Princess Thief [✔]

51. The Dead Prince

No wonder it felt like I had seen him before. Not only because he looked identical to Yves except for his eye shapes and irises that were once similar to mine. It was simply because I had been looking at those eyes covered in a mask for years.

It was unsurprising how I could not point a finger at who he was despite my skills because of the one problem regarding my detailed memory. If one feature had changed for someone I saw in passing, I could not instantly distinguish them. Just like how I failed to identify Blaze at the Twilight Party because he didn't have violet eyes in his portraits.

"You..." I trailed off because I didn't know what exact words to say in this situation.

My mother was here and so was my eldest brother. Am I dreaming?

"We need to get out first before I can explain everything," said Night, or should I call him June?

I was brought back from my bewilderment and glanced at his free hands while the other two were still locked. My face morphed into a glower. The wrinkling brows accompanied the irritation in my voice.

"If you can escape right away, why haven't you done so? Why did you have to withstand all this torture?" 

My reasoning had already flown out of my head as countless emotions surged within me for the tangible reality that they were tormented here. And, all because of me. Not to mention that they had to undergo these vehement treatments right in front of Mother. Just what kind of sick joke was Father playing?

"Even if we broke free from here, it would only be futile. My magic was sealed and I could not guarantee all our safety."

"What fvcking reason was that?" I cussed in frustration. "Do you think it is better to be here than flee? Or at least, try to?"

"I thought you knew that bastard by now. We would have suffered worse if we escaped and ended up with a failed attempt."

That shut me up. How could I forget?

"To add, this is the lowest level. No one could enter here beside the elders and that bastard but once you go up, the Reapers will be swarming on us. That shitdog slave of that bastard often comes here and we need to leave immediately. With Cindra's magic, we can definitely escape without any problem."

I was about to agree but his statement was strange.

"You know?"

I had not demonstrated I can use Cindra's magic and I only discovered this ability until today.

"Lady Mhilrim told me," he confessed.

My scowl deepened. "What more are you keeping about me?"

"I'll tell you everything later. I promise, Carline."

I scoffed. "Ha. You're even calling me Carline now. How should I address you then?"

"As you always did. June had long been dead."

The finality and somberness in his voice calmed me down.

"Speaking of Lady Mhilrim, do you know where she is?"

"She is trapped in one of the rooms outside," he replied.

"If that's the case, let's get her while we're here."

"We can't. That demon made a feat and it could be his most powerful enchantment up to date. The moment we entered inside, our magic is sealed. That's what happened to me and Cindra," Night explicated.

I nodded. If what he said was true then there was nothing I could do. Night and I unlocked our siblings and the remorse always resurfaced every time I saw the evidence of this tribulation in Lian who had fallen into unconsciousness again.