Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 137017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
She met my eyes, and this time, her gaze burnt red-hot.
She wasn’t even trying to hide her annoyance.
Good. I didn’t want her to hide it.
I wanted her to show me who she truly was—because she was certainly not the sweet, wholesome person I’d expected her to be. And it was much, much easier to deal with people when they were honest.
“What is it that you’re trying to say? Because forgive me for saying so, my lady, but I feel as though I should take your words as a threat,” Lillia said, a chill running through her tone despite the smile on her face. “Are you concerned that the Grand Duke may be interested in me? Is that why you’re warning me to stay away from him? Everyone has been saying they can’t believe your marriage was arranged with how close you appear to be, but you seem quite insecure, my lady.”
My, my.
If this was how she wanted to play it, then so be it. It was time I dropped all pretence of concern—if she was going to show me who she really was, then I would do the same.
“Aren’t you bold, Lady Armand?” I took a step closer to her, something that forced her to look up at me. “Are you deliberately ignoring that I told you you’re free to approach my fiancé and share with him your interest in courting him? You may take my words any way you see fit, but you should keep in mind that I don’t make threats I don’t intend to follow through on.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“If you choose to disregard my words, House Vermillion and His Majesty will be the least of your concerns. If you approach the Grand Duke and he rejects you the way he did your handkerchief, and you continue to pursue him, you’ll have to deal with me first.” I stepped up next to her, laying my hand on her shoulder, and leant in close. “I have never once shown mercy to those who covet what’s mine. And make no mistake, His Highness is most certainly mine.”
Lillia tensed, and I squeezed her shoulder before withdrawing my hand and walking away.
So much for intending to stay away from her. Why was everything messing with my plans? All I wanted to do was live, damn it.
Then again, perhaps threatening her wasn’t the smartest idea in the world. That was very Book Alicia of me, but I could barely stand it. I couldn’t listen to her lies anymore. She knew what she was doing when she offered Kalon that bloody rag of hers, and she knew that I knew.
My initial impression of her at the ball had been correct, and I’d been right to be wary of her.
I sighed, resting my hand against my cheek as I walked. I wasn’t cut out for all this. Despite my ability to shut people down, I was too soft-hearted for this face-to-face bitchy nonsense.
In my next life, I really was going to be a cat.
A scream tore through the air, and I turned in the direction of it. A little girl no older than eight tumbled on the floor at the edge of the forest, and a young boy who couldn’t have been much older was tugging at her arm. She was crying, and before I knew what was happening, my feet were already moving, and Rina was calling after me.
“Are you all right?” I asked, bending down next to them.
“M-monster!” the girl said through her tears, pointing into the forest. “Big monster!”
A big monster?
Here?
No. There was no way. They must have mistaken one of the hunting animals for it—the only monsters present were extremely low-level, weak ones that were bred not to chase humans.
“I’m sure there isn—”
A deep, threatening growl rumbled through the air, and both the children screamed again.
“Stay behind me, my lady,” Rina said, drawing her sword and taking up a protective stance before us.
“Sissy!” The boy grabbed my arm when I reached for the little girl to help her up, and whatever was behind the growl announced its presence once again with a thundering roar that made the very ground shake beneath us.
Both children were covered in cuts and scrapes, but the girl had a huge cut to her leg that was streaming blood, and there was a redness around her ankle that practically screamed that she’d sprained it. I would have to carry her away from here.
“You must run,” I said to the boy. “Run for the knights! I will take care of your sister. Go now!”
He scrambled to his feet and ran back towards the resting area, crying loudly as he went.
“My lady, you must—”
“She’s hurt,” I replied to Rina, holding the little girl towards me. “And it’s not—”
A shadow descended over the ground in front of Rina, and I looked up, my words dying on my tongue.