Chapter 52. The Two at the Crossroads (5)
“Why did she close her eyes?” Laila thought. A whisper echoed in her mind, and she felt compelled to respond.
“Because it feels good.”
She saw Eustar smile. It was strange. Even though her eyes were closed, she could see him clearly. But somehow, it didn’t feel odd…
It was like a dream. Though she knew it wasn’t a dream, Laila let herself float in that strange sensation, as if suspended in midair.
“Does my touch feel good?”
Laila nodded.
“Yes. Your touch… feels good.”
Her head tilted a little more toward the hollow of Eustar’s palm. Her cheek brushed against it… His hand was as soft as freshly spun silk.
At that moment, Laila suddenly opened her eyes wide and stepped back.
“What’s wrong?”
Eustar asked, still smiling as if nothing was wrong.
Laila hurriedly scanned him from head to toe. She wanted just one clue—anything—that could justify this uneasy feeling.
But there was none. The man before her was definitely Eustar…
“Who are you? Why are you here? How did you get in?” Laila asked, pressing her back against the wall.
Eustar frowned slightly, looking a little troubled.
“Laila, calm down. Why are you acting like this?”
He reached out, but Laila pushed his hand away and tried to slip under the bed, but she was a step too slow.
Eustar’s fingertips gripped her knee firmly. The spot where his hand touched suddenly grew hot, and every nerve and sensation screamed loudly.
Laila struggled in panic, but she had no strength to threaten Eustar. In fact, her movements seemed less like resistance and more like drawing him toward her.
Her body slid down onto the soft cushion. Eustar’s hand holding her knee naturally moved up and pressed on her wrist.
His long hair spilled down both sides of her vision.
Through his shimmering hair, like a translucent canopy curtain, thin strands of darkness and light seeped in. Laila suddenly felt the urge to reach out and touch that light—and the darkness.
No, another voice whispered in her mind.
What you truly want to touch isn’t darkness or faint light, Laila.
Eustar smiled faintly.
For a moment, Laila thought the voice she just heard might have been his.
That unfamiliar voice—the one that stirred prickling guilt and loss every time she tried to reject or push him away—could it have been his?
How could that be?
“Laila.”
At the quiet call of his voice, Laila swallowed nervously without answering. His fingertips on her cheek were still as soft as freshly spun silk, yet cold as a piece of the north wind.
“If we’re going to pretend to be husband and wife, there should be at least some contact. That way, no mistakes will happen.”
“Mistakes?” she asked hesitantly.
Eustar smiled again. For a moment, his eyes seemed to flash the same red color as hers, but no—it was just the flickering reflection of the lamp light. The shadows made his face appear sharper than usual. His sharp nose and lips looked provocatively defined.
“What mistakes do you mean, Eustar?”
“That’s not important.”
His hand brushed her cheek and circled her neck.
Laila shuddered, a chill rising from her waist to her throat. She gasped, trembling with cold and fear. At the same time, a strange, unknown desire twisted through her body, awakening.
“Don’t close your eyes, Laila.”
She obeyed and looked at him. As his face slowly drew nearer, his lips seemed to be waiting only to consume her.
His breath—icy cold—tickled her jawline, causing the fine hairs there to stand on end. Just before their lips touched, Eustar’s eyes flashed red once more.
But that was no reflection of light and shadow.
“No!”
Screaming, Laila pushed him away and pressed her body against the wall, retreating. Her hand burned with a dull pain, and a voice of reproach echoed loudly in her mind.
But Laila refused to give in. She focused all her strength not to listen.
“You are not Eustar.”
She backed under the bed, feeling the cold carpet under her bare feet.
Eustar sat on the bed, lips curved softly.
He was so charming she wanted to rush and hug him, but she was certain this was not the real Eustar. It was because of his eyes.
Eustar’s real eyes were fresh light green, like grass after a summer rain. But this figure on the bed—though resembling Eustar—did not have those eyes.
At first, the eyes were the same fresh green, then just moments ago they turned black.
