The Blood Maiden

Chapter 41 | Fallen

Mirev's POV

I moved the coronation three days from now, just enough time for Feyren to recover. Inouen and Admiral Enrioch are working together to find the culprits behind her attempted kidnapping. I have set everything in their right places, except for one— Elaire.

Pinaningkitan ko ang bakanteng mesa sa isang sulok ng opisina.

"Sire," ani Gideon. "You did tell her that you were going to give her everything that she will ask, and she has asked for another day off."

"Tsk." I clicked my bittering tongue. "How dare she use my own words against me."

"Sire," sambit ulit ni Gideon. "Elle was the one who saved Her Highness, Princess Feyren, was she not?" Naglapag siya ng mga dokumento sa aking mesa. "I suggest we also give her time to recover."

To recover from what? From a wet dream?

"Gideon, do you know why we forget most of our dreams?" Itinuon ko ang aking atensyon sa mga papel na kailangan ko na namang basahin at pirmahan. "It is so we do not confuse them with real memories."

And maybe the reason why she's absent from work is because she has not forgotten about it yet.

Picking up my fountain pen, I snickered.

Paano nga naman niya agad makakalimutan ang panaginip na 'yon? I suppose that the only way for her to forget it is that she accept it. And when she finally realizes how much she wants me, then I can bed her— claim her. Dahil ito lang naman ang hinihintay ko— ang sabihin niyang gusto niya rin ako.

"These, Your Majesty, are the laws that you refused to sign," Gideon began. "With my advise, the Court of Lords have revised a few clauses..."

Duty. It was the only thing that kept me from going to Elaire's room and seducing her.

I passed laws, granted audience to nobles and commoners who wanted to see me, and when these weren't enough, I found myself in the dungeons. In one of the cells. The darkest, the bloodiest, each crack in the walls hinting torture.

Umalingawngaw ang lagapak sa loob ng madilim na selda. Pinalitan ito ng marahan kong tawa nang damhin ang pumipintig na sakit sa aking kamao. Gamit ang kabila, sinuntok ko papihit ang ulo ng duke na nakatali sa isang upuan. His jaw cracked. Blood spurt from his mouth upon impact. Before his head could fall heavy, I gripped his hair, so tight his scalp popped.

Lord Delric, the Duke of Borderlands, was once a man of esteem, now reduced to a toy and a punching bag for the king. Darating din ang araw na magkawatak-watak ang katinuan niya dahil sa pinanggagawa ko sa kanya, pero lulubos-lubusin ko muna ang panahon na hindi pa ito nangyayari. He must not break apart yet. He must crack first. Slowly. Deeply.

"Your son is not looking for you, I wonder why?" Hinaltak ko ang kanyang ulo patingala. "Are you that terrible of a father?"

Umangat ang aking magkabilang kilay sa isinagot niya na nananakit na kurap lang ng mga mata. Then his distorted face scrunched in quiet pain. By the way he looked, he's probably fading in and out of consciousness. He could not anymore open his eyes and he breathed rough, through his mouth after I shattered his nose. Halatang malubha na ang kanyang natamo kaya marahas ko siyang binitawan. Lumupaypay ang kanyang ulo sa kanyang duguang dibdib.

At nagsimula akong maglakad-lakad sa harap niya, nakapameywang. How do I wake him up without healing him again? Pahangos akong guminhawa nang hagurin ko ang nangangalit kong panga. How do I force a scream out of him even though he can't?

Sa huli, kaswal akong umikot paharap sa dalawang kawal na nasa likod niya. "Bring me an iron rod and a bucket of coal."

For a moment, the duke grunted in fear.