The man's drawling tone was laced with amusement, his voice carried a hint of superiority. "What do we have here?" he asked, his grip on Leila's collar still firm.
Leila's eyes widened in shock as she realized the man's incredible strength. She felt like a helpless chick in his grasp, unable to struggle free. Her face burned with humiliation as she yelled, "Let me down!"
The man's chuckle was low and menacing, his breath whispering against her ear. "Do you promise not to run if I let you go?"
Leila knew better than to try to escape again. She had already seen the man's speed and agility. With a resigned sigh, she closed her eyes and replied, "Please, just let me down."
The man's grip relaxed, and Leila felt herself being lowered to the ground. She turned to face him, gulping as she took in his towering height. She had to crane her neck to meet his gaze.
Her eyes were drawn to the black mask that covered his face, and she couldn't help but wonder why he wore it. Was he hiding a disfigured face? Was he ashamed of his appearance? The mask seemed to add to his air of mystery, making him even more intimidating.
The man's reproachful tone was laced with a patronizing air, as if he were scolding a naughty child. "Do you know that eavesdropping is bad, little girl?"
How dare he speak to her like that? Leila felt a surge of anger, but her words caught in her throat. She was speechless, unable to form a coherent response.
The man's expectant gaze seemed to bore into her, waiting for an explanation. Leila's pride finally got the better of her. "I wasn't eavesdropping!" she protested, her voice rising in defiance.
His eyebrow arched, his expression skeptical. "Then what were you doing?" he asked, his tone implying that she was clearly guilty.
Leila's silence was a tacit admission of her guilt. She glared at the man, her anger and frustration simmering just below the surface.
"Why did I have to run into you again!" she exclaimed, her words laced with exasperation.
The man's head tilted, his expression puzzled. "Again?" he repeated. "Have we ever met before?"
Leila's temper flared, her anger boiling over. Did he really not remember her, or was he just pretending? The urge to punch his stupid face came back.
"Egotistic bastard!" she muttered under her breath.
Benjamin approached his master. He was taken aback by the sight of a frail, thin girl, barely fifteen years old, standing toe-to-toe with his master. Her eyes blazed with a fierce determination, but her tiny frame seemed to tremble with rage.
"Master, where is the kitten?" Benjamin asked, his voice laced with confusion. He couldn't help but wonder if the kitten his master had mentioned earlier was, in fact, this tiny, fierce girl.
The masked man's gaze remained fixed on Leila, his expression unreadable. Benjamin, however, felt a pang of concern for the girl's well-being. He bent down, his voice gentle, and asked, "Hello, child. Where are your parents? Did you run away from home?"
Leila's face twisted in anger and spat, "I'm not a child."
Benjamin's expression remained calm, but his tone was patronizing. "Yes, of course," he said, clearly not taking her words seriously. Leila's frustration boiled over, and she stomped her foot in anger.
Benjamin turned his attention back to his master, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Master, when did this little girl arrive?" he asked, his tone neutral.
The masked man's response was nonchalant. "She's been here since we arrived."
'Why hadn't his master informed him about the girl's presence earlier?' Benjamin snorted inwardly but did not dare speak his thoughts aloud.
"Do you think if we let her go, she'll go and tell the others what she saw?" Benjamin asked, his voice low and cautious. The masked man's gaze remained fixed on Leila, his expression unreadable.
His gaze bore into Leila's very soul, his eyes seeming to pierce through her like a cold, dark knife. "She wouldn't," he stated.
Leila felt a shiver run down her spine as his dark haunting eyes locked onto hers.
"Would you tell anyone what happened here, little girl?" he asked.
Under his unyielding gaze, Leila's instincts took over, and she subconsciously shook her head. The movement was almost imperceptible, but the masked man's eyes seemed to gleam with satisfaction.
Benjamin's expression turned disapproving as he watched the exchange. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of disgust at his master's behavior. How could a grown man intimidate a young girl like that? It was unbecoming, to say the least.
Benjamin's voice was kind and gentle as he addressed Leila. "Go home, child. It's not safe for a young girl like you to be out here, especially at this hour."
His gaze turned thoughtful, and he couldn't help but wonder what a girl like Leila was doing in a graveyard at midnight. She was an odd little thing, that was for certain.
Leila felt a wave of relief wash over her as she realized she was being let off the hook. She had been convinced that she was going to meet a terrible fate at the hands of the masked man. His eyes had seemed to hold a murderous glint.
Just as Leila turned to make her escape, a searing pain shot through her neck, leaving her reeling. Before she could even process what was happening, her vision began to blur and she felt herself being pulled down into darkness. She tried to cry out, but her voice was silenced by the encroaching blackness.
Benjamin's anguished cry cut through the night air. "Master!" he exclaimed in alarm.
The masked man's response was infuriatingly nonchalant. "What?" he asked, innocently. "I never said anything about letting her go."
"Why did you knock her out? She's not a threat to us. She's just a child!"
" I don't like her face. She's too ugly."
"..." He just didn't like her face?
Benjamin's eyes widened in horror as he stared at his master. "This would teach her not to wander around at night," the masked man continued, his voice devoid of remorse.
Benjamin felt a surge of shame and disgust wash over him. How could his master be so heartless? Bullying an innocent little girl and speaking of it as if it were nothing more than a trivial matter. He couldn't help but feel a pang of pity for Leila, who had been unfortunate enough to cross paths with his ruthless master.
As he watched, the masked man effortlessly lifted Leila into the air, her body dangling limply from his grasp. Benjamin's gut twisted with anxiety, wondering what his master had planned for the young girl. He knew better than to intervene, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was complicit in something truly sinister.