Twisted Greed (Twisted Sin #1)

Chapter 5

"W-Who's there?" she called out, her voice trembling with fear.

The footsteps paused, and for a moment, there was an unsettling silence. Yzabella’s mind raced. Could it be an intruder? Or perhaps someone with ill intentions? She reached for the small dagger she kept hidden under her pillow, her fingers shaking.

The footsteps resumed, closer now, and she could hear the faint rustle of fabric against the floor. Panic surged within her. She quietly slipped out of bed and moved toward the source of the sound, careful to stay hidden behind the heavy drapes of her bed.

As she peered around the corner, she saw a shadow move across the floor—a dark figure moving with deliberate, measured steps. Her pulse quickened. The intruder seemed to be searching for something, or perhaps someone. Yzabella’s breath came in short, fearful bursts. Her hands shook uncontrollably, her sweat cold, and her heart pounded hard in her chest. Fear gripped her whole being as the intruder tried to open the door of the balcony to get inside her room.

She knew the intruder didn't bring good news since he was trying to get to her while she was asleep, and as far as she knew, it was not an appropriate time to converse with anyone in the middle of the night.

It could be that the intruder was a thief or perhaps an assassin sent to kill her in her sleep. The thought of someone wanting her dead was too much for her innocent mind.

She didn't know what to do; all she could think of was the need to get out of the room. And so she did. The dagger she was holding dropped to the floor and made a sound, alerting the intruder.

She quickly stepped out of the room, rushing through the darkness of the hallways as she felt the intruder chase her. She couldn't scream; it was like something was stuck in her throat, and she couldn't make a sound for help.

Her cold feet touched the floor harshly as she took quick glimpses behind her to see the intruder running after her. It was dark, and she couldn't see his face clearly, but she saw his structure and clothes.

He was wearing a dark cloak that covered almost all of him. He was tall and slender; she assumed that the intruder was somewhat of a warrior or a soldier because of his build. But what caught her attention was the emblem embedded on the left side of the cloak.

It was a red rose struck by a dagger, with vines that seemed like chains holding the dagger in place.

She turned into another corridor and ran as fast as she could, tears falling from her ruby eyes, leaving a trail behind her. Her breaths came in ragged gasps, her chest heaving as she pushed herself to keep moving. The sound of the intruder's footsteps echoed through the hallways, growing louder and closer with each passing second.

Desperation fueled her flight, her mind racing to find a safe haven. She could hear the intruder gaining on her, the heavy thud of his boots reverberating in her ears. Her vision blurred with tears, but she forced herself to keep going, turning corner after corner in a frantic attempt to lose him.

Finally, she saw a door ahead, slightly ajar, with a faint light spilling out. Summoning the last of her strength, she sprinted toward it and threw herself inside, slamming the door shut behind her. She leaned against it, her breath coming in ragged sobs, her heart pounding wildly.

The room was dimly lit by a single candle on a table. As her eyes adjusted, she realized she had stumbled into a small storage room filled with old furniture and dusty books. It looked like a library but smaller.

Her eyes widened in fear when she heard footsteps approaching again from outside. She gasped and quickly stood, roaming her eyes in the room until they settled on another corridor that seemed connected to this room.

She didn't hesitate to rush through it and found herself in a huge library—it seemed to be the palace's main library. With her senses still sharp and adrenaline rushing through her body, she carefully walked in every corner of the shelves, hoping that the intruder had lost her and would finally give up.

Her shaking hands reached the corners of the shelves for support as she felt her body slowly giving up. She hid in a corner where many books were placed neatly.

"Yza, calm, calm..." she whispered to herself, caressing her chest as she did her best to calm her nerves.

She then wiped her wet cheeks, her tears still falling like a waterfall.

"Your Grace..." her breath hitched when a voice echoed through the corners of the grand library.

She slowly turned and took a glimpse right through the gaps of the books on the shelves. There she saw two people. One was a servant of the emperor with a high rank, probably the hand, standing in front of a huge study table that was in the middle of the library.

She recognized the other one—the emperor was sitting on a fancy chair, reading what seemed to be a letter. His gray hair fell to the sides of his face as his brows met, making his wrinkles more visible.

"Is this all of the letters that you have for me?" the emperor asked with authority.

The servant gulped but remained calm. "The kingdom of Esther hasn't sent a response yet, Your Grace."

The emperor sighed heavily, setting the letter down on the table. "We cannot afford to wait much longer. Their silence is troubling."

Yzabella's heart raced. She hadn't expected to encounter the emperor himself, and the urgency in his voice added another layer of fear to her already panicked state. She crouched lower, trying to remain unseen, her breath shallow and quiet.

The servant nodded. "Shall we send another envoy, Your Grace? Perhaps one with more... persuasive measures?"

The emperor shook his head. "No, not yet. We must tread carefully. The alliance with Esther is crucial, but we cannot force their hand. Continue to monitor the situation and report back to me immediately if there is any change."

Yzabella was too focused on them that she didn't feel the presence of a man behind her. She just felt it when the man covered her mouth from behind her, strong but gentle. She was stunned and used her remaining strength to bite the hand, making it loosen its grip, and she took the chance to turn around to see the man.

Her eyes widened when they landed on the two crimson orbs that had been penetrating her just earlier and haunting her since she first saw them. They were dark and hypnotizing. His messy hair pointed in different directions, and his lips were slightly pressed together as he gave her a glare.

"Z-Zavier...?" she stammered, taken aback when his hand covered her mouth once again, almost covering half of her face. His other hand wrapped around her waist.

She gulped as she realized their bodies were pressed together. She could feel the warmth emanating from his body, his scent enveloping her nose, and the burning sensation slowly building inside her again.

"How about the girl?" the emperor asked once again.

"The princess is doing well. She joined Princess Zienna for tea today, along with Lord Zavier, Lord Valerian, and Prince Alaric," the servant replied.

All of her attention then shifted when she heard that. Was she the one they were talking about?

"Princess Yzabella Alisha Esther..." the cold and menacing voice of the emperor as he spoke her name sent shivers down her spine. "Make sure she doesn't leave the palace until my grand ball comes."

Yzabella's heart pounded in her chest, the gravity of the situation sinking in. Why did the emperor want to keep her confined to the palace? What was his intention? Her mind raced with questions, but Zavier's presence brought her back to the immediate danger.

"Shh," Zavier whispered against her ear, his breath warm on her skin. "We need to get you out of here."

© ashiaari