Chapter 17 Mr rabbit
Evan's legs shook as she tried to calm herself down, telling herself that this wasn't real and that it was all an illusion. She closed her eyes and opened them, and she saw the stony creature approaching.
“Stay back! Stay back, don't come any closer!” she screamed. As she screamed more, she felt a sticking pain in her throat. Coughing, she coughed out blood. She figured she had an injury in her throat.
She didn't have the strength to run, so she just used her hand, hoping to at least shoo the creature away.
She suddenly felt uncontrollably dizzy, as if she was seeing herself drowning in an ocean. Her legs gave way as she fell to the ground. In her last point of struggle, she struck her hand in the air. Magically, it brought out sharp blades of different shapes made of ice.
They pierced the creature's body, making it stagger back to the ground. She saw the creature coughing out blood from its mouth.
“Get lost!” she said as she struck her hand again, sending more icy blades into the creature's body. She heard it groaning in pain. She herself was weak, so she just lay where she was and looked up at the sky. There were no stars, and it was as black as hell, as if it was another world. Taking a deep sigh multiple times, she managed to get up.
Picking up the... she started walking back to the mansion. There was something unusual; it wasn't that far when she first came. It was as if the distance had shortened. However, she shook that feeling away and walked straight ahead. When she reached a certain distance, she saw Ezekiel. He was standing there with three other men.
“Search everywhere! Make sure you find her!” his voice rang out. As soon as Evan stepped into view, her yellow glowing pendant’s light vanished.
“M-milord,” Evan called out, her voice low and dull. Upon detecting a voice, Ezekiel spun to see Evan. He immediately ran to her. When he reached her, he checked every part of her body, ensuring she wasn't hurt.
“My pet, are you okay? Where have you been?” he asked, but the girl remained silent and dull. He immediately lifted her onto his shoulders and took her to the mansion.
…
Evan had taken a hot shower and eaten as well. She felt a bit energetic, but her head couldn't stop thinking about what happened: the creature, the blood. Ezekiel told her he had been looking for her all this while. It sounded so strange. Why couldn't he find her? It was the same mansion, and the strangest part was the power she had released back then. She wanted to tell the Duke, but her instincts said ‘no’ to her.
“Are you okay?” the Duke asked. He was sitting on the bed as he stared at Evan, who was sitting on the single armchair in the room.
Without saying a word, she nodded. Ever since she had come into the mansion, she hadn't said a word, just nodding to anything Ezekiel said.
“My pet, come to the bed,” he instructed. Of course, Evan hesitated; always stubborn. But stubborn people know who they toy with. Not everyone is a fire; there are many bombs, but they are rare.
She walked to the bed and took a seat. Her heart was a little threatened.
“Are you truly okay?” Before Ezekiel could finish the words, the girl vigorously nodded.
“Why aren't you talking?” The reason Evan refused to talk was because she was traumatized. Not only that, she had an injury in her throat, and talking too much wouldn't be good.
“Are you mad at me?” the Duke asked, making Evan blink. She wasn't expecting the question, but anyway, since he asked, she decided to reply. Again, she nodded, making the Duke sigh.
“I am sorry,” he apologized in a low, pleading tone. If Evan had been drinking something at the moment, she was sure she might have choked.
Did the Duke just apologize to me? It felt unnatural. The words sounded foreign to her own ears as well. He didn't mind doing that for this girl. Whatever would make her happy, he would do it this very moment.
“Are you still going to go to the supermarket with me?” Zeke asked. Almighty Ezekiel, who never talked much, was now the one talking like a parrot.
Evan nodded at him again. The Duke sighed. If she were a lady, he would have given her a pencil and paper to write on so he could understand what she had to say.
“So you want to go to your room?” he asked again. Seeing the girl nod again, she got up from the bed, muttering ‘goodnight.’ She walked to the door, opened it, and disappeared behind it. Ezekiel was stunned.
…
In her room, Evan picked up a bunny rabbit from the corridor. It was yellow and beautiful. Seeing the rabbit's cuteness, she took it along with her. In her room, there was only one single candle bringing light to the room. She had closed the single window and was watching the rain pour as usual. The rain never failed to fall, and there wasn't any night of fair skies. The land of Greenwave was usually cold and wet. Only influential families could enjoy the land.
She watched the bunny rabbit that was so cute to her. Its long ears and cute mouth made her chuckle to herself.
“You're so cute!” she told the lifeless bunny. “I wish you could come to life so you and I could be best of friends.” Her face was as bright as the sun.
Knock!
Her door was knocked. She wondered who it was at this time of night. She immediately went to open the door.
When she did, the housekeeper stood there with a deep frown on his face.
“You didn't finish washing the clothes.”
“Sir, I was ill, so I felt…” she clarified.
“Then who do you expect to wash the clothes for you?”
“Sir, if there is something certain, the other maids have already washed it. Why disturb me?” she asked. Evan always liked going straight to the point instead of telling fantasies and beating around the bush.
“You failed to do your duty, and for that reason, you'll be given extra punishment.”
“Sir, I am very tired. It's midnight; please leave,” her voice was low and pleading. Instead of leaving, the housekeeper lashed into the room.
“What are you doing in my room? Leave immediately!”
“Do you know who I am? I am Brody, the first son of an influential family, and if you disobey me, I will kill you and crush you into pieces,” he blabbered. That was when Evan discovered this housekeeper was actually a real goat. He would fit better in her bunny rabbit. She closed her eyes and chanted a spell. Just like that, the housekeeper's body transformed, becoming smaller, and he fit into the bunny rabbit.
Evan's eyes flew open. How was she able to do that? Anyway, it was done.
“Now, Mr. Rabbit, you'll listen to me!”