ROYAL DARKNESS (MASKED)(18+)

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

I sat down next to the calm river, my eyes focused on its gentle current. After taking a sip of its refreshing water in my cupped hands, I slowly removed my clothes, allowing the chilly stream to embrace me. Although it was a small river, it offered a much-needed relief after a long day. Earlier, my sister had instructed me to return the souls of three guards, a task that had drained a good portion of my energy but thankfully hadn't left me weak. At that moment I desperately craved another soul, but I knew I had to wait, especially in this kingdom.

The moment I saw her again, I couldn't help but wonder about her true feelings towards me. Her eyes and words remained cold, revealing little about her emotions. I wasn't sure if she welcomed my return after all these years, especially considering her desire for me to disappear immediately I return back the souls I took .

It troubled me that she seemed emotionally distant, she has always been that way but it still trouble. All my life she has done nothing but kept things away from like she had hidden information about our parents, and had left me in the dark about her life. Throughout my existence, I had clung to the belief that she was my only family, the one who abandoned me years ago with no remorse. Yet, despite my best efforts, I couldn't muster any hatred for her. I had dedicated myself to growing stronger, just as she had wanted all those years ago, in the hope of earning her affection. But even with my unwavering commitment, she remained indifferent, uninterested, and seemingly uncaring.

I sank myself into the river, enjoying the sensation of its cold embrace as it carried me away from the weight of stress. With a deep inhale, I sank deeper into the river, allowing the water to cover my head. After a few minutes of staying underwater, I rose back to the surface unable to hold my breath anymore. My wet hair covered my face as I swept it aside, my vision clearing.

As I looked around, I noticed the presence of a woman, one I knew all too well. It was the river woman, the succubi. Her head appeared from the water's surface, revealing her familiar face, while the rest of her body remained hidden beneath the water.

I sighed, well aware that she wouldn't simply leave me be, as she had indicated. What her intentions were remained a mystery, but one thing was clear-I was determined to claim her soul for myself.

I watched as she gracefully disappeared into the water, her head vanishing beneath the surface like she wasn't even there in the first place. Moments passed as I scanned the surroundings, searching for any sign of her, until suddenly, she reappeared right in front of me. As always, she stood in her natural form, naked, though the water covered her from her chest down. Her beauty remained, and her eyes, unlike the pure black from our last encounter, now looks like that of a regular human's. Yet, an unsettling aura came from her as she stared at me in silence.

"It wasn't a dream after all," I said, my voice cautious as I grappled with the reality of her presence. "You really did appear."

She responded with a sinister smile, her gaze unwavering as she said, "How can you be so sure that you are not dreaming right now?"

I paused, considering her words before I replied, "A dream like this doesn't just happen twice." Her fingers traced a path from my neck down to my chest, leaving me unsettled.

"I told you she will never love you," she whispered, drawing nearer and planting a kiss on my chest. "You poor man."

"Who are you talking about?" I questioned, a sense of dread gnawing at me. Part of me knew exactly who she meant, but I wasn't ready to accept it.