And now they had become a pale gray, with the part that should have been pupils shimmering like a fish tail—like flames. Laila had mistaken it for a play of light and shadow, but it was real.
Eustar suddenly bowed his head and his shoulders trembled. His beautifully disheveled long hair rippled like waves.
“Better than I thought. Very sharp. Rebellious and independent. A fine witch.”
Laila’s eyes widened in shock. It was definitely Eustar’s voice, but not him… And a profound, unfamiliar fear rose inside her. At the same time, an inexplicable intimacy stirred.
‘It’ raised its head. Laila now knew that this face didn’t resemble Eustar’s at all. Nor was it a face she had seen before.
A terrifyingly beautiful man looked at Laila with eyes flickering like flames.
“Why did you reject Eustar’s desire?”
Laila shook her head. She regretted responding at all.
“Who are you? Just who…”
“Who I am? How disappointing. You’ve seen me many times. Even if you hadn’t, how could you ask who I am after looking into my eyes? You have talent but no manners.”
Seen him many times? Laila thought. No, that can’t be. I swear I never have…
The figure moved its head slightly, like a giant snake contemplating how to kill an interesting prey.
“Even if not in my true form, you have seen me. You were curious. You asked Eustar many times, but he never answered. Now, I have come to give you the answer.”
As he finished speaking, all the lights went out.
Even the lamps lighting the palace gardens disappeared into darkness. Struggling in the sudden blackness, Laila heard a chuckling voice.
—I am called the Deceptor. I devour the souls that you and Eustar have caught. Laila Chrislad, thanks to your talent, I am so delighted I want to burn this place to ashes.
Suddenly waking from sleep, Eustar shivered in a chilling cold and sat up.
It felt as if he had been thrown naked into a snowy field. But when he heard the crackling fire in the hearth, warmth returned to his body like a lie.
An unpleasant smell hit his nose.
“Sulfur.”
The blazing fire smelled like rot, evoking a lightning strike of disgust.
Eustar jumped out of bed, barely putting on his robe, and went outside his room. Pale-faced servants were rushing around.
“Your Highness!”
One servant, nearly bumping into him, bowed hurriedly. Eustar frowned seeing the dark bloodstains on the cloths in his arms.
“What happened?”
“His Majesty’s condition suddenly worsened! He is having severe convulsions and seizures…”
“What?”
“Th-the royal physicians have just entered.”
His heart sank—not just from worry for his brother. Eustar looked slowly around his dimly lit room, as if sensing someone was there…
“Your Highness, I must leave now. It’s urgent.”
The servant bowed repeatedly, clutching the cloths, and hurried away. They intended to secretly take the bloodstained linens to the laundry and burn them so no rumors spread.
Thinking of his brother in pain, Eustar started walking briskly.
He was not heading for the king’s bedroom. Passing through the quietly busy servants, almost running, he arrived at Laila’s room.
When the guards opened the door, Mel, who had been dozing in the living room, was startled and jumped up. Seeing Eustar suddenly appear at midnight, her face showed surprise.
“Your Highness, you have come.”
“Where is Laila?”
Mel glanced at the firmly closed bedroom door and lowered her voice.
“Chrislad hasn’t eaten dinner and is resting.”
“I’ll go check on her.”
As Eustar spun around, a look of worry flickered across Mel’s face.
Actually, Mel thought it was cold of Eustar not even to check on Laila once. No matter how much of a witch she was, since he had accepted her as his wife, shouldn’t he at least have visited on their wedding night?
If word got out that Eustar hadn’t come to her on the first night, what would Laila’s reputation be at the palace?
But when Eustar said he had to see her, Mel felt less glad and more scared. There was a desperate urgency in his presence.
“Your Highness, wait… I will go inside and wake Chrislad.”
Mel tried to stop him, but Eustar showed no sign of waiting. Instead, he looked at her and said,
“No need. And make sure everyone stays outside. If you hear anything inside, don’t open the door until I come out.”
