Chapter 13 Destruction
His deep, masculine voice made her drool for reasons she couldn’t explain. She turned immediately, and his clothes were there. How could she miss it? She picked them up and handed them to him.
“I am sorry,” she laughed nervously.
The man smiled, a genuine, handsome smile. She wondered how a human could be so beautiful.
The young man put on his shirt and trousers right in front of her. No one asked her to look away, but the act of buttoning his shirt was the most seductive thing she had ever seen. She had to pretend she was looking for something.
When she finally looked back at him, he was done dressing and had put on his sandals. He smiled at her again and walked away—he was probably heading to the village. Lyriel stood still for a few seconds… how could she let such a fine man walk away without even knowing his name? That was very foolish.
“Wh-what is your name?” she called after him in her tiny voice, unsure if he would hear her or even bother to respond.
To her surprise, he turned around to look at her and smiled again. “Belial… my name is Belial,” he said, and continued walking toward his destination.
Lyriel whispered his name to herself. “Belial.” That was the most angelic name she had ever heard. Although she didn’t know what it meant, but whispering his name again made her heart flutter. The human world was indeed full of beauty!
Later that evening, Lyriel found herself walking through the forest path that led to Eli's cottage. Many thoughts occupied her mind, but Belial topped them all. She grinned, remembering the moment Belial took his clothes from her and dressed right in front of her. That was the most seductive act she had ever seen, and it wasn’t like he was trying to be seductive—but she saw it that way.
She wondered who he was, and if he was a villager, but she had never seen him before. There was no way she could forget that face. There were so many striking qualities about him...his long legs and… ohh, his green eyes, dark hair, and broad shoulders… how could he be so perfect…
“Ohh, Lyriel,” she patted her cheeks, blushing really hard, “stop thinking about Belial! There are more important people I need to focus on, like Eli and Mira!” She scolded herself, but thinking about Eli and Mira made her sad.
Eli wasn’t the 'Eli' she used to know. He was now rude to her, secretive, and absent from home. She wondered if it had anything to do with her, or if he was tired of her presence and thought she had overstayed her welcome. Well… she could stay with Mira if Eli decided to send her out of his cottage, but Mira on the other hand was… well, she still couldn’t understand what was wrong with her. Was she jealous? But why would Mira be jealous of her? Mira had shown nothing but kindness and curiosity, so why the sudden change of attitude?
“Ahhh!” she yelled, desperate and frustrated. “Why are humans so difficult to understand! It’s so hard to know what their intentions are.”
Lyriel pouted and pushed the cottage door open. She walked in and closed the door behind her.
“Where have you been?”
She turned around sharply to see Eli sitting on a stool, staring at her. There was anger in his eyes—and something else she couldn’t decipher.
“I… I was at… Mira’s house,” she stammered, startled by his dark demeanor.
“Doing what?” he pressed on.
Lyriel swallowed really hard. She wasn’t expecting such questions from anyone, talk more of Eli. “I felt bored at home. I… needed someone to talk to.”
“And you didn’t see it fit to wait until I returned before going out?”
“I am sorry, Eli. I thought you were still angry at me and wouldn’t return home,” Lyriel pouted. Eli was really frightening at that moment, and she didn’t like the feeling.
“Where else did you go?”
“The… the river. I went there.”
Eli stared at her for some time, then stood up to leave. Lyriel let out a breath of relief, thinking the phase was over, but Eli paused in his tracks and turned to her.
“Who is Belial?”
Lyriel’s heart sank as those words left Eli’s lips. “Belial? How did you know about him?”
“I overheard you talking to yourself as you approached the cottage... You were very loud.” His strong gaze burned into Lyriel’s skin.
“I… I… He was… ehm, he is…”
Eli walked slowly toward her, curious as he watched her stammer. “You suddenly forgot how to speak?”
“No, Eli. I… I met him at the river. I don’t know him, honestly.”
“Nah,” He frowned, wearing a wicked look in his eyes, “the way you described him, I’m very sure you know him too well.”
“No, no, I don’t… I really don’t know him.”
“Did you know how worried I was about you? I searched the whole village—every nook and cranny looking for you!” He said angrily. “I even went to your so-called Mira’s house and she told me she hadn’t set her eyes on you…”
“She said what!!!” Lyriel yelled, now it was her turn to be angry. How could Mira lie against her in such a cruel way?
“… Little did I know you were at the river having fun with your so-called lover.”
“What!!??” Lyriel yelled louder this time.
“Yes, you also fantasized about how he seduced you by putting on his clothes.”
“What do you mean?” Lyriel felt her head spinning. This wasn’t how she expected her good evening to go. “Belial is someone I met at the river, and he is a good guy!”
“A good guy?” Eli teased. “Do you even know what the name ‘Belial’ means?”
“Belial? No, I don’t!”
Eli leaned toward her and whispered in her ear, “It means one who brings destruction.”
“Destruction?!” Lyriel’s eyes widened. He wrapped his hands around her tiny waist, leaning in longer than she expected. Her stomach tightened instinctively at his touch.
“Yes, destruction. Do you still believe he’s a good guy?”
“Yes—no… I don’t know. Maybe Belial isn’t his real name.” Lyriel couldn’t think straight. Eli still leaned on her, and she wondered what he was doing to her neck. It gave her a feeling—a weird feeling she didn’t understand.
“Next time you see that guy, run away from him. Or I will make it my life mission to see him dead.” Eli whispered harshly in her ear, and she flinched.
He stepped back suddenly and took a long look at her, his brows furrowed in disbelief. Lyriel wasn’t sure why he was staring at her like that.
He grabbed her right hand and turned her palm upward, inspecting it closely. “How has your wound vanished so suddenly? You were injured only yesterday.”
Lyriel swallowed hard as his words sank in. She had completely forgotten about the spell she had cast on the wound. She was supposed to have covered it up to avoid being questioned.