Lucian didn't sleep well. His demon was restless, hungry and angry.
"Bring me Lincoln!" He told Lydia who was serving him breakfast.
She nodded and left. Shortly after Lincoln came in. "Your Highness."
"Did you find the seal?"
"No."
Lucian tried to keep his calm but his nails were already elongating and his body itched for blood. "Bring them to me.!"
Lincoln and Anum came back with Pierres soldiers. They got pushed down on their knees in front of him. Lucian stared down at them with arms crossed behind his back.
"So...you don't know where the seal is?" He asked.
They shook their heads.
"Then I have no use of you." Lucian said and slit their throats with his claws. Their bodies fell to the ground with a thud. Lucian grabbed the table clothes to wipe his hands off while the soldiers slowly bled to death.
"That was unnecessary You Highness. You stained the carpet." Lincoln said with a frown.
Lucian was amused. Lincoln still didn't fear him. "I didn't stain the carpet. Their blood did." Lucian said calmly.
"I beg of you to calm down." Lincoln knew Lucian wasn't entirely himself right now.
"I will Your Highness." Lucian mocked.
Klara stared at the necklace in her hand. She needed to go back to Hazel and she had nothing but the necklace to help her. But how? According to Irene the necklace would only help her if she was in danger and she wasn't.
Klara sighed. How would she go back?
"My Lady?"
Klara looked up. "Enoch? How...what are you doing here?"
He pointed at the necklace.
"But doesn't this work only when I am in danger?"
"It works when it senses that you need us."
"Oh..." She said relieved. "I just need to go back."
"This way." He said and she followed him. They went through the magic gate but this time she didn't fall when they arrived because Enoch had his arm around her waist and held her steady.
"Thank you." She smiled. Without a word he walked into the mansion and she followed him inside. He was walking so fast and Klara had a hard time keeping up with him. She wanted to ask where they were going but he looked so serious that she decided not.
He opened the door to a room and gestured for her to sit on a sofa.
"I'll Inform Irene you are here." He said and left.
Klara sat down with a sigh. Enoch was very strange. He never smiled, never waited for her to replay and looked very serious and uninterested all the time.
After a whiles wait Klara heard footsteps and shortly after Irene walked into the room. Klara stood up from her seat.
"Klara." Irene smiled and gave her a hug.
"Hi." Klara smiled nervously surprised by the sudden hug.
"Are you alright my dear?"
"Yes, I am fine thank you."
Irene smiled. "Good. Come!" She said and led her to another room. "Look who is here."
Hazel looked up. "Klara! You are already back." She said surprised.
"Disappointed?"
"Very much." She joked. "Are you alright?"
"Yes. No need to worry."
"And Lucian? Did you meet him? Is he alright?"
Irene laughed. "Let her sit down and breathe for a while Hazel."
"Yes I am sorry. Please sit." She said.
Klara sat down while Irene poured her a drink. "I met Lucian and I gave him your letter. He is alright."
Hazel sighed relieved. Irene sat down as well and handed the drink to Klara.
"Very well then. Shouldn't you go back home? You siblings must be very worried." Irene said.
Klara looked down feeling very guilty. She would go back home as soon as she made sure Hazel was safe. "Is there a way to take Hazel to Lucian?" She asked avoiding Irene's question.
"Yes there is. In fact, I am sending Hazel to Lucian tonight."
Hazel nodded.
Klara took a sip from her drink. Soon everything would be in place, Lucian would take over the castle and hopefully defeat his brother, Hazel and Lucian would meet and she would go back home. She missed home, especially Astrid but she feared her brothers wrath. He never took betrayal lightly and his time she knew he wouldn't forgive her easily.
"Why don't you take a bath." Hazel suggested.
Klara looked at her dirty clothes and hair. She really needed a bath. "Yes, I think I should."
"There is a little bath house with a hot bath outside the mansion. Why don't you go there. It's very relaxing."
Irene nodded, "Yes, I'll bring you some clothes." she said and left.
Hazel and Klara sat in silence for a while when Hazel finally spoke. "Thank you."
Klara was confused. "For what?"
"For helping us escape, for saving my life and for helping Lucian. I know it must have been difficult for you to do that. I know I am useless...I...I am not as brave or as strong or as beautiful as you. I really envy you but I am thankful to you as well."
"Don't thank me because then I would have to apologize and don't envy me because you have far more valuable things than I have. You have a very good heart and a loving husband. It's something people rarely have these days."
"You have a good heart as well and you will find a loving husband I am sure." She smiled.
Klara wasn't sure. In fact she didn't care. She decided to never fall in love again. Getting her heart broken once was already too painful she didn't want to go through that pain again.
Irene came back in with new clothes and a towel.
"Here!" She said, "take a bath and change."
Klara took the clothes then went to find the bathing house. It looked like a small cottage but a beautiful one. She opened the door and peeked inside. She could almost see nothing because of the steam. Entering she closed the door behind her. The steam surrounded her and she already began to feel relaxed. Going further into the room she found where the steam was coming from. There was a little pool of hot water in the middle of the room. Klara already longed to jump inside so she began to undress. She took her steal armor off first then, when she was about to take her clothes off she stopped abruptly. Someone was behind her. Klara quickly grabbed the dagger in her boots and turned around holding the dagger out.
