eerie whispers adding to Liliette’s growing dread. The nursemaid looked around frantically before clutching Liliette’s arm.
“Please, my lady! You’re not going to leave me here, are you? Monsters thrive during winter nights. The mercenaries won’t be able to protect me!”
Liliette’s lips trembled as she gazed into her nursemaid’s pleading eyes. Her eyes flickered with conflicted emotion, the weight of the decision pressing on her. After a long pause, she sighed.
“We must do as we’re told,” she whispered, observing her nursemaid’s face stiffen in shock.
As Liliette’s vision adjusted to the darkness, she caught sight of the Duke’s castle atop a distant mountain. The silhouette of the fortress stood like a ghost against the inky sky, cold and forbidding. It was said that after his historic victory, the Duke had asked the Emperor for just one reward: Arcadia, the cursed land.
And it was there that Liliette was destined to spend the rest of her life.
* * *
The distant sound of a horn echoed through the night sky, announcing their return to the plateau city of Cadis. Liliette gazed up at the Duke’s castle, which loomed high above the city on Mount Pittes. The long climb to the fortress had left her exhausted and apprehensive. She realized she was now utterly alone; the only person she knew in this vast, unfamiliar land was Vladimir de Winter, who was now the most important figure in her life.
When they arrived at the castle, the knight dismounted first, offering her hand to help Liliette down. As she steadied herself, the steward of the castle approached with a lantern, his expression quickly shifting to one of surprise.
“Greetings, Dame Tallin. But where is His Lordship? And who is this?” he asked, blinking in confusion.
“She is the Lady of Arcadia,” the knight replied curtly.
The steward’s eyes widened in astonishment. Liliette, too tired to offer much of a greeting, glanced up at him and instinctively flinched. She had heard of those born with cleft lips, though she had never seen one. The steward’s face bore such a mark—a deep split from his left nostril to his upper lip, a mark often shunned by society and associated with being cursed by the gods. Liliette was surprised to see someone who would be rejected even by commoners occupying such a high position in a noble household. Noticing his uneasy expression, she quickly composed herself, giving a polite nod.
The steward bowed deeply. “I do hope you will forgive the oversight, my lady. We were not expecting your arrival today and could not prepare a proper welcome. Please, allow me to escort you to your room.”
Liliette followed him inside, feeling the weight of the castle’s imposing silence. The bedroom she was led to was spacious but cold, its only adornment a delicate translucent canopy draped over the bed.
Even after bathing and changing into her nightgown, the Duke had not returned. Liliette stepped out onto the balcony, feeling the cold night air chill her skin. Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to retreat indoors, her thoughts consumed by the fear of his possible death, a fear that eclipsed any concern she had about the cruelty he had displayed.
In the distance, the sound of a horn pierced the silence. She leaned over the balcony, straining to see through the darkness, but she couldn’t make out any shapes or movements. Just as she was about to give up hope out of frustration, she heard footsteps behind her.
The elderly head maid appeared, bowing politely.
“My lady, His Lordship will arrive shortly,” she announced.
“Is he all right? Is he hurt?” Liliette asked, her voice trembling. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat feeling like a drumroll, amplifying her unease. The seconds stretched into an eternity as she awaited the maid’s response.
“If there were any injuries, the horn would have sounded twice. It only sounded once, so he should be safe.”
Liliette let out a deep exhale of relief, her knees weakening beneath her as the tension in her body began to ease.
“There are certain duties you must fulfill to welcome His Lordship,” the maid continued.
The mention of duties made Liliette tense again. The moment had come to face the man shrouded in rumors. Tonight was, in essence, their official wedding night. Just like in the chapel, uncertainty gnawed at her—she had no idea what he might do to her. Swallowing her rising nausea, she braced herself.
The head maid carefully pulled something from her robe and handed it to Liliette, whose expression soured as she accepted the item.
“A black cloth? What is this for?” she asked, examining the luxurious fabric. It was thick on the inside and adorned with delicate lace on the outside, a clear indication of its high value. Yet, she found nothing remarkable about it.
Watching her impassively, the head maid instructed in a measured tone, “You are to cover your eyes with it. No matter what happens, you must not remove it.”
Liliette’s breath caught in her throat. The last time she had encountered the Duke, he hadn’t shown his face, but she had thought it was merely a coincidence. It was now clear, however, that it had been intentional.
“You must not see His Lordship’s face until everything is over,” the maid added.
Liliette shuddered as she remembered the Duke’s eyes glowing red in the darkness. She clenched her hand around the black cloth, hesitating for a moment before looking back at the head maid.
“What will happen if I do see his face?” she asked, her stomach knotting with anxiety.
The maid’s eyes twitched almost imperceptibly before she replied in her emotionless tone, “No one has ever defied His Lordship’s orders.”
Liliette decided to push aside her questions. She had been sold here, and she had no choice in the matter; defying orders would bring nothing but harm. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she prepared to blindfold herself, but the head maid stopped her.
“You must stand while you wait,” she said.
“With my eyes covered?” Liliette asked, blinking in disbelief.
The head maid nodded, her gaze unwavering. Taking a deep breath, Liliette carefully walked to the center of the room, feeling the cool night air against her skin as she tied the black cloth over her eyes. Once her vision was shrouded in darkness, she heard the door close behind the maid, leaving her surrounded by complete silence.