The Maid's Tyrant Prince

2. A Strange New World

┌────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────┐
C H A P T E R   2

A   S T R A N G E   N E W   W O R L D

└────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────┘

The Crown Prince, Evan Ryzen, rose to his feet, towering over Rose. As she matched his fiery gaze, a thousand memories flashed past Rose's mind. 

Moments and scenes from the The Tyrant Prince's Pet Magician. All the blood and death Evan would be a part of, all for his beloved.

His maniacal tyranny. His anger and bloodthirst.

And finally, when he failed to save the one he loved most, his death by his own hands.

Why did I have to fall on top of him? Of all the people—

"Knights! Seize this woman at once," he commanded.

In an instant, two knights descended upon Rose, their armoured hands gripping her arms with brutal force.

"Hey, let me go!" Rose cried out, her irritation bubbling over as she glared up at the knights. They remained stoic, their eyes locked on their master.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?" one of the knights asked.

"I'm perfectly fine," Evan replied, brushing the dust off of his wrinkled, white tunic. "I shouldn't have let her live the last time."

The last time? Rose was panicking now, struggling feebly against the knights' unyielding grip. What the fuck —

Evan reached for his sword, buried in the scabbard hanging off his belt, and pulled it out, placing its blade against Rose's neck.

"Uh, excuse me?" Rose yelped. "You cannot point your sword at me!"

He laughed in her face. "Do you truly believe you have the authority to command me,?" His icy eyes flashed with a dangerous glint. "You tried to kill me by leaping from a balcony."

"I was not trying to kill you." Rose inched her neck away from the blade hovering too close for comfort. "I didn't even know you were down here!"

"Really? Then what would possess you to jump down from that height?"

"I thought I was dreaming and I was trying to wake up!" Rose shot back.

For a moment, he stared at her in stunned disbelief, the sharpness in his gaze faltering as he tried to absorb the madness in her words.

"Is that really your excuse? A pathetic waste of words in your final moments." A cold, mocking smile tugged at the corner of his lips as his sword pressed closer against her skin. "Time to end your misery."

Evan raised his sword, ready to deliver the fatal blow. Rose slammed her eyes shut, ready for the pain, when a voice cried out from the distance.

"Your Highness! Wait!"

Rose's breath hitched in relief as her eyes flew open. It was the old physician, hobbling down the palace steps as quickly as his old legs could carry him. And he wasn't alone. Behind him, a pretty, pink-faced maid dashed ahead, her short brown hair bouncing in the breeze as she ran toward them.