"Roshan?"
A smile curved his lips. "You really need to relax. Not everyone is out to kill you." He said taking a few steps closer.
"What... are.... you doing here?" She asked nervously as she realized he was almost n.a.k.e.d.
Klara swallowed as her gaze traveled along his mesmerizing physique. She had never seen this much of a male body before. He was wearing a piece of white clothes that hung low on his h.i.p.s and covered only half his thighs. Water dripped from his wet hair and down on a chiseled chest and perfectly sculpted abdominals. His golden skin glistened from the water drops that covered his whole body.
Her gaze traveled back to his face, some strands of his wet hair fell over his eyes and cheek. Klara had the sudden urge to remove them with her finger. His lips curved into a smirk. He was fully aware she was admiring his body.
Klara's throat felt suddenly dry. Clearing her throat "You...What are you doing here?" She asked again but accusingly this time.
He raised one brow. "I am supposed to ask that question." He said as he strode toward her.
Why was he coming closer? Klara panicked but didn't move from her place as she still held the dagger out.
"This bathing-house is for males only. The one for females is on the other side." He said walking even closer. Klara waved the dagger in the air in front of her to make him stop from coming closer.
He looked at the dagger in her hand and raised a brow.
"I...I didn't know." She said. She wanted to go back and slap Hazel, especially if she did this on purpose.
He came even closer to her and she took a step back. "Now you know." He said amused.
"Stop or..."
"Or what?" He asked still walking toward her. Klaras back hit the wall. She still held the dagger in front of her and Roshan walked closer until the tip was placed on his chest.
Klara hoped he wouldn't come closer because she really didn't want to hurt him but she didn't want to show defeat either by lowering the dagger.
She looked at where the tip was placed but her gaze moved all over his chest. She felt her heart speed up, why was she staring at his body?
Then everything happened quickly. He suddenly grabbed her hand in which she held the dagger and pinned it to the wall, and her other hand he placed it on his chest. "You can touch if you want." He said as he moved her hand over his chest and down to his abdominal.
Klara froze for a while but then she couldn't help but enjoy the feel of his strong body under her hands. His golden skin was so smooth, his body so strong and warm. She wanted to feel more of his body with both her hands when she realized her other hand was pinned. With a jolt, she came back to her senses and pushed him away with her free hand. "Let go of me!"
He let go of her slowly. Without wasting any time she quickly got away from him, grabbed her clothes and ran out of there fl.u.s.tered.
What in heavens was wrong with her? Touching a mans body and enjoying it, was she crazy? She went back to the mansion still fl.u.s.tered and irritated, she didn't want a hot bath anymore she was already burning.
Walking into Hazel's room she shut the door behind her and let out a breath.
"Is everything alright?" Hazel looked at her confused.
"No. I was just about to undress completely in front of a man." Klara said.
"Who?"
"Nevermind. I will just take a bath here." She said.
Klara took a quick bath and changed then joined Irene and Hazel at the garden.
At another table a bit away sat the annoying Roshan,together with Enoch and another man she couldn't see clearly, but he had silver hair. Silver hair! Strange, she thought.
"So as soon as the sun goes down we can start with the spell and send Hazel away." Irene explained.
Klara nodded.
"Do you want me to send you home as well?" Irene asked.
Klara nodded again. She should go back home if Hazel went safely home to Lucian. There wasn't much she could do for them now anyway.
When the sun went down, Irene began to work on her spell. "Are you ready?" She asked Hazel.
Hazel nodded.
"I have opened a gate right there." She said pointing at some empty place. Hazel and Klara looked confused at each other as they couldn't see the gate Irene was talking about.
"You can't see it so I will lead you through it." She explained.
"Alright."
"Be careful and hopefully we will see each other soon. Don't forget everything I told you." Irene said then she and Hazel hugged each other.
Hazel then turned to Klara and gave her a hug as well. Klara hugged her back. "Thank you again and I hope you reach home safely."
"You too." Klara smiled and she meant it. She never thought she would get along with the wife of the only man she has loved.
Irene took Hazels hand and led her forward. "Farewell." She said before Hazel disappeared, probably as she went inside the invisible gate.
Klara was stunned for a moment but then shook her head. "How do we know she reached there safely."
"That's easy." Irene went to her closet. Opening it she took out a violet box and put it on the table.
"Come here." She ordered.
Klara went to the table and sat down. Irene opened the box a took out a green crystal ball, which she put on the table. She sat down and put her hands on the crystal ball. Closing her eyes she began to move her hands in different motions around it until it began to glow.
"Now!" She said opening her eyes then looking into the crystal ball.
Klara got curious and looked as well but she couldn't see anything.
"I see nothing." She said but Irene kept looking.
"Now here! There she is!" Irene said pointing.
Klara looked into the crystal ball once again and now she could finally see Hazel and she knew she had reached home safely.