065

065


Draco.

She was mocking him, Draco realized when he finished reading the note. How could she?

But she’s right, a voice in his mind said, making Draco grumble.

Damn, right she is, Draco hummed back in a mocking tone yet the voice taunted again, refusing to quit.

Why then are you running away from seeing her since she awoke, hmm?

At that, Draco huffed hugely, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Since he heard Isolde had woken up, Draco just hadn’t summoned the courage to see her face to face.

Well, he had seen her, though, because he was stalking her. As clumsily as it sounded, Lord Draco always sneaked into her chamber balcony in the dead of the night just to watch her sleep.

Yeah, no sane male would do that. Hence, Draco’s reason for drawing up the conclusion that he wasn’t sane anymore. He had lost all his composure from the very moment he awoke from the poison.

Now, he only went about doing crazy stuff like changing laws to favor Isolde and sneaking up on her.

Ugh! Draco groaned.

He did all that but the thought of meeting with Isolde face to face scared the shit out of him.

Well, he wasn’t scared precisely. More like shy.

‘Aha! She was right after all. Don’t want to admit she nearly snuffed you out,’ The voice in his head said, making the lord roll his eyes. 

With a faint smile on his lips, he peered at the note again, admiring Isolde’s handwriting. It was clumsy, but it was probably the most beautiful handwriting Draco had ever seen.

Rising from his seat, he moved over to the small round table in his room and helped himself with a drink. He strode over to the window, sipping the drink as he roved his eyes around, wondering how he’d bring himself to apologize to Isolde.

Was he going to say ‘thank you for saving me from the death you sent me to?’

“Ugh!” Draco groaned, rubbing at his eyes, unsure of what to say.





Draco came down for dinner after spending the afternoon waging war in his mind.

Actually, he was expecting to be the only one to eat dinner in the dining hall, but he was shocked when he came in and saw them all.

Alfos, Lucinda, and then her--- Isolde.

She was sitting at the head seat on the far end, outfitted in a beautiful red dress. Her long black hair was arranged into a braided crown, making her look regal like a luna.

Draco forgot how to breathe for a moment there, his heart galloping against his chest.

He stood in his track, locking his gaze on Isolde. Her beautiful blue eyes were to die for. Alluring and enticing.

And her lips. It was wet with a gloss, looking soft. He itched to taste them.

She looked breathtaking.

Surprisingly, Isolde was lost in his stare too. Both of them looked longingly at each other.

Isolde tried to speak, but when she opened her mouth, no words made it out. She only breathed through her mouth, lost in his hypnotic stare.

Her heart was jerking, humming to the tune of his.

“My lord,” Alfos’s voice dragged Draco and Isolde from their reverie.

Draco moved further into the room, schooling his features again even while his heart was hammering.

“Ahem!” He cleared his throat, nodding at Alfos as he advanced to the head seat opposite Isolde at the table.

Their gazes swept over each other again, but this time, Draco was the first to look away as if he didn’t see her.

“My lord, welcome,” Lucinda spat, smiling and bowing at Draco.

“Lucinda, thank you.” Draco hummed. Turning to Alfos, who for the first time came here to have dinner, Draco spat. “I’m surprised to see you here, Alfos.”

Alfos looked up at Draco, blinking like he didn’t understand what the lord was insinuating. “My lord?”

“I’ve never seen you in this dining room before. What changed?” 

Lucinda looked up, directing her gaze to Alfos. She seemed surprised to hear that from the lord. Her fingers curled tightly over her cutlery as she bit on her lip.

Alfos didn’t spare her a look when he stuttered. “I…just…felt like joining today. Do you have a problem with that, my lord?”

“None. I guess that’s a good change.” Draco admitted, focusing on his food.

He silently scooped up some soup, slurping on it as he made small talk. He did all that just so he would avoid talking or looking at Isolde.

Gods be dammed, Draco had never experienced something as difficult as that.

He felt Isolde’s gaze on him. Hot and searing his skin.

“My lord, I heard Abbator has the best gladiators. Is it true?” Lucinda asked, munching on her meat. Meanwhile, her eyes went over to Alfos.

“Hm. The best in Bloomington. No other clan can beat us. Never,” He said proudly between mouthfuls.

Lucinda blinked, blushing as Alfos stared at her. “Are there other clans in Bloomington?” She asked.

“Minors.” Alfos chimed in, his baritone deep and resonating. Lucinda’s insides flamed. She would soon turn into a burnt offering. “It’s what we call them,”

Isolde didn’t speak at all. Neither did she eat her meal. She was embittered. Angry and to think that monstrous male didn’t seem to care.

Hell’s cock!

“Really? Where are the Minors? What do they look like?” Lucinda chirped, happy to know the beta was talking to her.

Now, she tried to center all the questions on Alfos.

“In the Vale.” The beta managed through a thumping heart. “Well, we barely remember them. The Minors comprise sirens who assume themselves as independent people.”

Lucinda ate smilingly. “That’s wonderful.”

Silence descended in the dining hall. Only the sound of cutlery on platters could be heard. The four of them stared at each other.

Draco gazed at Isolde while Alfos devoured Lucinda with his blazing gaze.

“Uh, my lord,” Lucinda cut through the tensed silence, looking at Draco. Draco’s iridescent eyes turned to her as she asked. “Can I visit the gladiators den? I’d like to see what the beasts look like.”

“Lucinda. No, you can’t!” Isolde bristled. That was the first time she spoke.

Draco understood her reason. After what they did to Isolde at the pit, it probably wasn’t advisable to let the girl inch closer to the pit or the gladiators den. She was still recuperating from her trauma too.

However, Draco felt the urge to do something that’d spite Isolde and make her talk to him first.

At that, he worded. “Of course, you can visit them.”

He heard Isolde shriek, but instead of her to fire back at him with words, she only glared.

No, Draco wasn’t satisfied with that. He itched to hear her talk to him. Even if it was just to threaten him like she usually does.

Damn the sky, this was the first time Draco was realizing how her threatening words goaded him.

“But with Alfos. He’ll guide you and protect you through the den. The gladiators can be scary,” He added.

Unfortunately, Draco didn’t know what he just did. He had set two people that was unsure of how to talk to each other up.

Lucinda buzzed with excitement as she flicked a shy look at Alfos. To Draco, she hummed. “Thank you, my lord…”

“Anything for you, Lucinda. You’re welcome to stay in the tower too.”

Lucinda gasped, “Really?” She turned excitedly to Isolde, blurting. “Sister, the lord permitted me to stay here!”

Isolde nodded at her sister. Of course, she was happy to have her baby sister closer to her, but she wasn’t happy with Draco.

“Yes…” Draco hummed, continuing his small talk, hoping Isolde would join them.

Surprisingly, Isolde emerged on her feet. She clutched her dress and daggered a look at Draco before she turned and hastened out of the hall.

Stunned, Draco’s mouth dropped open as he looked between Alfos and Lucinda, wondering why Isolde left.

Where was she headed?

Draco bounced back to his feet immediately, the chair scraping over the floor as he stepped away from it. His armor creaked as Draco summoned courage and exited the dining hall, going after Isolde.

He needed to find her.

TBC.